Save Money By Reducing Utility Bills – Here’s How To Do That
Energy conservation is important but most homeowners have no idea how to save money on utility bills. While there are so many things that we can mention, we will stay focused only on some interesting methods that can be used in order to achieve such a goal. A little bit of planning can add a lot of money to your pockets through the savings that are possible with utility bills.
Paint Your Roof White
Most people do not know this but it was proved that in a sunny climate the white roof will use 40% less energy when cooling happens if compared with the black roof. When taking into account the utility rates, you can end up saving around $100 per year. We know that most roofs are not black but even so, the white roof will help out in reducing utility bills.
You can easily go for elastomeric, white coating that will be available at most hardware stores. This is basically a polymers blend that is waterproof, flexible and durable. The life span of the roof will also be increased thanks to the water resistance so you can easily take advantage of the savings offered.
Install An Irrigation Meter
Most do not know this but homeowners are regularly charged two times per month. You once get the bill when you pump the water into the home and again when it is pumped out as sewage. In the event that you use water in order to irrigate gardens or lawns, it will never end up in the sewer. In order to save money on utility bills, you want to be sure that you focus on paying just for the used sewer capacity. There are various utilities that will give you the possibility of using a separate water meter. Use them for swimming pools, irrigation and all other outdoor uses. You will end up paying some money on the meter when you install it but then you will start saving cash.
Use Reusable Furnace And AC Filters
Most homeowners that use furnaces and AC units will postpone filter replacement. The problem with this is that the HVAC system will lose efficiency. As soon as this happens the electricity costs are going to go up. Neglect and dirt will sometimes even cause the HVAC unit to become irreparably damaged. You can easily avoid this by basically using reusable filters. You pay a little more form them upfront but you will love the money that you end up saving as the HVAC unit operates exactly as it should.
Fix Those Cracks
When some small leaks appear, people tend to ignore them. When you do the math and you see exactly how much you lose, there is a big possibility that you will be surprised. You want to be sure that you cover the cracks that appear in your home. You can easily use caulk or expanding foam for this purpose. Look at the local hardware store and ask exactly what options are available for you. You will want to check the places around doorframes, windows, on basement wall tops, where blocks will come into contact with wooden frames and around holes that are used to get pipes inside the home.
Invest In A Programmable Thermostat
The last idea to highlight is adding a thermostat that is programmable. This is a really interesting thing that many do not want to do as they would have to pay for the extra hardware. However, with a small investment of just around $30 you can end up saving close to $200 per year, which is definitely one thing that you should consider.