Electric bill too high

Electric bill too high?

Simple easy steps you can take

Rachel and Preston Correll of Stanford (shown with their son Gus), along with twenty other people,

gathered to discuss suggestions for conserving energy and water and other environmentally friendly actions.

The potluck meeting was held at Lois Anderson’s home in Danville, and sponsored by the local group Healthy Planet Initiatives.

Most people can reduce their electric bill by 25% or more by making simple changes.

Reducing your use of electricity is also one of the most important steps you can take to reduce global warming.

Heating and cooling your home probably uses the most electricity.

To lower your heating bill:
Turn down the thermostat. Wear warmer clothes.
Turn your thermostat down even farther when you are not home or asleep.
Insulate your attic.
Prevent drafts around doors and windows.
Let the warm sun stream in south facing windows. Close the drapes or shades for extra insulation when the sun is gone.

To lower your cooling costs:

Raise your thermostat. Wear cooler clothes.
Raise your thermostat even higher when you are not home.
Use fans instead of air conditioning whenever possible.
Shade your home in the summer with deciduous trees.
Insulate and properly vent your attic.
Close your curtains or shades at times that the sun light is directly streaming in.
Open your windows when it is cooler outside and close them when it is hotter outside. This often means opening windows at night, and closing them during the day.

Other ways to lower your electric bill:

Turn out lights when not in use!
Use only compact fluorescent bulbs.
Use task lighting instead of multiple overhead bulbs.
Use your clothes dryer as little as possible. Hang clothes indoors or outside instead.
When you do use the clothes dryer, do not over dry clothes. If your dryer has a moisture sensor, use it.
Clean the lint trap before every dryer use.
Use your clothes washer, and dryer only when you have full loads.
Insulate your water heater.
Conserve hot water. Turn off the tap when possible, and use cold water when doing laundry.
The dishwasher can save energy by using less hot water than hand washing. This only works if you don’t prewash or rinse your dishes and you wash only full loads.
Use your microwave when possible, instead of your stove or oven.
Match your pot size to the burner size; put small pots on the small burners.
Plug your appliances into power strips, and turn off the power strips when they are not in use.
Buy EnergyStar rated appliances whenever possible.
If your refrigerator or freezer isn’t full, put water jugs in the empty space.
When possible, sweep instead of using a vacuum cleaner. Rake instead of using a leaf blower.
Turn off your tv and computer when not in use.

If this list seems overwhelming, add one new habit each week.

Finally, for expert advice on how to reduce your electric bill, get a home energy audit. This is free for Inter-County Energy members and $15 for KU customers.