5 Reasons Your Energy Bills Went Up & How to Lower Them

Don’t you hate it when the only mail you get in your mailbox is either junk or a bill these days? Imagine though finding out your energy bill has gone up—way up—compared to the previous month. Why though?

As it turns out, there are not only various reasons as to why your energy bills have increased, but also some ways to save energy and money every month without too much effort. Without further ado, let’s go over the reasons as to why your energy bills may have jumped up before moving on to the tips.

Reason 1: You Leave the Window Open

You may think you’re saving money by not spending it on air conditioning, but did you know that leaving a window open may actually be causing your monthly bills to spike? This is especially concerning if you have central air conditioning or heat flowing throughout your home. What’s happening when you open a window while the heat or cool air is flowing through is that the air you’re trying to keep in gets sucked out when you open the window. When that happens, you’re not only letting valuable air get out, you’re also waving money goodbye!

Reason 2: You Leave Utilities Plugged In

There are some utilities you really don’t need to keep plugged in 24/7. A few examples we can think of are A/C (unless it’s really hot; still, if the A/C is constantly running at max capacity and it’s still not cool, that’s not a good thing!), printers, DVD and Blu-ray players, ovens, and microwaves. Devices like these may likely be the reason why so much energy in your home is being wasted and your bills are rising. These utilities are also referred to sometimes as “phantom loads”, i.e. appliances you wouldn’t think are costing you money and energy by staying plugged in, but they are.

Reason 3: Your Refrigerator Keeps Running

If this is the case, you’d better…nah, that’s a bad joke. In all seriousness, a refrigerator that is constantly running and making a lot of noise is something you should be concerned about. If there is noise, it could mean one of several things, such as an overworking condenser. Having little to no food in the fridge can also, in actuality, be wasting much-needed energy. No food means no insulation for the cool air, meaning all of the air flow in your near-empty fridge is being wasted…and so is your money.

Reason 4: Your HVAC Units Keep Running, Too

Dirty or unmaintained HVAC equipment will overwork and run constantly in order to fulfill their purpose, meaning energy is being wasted and your costs are going to go up. Likewise, switching on HVAC units when there’s no need to is also considered to be a wasteful practice. If the units are running constantly but their desired effect, whether it’s cool air or heat, isn’t being felt, that could mean your units are too small or too big.

Reason 5: Your Hot Water is Too Hot!

Using hot water can increase your energy bills too. The drying feature on dishwashers, hot water in the washing machines, your shower—all of these in addition to your hot water tank may be the culprit in why your energy bill just skyrocketed.

Now, let’s take a look at how you can start conserving energy and lowering your monthly bills.

Tip 1: Unplug Utilities When They’re Not in Use

You may think you need that coffee maker plugged in all the time, but are you really going to drink coffee while you’re sleeping? Unless you’re sleepwalking or are a real night owl, the answer may probably be no. For computers, kitchen appliances, stereos, phone chargers, and so on, make sure they’re plugged into a power strip and then get into the habit of unplugging these appliances whenever you’re not using them. For computers, consider putting them into sleep mode whenever you don’t need to use them.

Tip 2: Lower the Temperature

Your hot water tank should have a temperature gauge included, and that may be where the cause of your energy bill’s increase is coming from. In addition to lowering the temperature on the hot water tank, doing the following can also help lower your bills: drying laundry out on a clothesline, dryer rack, or shower rod; using laundry balls instead of dryer sheets; turning off the heat dry on your dishwasher; washing only full loads of laundry; washing your laundry in cold water.

Tip 3: Keep Your HVAC Units Clean and Well-Maintained

An unmaintained and dirty unit is way more expensive and unsafe than the opposite! If your home has a furnace, central air conditioning, or an HRV system, it’s best to set up an annual schedule for an inspector to come and check up on your units. That way if there are indeed parts that need to be maintained or inspected, they can be addressed and, if necessary, fixed.

Tip 5: Close that Window!

Especially if the A/C or heat is on! If you simply must have fresh air while it’s stuffy inside and out, consider using an HRV system instead (check out our article explaining its other benefits). It’s also a great idea to ensure you’re not using the A/C needlessly by closing the blinds where the sunlight pours in the most. Most central A/C should come complete with a temperature gauge also, so lowering the gauge or letting it run at a lower rate should suffice.

Tip 6: Take Care of Your Refrigerator

If your fridge has dirty condenser coils, it will work harder to keep your food and drinks cold and preserved. This should be looked at around once every three months to make sure it’s running efficiently. Another good way to conserve on energy is to keep your fridge and freezer stocked up full. That way, the cool air flowing through won’t be wasted.

Tip 7: Upgrade if Necessary

Sometimes the only way to save money is by spending it, especially if the equipment you use to keep your home cool or hot is older than you by several decades. It will also help to double-check on the size of the equipment; maybe it’s way too big or way too small for the job, which answers all sorts of questions you have about your monthly bills. If that’s the case, a professional will be able to consult with you on the proper size and measurements you will need before upgrading. It never hurts to ask!

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-844-218-3362 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!