Tips to Save Electricity at Home

Laura Avila Barraza, an electrical expert, provides tips on how to lower your monthly energy bills without having to make any compromises when it comes to comfort levels. Follow these easy steps to save electricity - one of them may be all you need to feel warmer or cooler this winter!

Many people complain about higher power bills at the beginning of winter, and it is obvious why: The heaters and furnaces have to work harder to provide warmth to the entire household.

However, there are ways to reduce your electricity bill without letting go of comfort - and here are some tips that you can use. Your monthly energy bills will be much lower if you just follow these seven easy steps:

1) Lower your heating temperature a few degrees or put on a sweater instead of turning up the thermostat.

If lowering your temperature by a little doesn't do enough, try changing your furnace filter before adjusting the temperature control. A clogged filter forces your furnace fan to work harder, which also makes the heater run longer and waste more energy.

2) Be mindful of water temperature when doing laundry, showering, or running the dishwasher.

Washing in cold water can save a lot of money on your utility bills, so consider only washing full loads in hot water. Showers use less hot water than baths do, and that means lower water heating bills if you take shorter showers. If possible, install low-flow showerheads for maximum savings. Just make sure they are installed properly so you get enough pressure from them. Dishwashers also use less energy than hand washing dishes does so dish up a full dishwasher load before turning it on. Also, unplug appliances that you aren't using.

3) Don't block your vents and registers with furniture or carpeting.

Blocking off the vents makes heated or cooled air circulating throughout your house less efficiently, so your heater or A/C has to work harder to make the entire place comfortable.

Covering the registers restricts airflow from the ducts, making you feel colder in winter and warmer in summer. Besides wasting energy, this can damage your cooling system when it is not able to remove enough heat from indoors because of blocked ventilation systems.

4) Don't keep the doors closed unless it's really cold outside.

When you're in your house, it's easy to see why you'd close the doors to keep the heat in. Unfortunately, though, closing all of your doors and windows makes it harder for warm air inside to escape. With every door shut, there is less airflow through your home and more work required by your heater or furnace just to keep the inside warm. That means a higher energy bill!

5) Use a timer to turn off lights and appliances when you're not using them.

Even if you leave lots of lights on each night, it's easy enough to use an automatic timer to make sure they go off after a certain time at night - especially if you go to bed before the sunsets. Your neighbors will thank you, too - bright lights in the middle of the night could be one explanation for high energy bills in your neighborhood or street.

Lastly, electrician Laura Avila Barraza recommends cleaning the vents and registers thoroughly at least once every spring to maintain proper airflow. However, if you've got pets or kids that like to crawl under your furniture, there are covers available that block off space without restricting airflow.