How to Save on Electricity for Free

Do you cringe every time you open your electric bill? If you are like the millions of homeowners across the country, you likely wonder if there is anything you can do to reduce your power bill without breaking the bank.

Fortunately, we’ve put together 10 steps you can take today that will lower your electricity costs before your next payment is due. Even better, not one of these tips will cost you a single penny! 

1. Use your dishwater – This may seem counter-intuitive, but the dishwater uses less water than hand washing, which means less power used for heating.
2. Air dry your dishes – While you will want to use your dishwasher to wash dishes, leaving the drying cycle off could save up to 50% of the energy normally consumed.
3. Keep your oven door closed – Every time you open the oven door, the internal temperature can drop by more than 10%, requiring the oven to use more power to bring the heat back up.
4. Clean your lint trap – Clothes dryers can suck up to 6% of a home’s energy total. Keeping the lint trap can significantly increase your dryer’s energy efficiency.
5. Wash clothes in cold water – It costs money to heat up water, especially for loads of laundry. Use cold water instead and don’t worry, most detergents actually work better in cold water.
6. Use natural light – All too often once we close our blinds and rely on our lights. Instead, use the light provided by the sun to light up your room with beautiful natural light.
7. Turn off lights – Leaving a room… turn off the lights! Even a single light bulb turned off regularly can save up to $7 a year. Multiply that by how many bulbs you have, and some significant savings can be had.
8. Turn off the water – When brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing up, turn the faucet off instead of letting the water run. Your water heater can conserve energy for later.
9. Take shorter showers – This tip may be the toughest, but shorter showers can save on the energy needed to heat the water. You could save $30 per year for every minute saved.
10. Unplug electronics – When not in use, electronics plugged in continue to consume power. Unplugging them can save on the 10% of energy consumption standby power uses.

BONUS:  Although not free, investing in a smart thermostat may be the most energy saving changes you can make, especially in homes where temperatures can be extremely hot or severely cold. Not only do smart thermostats provide greater control over when your heating and air conditioning systems kick on but can also detect when no one is home and shut off until family members return. Homeowners who use smart thermostats commonly see a savings of 10% or more on their electric bill.