Negosentro.com | 6 Reasons Your Energy Bill May Be High | You may have noticed over the past few months that your energy bill is higher than usual. You have not bought a new appliance, nor has the weather changed in Texas yet. Yet suddenly, your energy bill has some figures you didn’t expect.
The reasons could vary; failure to replace overdue heaters, ignorance of the side effects, some of not taking care of your home, or actual operation of high-voltage appliances. If you reside in the Houston area, there can be a number of reasons why your energy bill goes up before the seasons change. Additionally, you can compare and select between the best 2021 Texas electricity providers online to choose the best one that works for your budget and needs.
Why Your Bill Could Be High
The reasons why your energy bill can be higher than what you expect are varied. You could have stacked up on new appliances without taking the time to assess the impact on your monthly bills. Did you, for instance, check the energy consumption of that new fridge before you bought it?
Other than which appliances are consuming the most energy, you need to note the time you use them. Similar to smartphone device usage, there is a peak time when energy consumption is highest. For most places, peak times will usually be from 5 pm to 10 pm, give or take. If you’re always running your bigger appliances during these hours, your bills will tend to be higher. Try running the dishwasher in the morning instead.
Another impact could be due to leaving your electronics plugged in when not in use. Toasters, blenders, etc. don’t need to be plugged when they aren’t in use. This also goes for cellphone and laptop chargers as leaving your devices plugged in after they’ve reached 100 percent causes trickle-charging and will use electricity the entire time.
Your windows could be another reason your energy bill is higher than you remember it being the last time. They could be letting warm air seep out during winter, forcing your heater to work harder to provide you with optimal indoor temperatures. In addition to this, your central heating could be overdue for some maintenance work.
When was the last time you replaced the air filters in your heating system? Clogged filters are one of the significant reasons HVAC systems fail. They restrict the flow of air through the system, putting additional strain on its fan. Not only does this cause the system to consume more power than expected, but it may also lead to overheating and its ultimate breakdown.
Another thing you may need to check is how frequently you use energy-guzzling machines. If you’re throwing clothes into the washing machine every one or two days, barely getting the drum half full, you may want to change your laundry schedule.
While we’re still discussing washing machines, you may want to soak clothes with visible stains before beginning the washing cycle. This will remove the need to rewash the clothes when you notice the stains aren’t gone, saving precious energy. One other way your washing machine could be over-contributing to your monthly bills is its innate inefficiency. You could be operating an old model that doesn’t have the eco-friendly, energy-saving features more recent models have.
Lastly, check your lights. Besides turning them off when not in use, you should replace incandescent bulbs with more efficient LED or halogen bulbs. They may be more expensive on the initial purchase, but these bulbs will save you much more money in the long-term.
A Change in Your Source Could Do the Trick
Once you start on this energy-saving journey, you may as well go the whole hog. Changing your energy source from the conventional to green energy will leave you smiling at the end of the month. You will have the additional joy of knowing you’re doing your bit for the planet. Powering your home with solar or wind energy means that fossil fuels don’t have to be burned and greenhouse gases produced for you to have lights or heat your food.
You may have thought about making the switch to renewable energy but may have been held back by the cost involved. The idea of investing thousands of dollars in solar panels, batteries, and all the other bits and pieces needed to run a solar-powered home may have put you off. But you don’t have to turn your house into a solar plant. If you do a bit of research, you can find an energy company in Texas that will supply clean energy to your home from the grid, just like you get it presently.
Playing the Long Game
Taming your energy bills means being ready to make some sacrifices in the short-term for future gains. Replacing that ancient fridge that consumes too much energy may put a painful dent in your wallet. Switching from a conventional electricity supply will probably be even more so. But in a few months, you will begin to reap the rewards.
