Fast Fall Tips To Save Electricity And Money

The arrival of the colder seasons of the year also often means an increase in electricity bills in the average home. Cold weather increases the demands on your home's heating, not to mention lighting due to longer days and many other regularly used electrical appliances in your home. However, making major changes to save electricity isn't always possible; you might not be able to afford an electrician, and wiring isn't something that should be done as part of a DIY project, since it's not unusual for a power line to be rated at 400,000 to 750,000 volts. Here are a few simple, fast changes you can make to your home that will help you save electricity this fall and winter.

Consider What You're Starting With

When you're looking to save electricity at home, you'll want to be realistic with your goals. Ultimately, every house is designed differently, and some are going to be better at saving energy than others. A metal roof on your home, for example, can easily help save as much as 25% off of your annual home energy bill. There are a couple of options you have to deal with this. The two main ones are to do major home renovations and to move to a new house. With the latter, you'll be able to move to a house with better efficiency, but it's going to cost you. To sell your home alone, it costs an average of $15,200, not including the cost of the house you'll be buying! For the biggest savings, you could likely benefit from major work to your home. However, you'll probably want to save these projects for the spring.

Decorate Smart

One idea you can use right now to reduce your electricity use significantly is fairly simple: redecorate. Most people tend to redecorate simply because they want to change the look of a room, but redecorating in the right ways can help you cut down on electricity use. For just a few simple starting points that will help you spend less, try adding curtains, carpets, and other elements to your home that will help it feel warmer during cold weather. There are currently over 14 billion home looks on Pinterest - a category that has grown 75% since 2017 - so feel free to use these for inspiration to get you started.

Make Easy Swaps

Not feeling up for a larger project or redecorating? You can still save energy with a few simple swaps in your home. For example, try switching out your light bulbs to LED bulbs if you haven't yet. Today’s LED bulbs can be six to seven times more energy efficient than conventional incandescent lights and cut energy use by more than 80%. You won't need to change anything about your home or lifestyle at all to see these energy savings; simply turn on the lights and watch the difference in your utility bills.

Use Energy Wisely

Not all your electricity savings have to come from changes you make to your home - they can also be behavioral changes. Do you regularly forget to turn off lights when you leave a room? Set your lights on a timer so you're not wasting money lighting rooms with nobody in them. Does your heating bill have your head spinning? Try setting your thermostat a few degrees cooler, or change to a smart thermostat that can adjust for when you're not home. The smarter you are with your energy, the less you'll end up spending in the long run.

Energy bills can be one of the largest expenses you'll encounter as a homeowner, especially in the colder seasons of the year. However, careful planning and making some small changes around your home can keep your bills lower than the temperatures outside. Turning off the heat for a 30-minute errand might not be feasible, but these tips can help. How do you plan to save on your next energy bill? What tips and tricks do you use to help you save?