January 10 marks National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, and I've got your personal cheat sheet with five strategies to conserve energy and elbow those extra costs out of your monthly bill:
1) Consider time-of-use rates. Learn about your utility's time-of-use rates, which vary depending on the time of day. Strategically plan your energy use to save money. You can find these rates on your energy bill or the utility's website.
2) Leverage smart home plugs and thermostats. Combat standby power consumption (up to 10% of your energy use) with smart switches for appliances and programmable thermostats. Schedule when they turn on and off efficiently.
3) Adjust the water heater temperature. The U.S. Department of Energy says lowering your water heater temperature by 20 degrees can save 4% - 22% annually.
4) Efficient water heating. Water heating is the second-largest home expense, averaging $400 - $600 yearly. Consider a $150 water heater smart controller to heat water only when needed (potentially saving 10% - 30%) and insulate your water heater to cut heat loss (saving 7% - 16%).
5) Monitor specific energy usage. Make sense of rising bills by tracking energy usage and setting custom alerts. Knowing where your energy goes is the first step to making meaningful changes.
Bookmark this post for your next bill cycle, and feel free to reach out for more energy-saving insights!
Hey Inland Empire, I’m Candice Newman! I’ve had the incredible fortune of being born and raised in this amazing community, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I currently live in Alta Loma with my husband, Jonathan, our son, Trevor, and our dog, Ruger! I’m a real estate agent with a passion for finding new places to explore in the Foothill Communities. When I'm not selling homes, you can find me cheering my son on at his baseball games, exercising, spending time in our local mountains, heading to the lake, cooking, or watching the Dodgers slay the Giants (I was born and raised an Angels fan, but the Dodgers have taken over the household!). I'll never have enough Mexican food and Italian food in my life. I’m looking forward to connecting with you soon! See you around town! Candice.Newman.Realty@gmail.com | (909)367-3280 DRE: 01924842
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