Three Ways to Save on Your Home’s Energy Costs

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When we get to in-between seasons in the Tennessee Valley, the energy usage of the devices and appliances in our homes tends to go down. As winter turns to spring, we might be able to go for several days or even a week before having to turn the heating system on or crank up the air conditioner during the day. These are the good times. When our utility bill arrives we usually see that we’ve spent less money, and that’s always a good thing.

How can you save money year-round on your home’s energy costs? The first thing to look at and to realize is which appliances and devices in your home use the most energy. Listed below is a look at some of the most used appliances in your home and how much energy they consume, and the cost per kilowatt hour based on the latest rates per hour from Huntsville Utilities:

As you can see, your home’s comfort system uses by far more energy than the next item on the list. In the middle of winter if your heating system stays running for 12 to 15 hours per day, you would be spending between $15.36 and $19.20 per day keeping your home comfortable. That totals between $461 and $576 per month based on the examples used above.

*When your energy usage passes 1400 kilowatts used within a given month, the cost per kilowatt hour increases from .85 (8.444) cents to .926 cents per kilowatt hour, an 8.9% increase in your energy bill.

Here are three ways, other than totally cutting your power off, to save money on your energy bills:

1. Invest in a programmable, smart thermostat. If you forget to adjust or turn your heat or air-conditioning off one day before you leave the house, you’ve just wasted $15 to $19 dollars. Installing a programmable, smart thermostat saves on average, 10% on your energy costs every year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Have your home’s comfort system serviced regularly. Your home’s system can be compared to your automobile in that you keep your automobile serviced regularly so it will not break down when you need it most. Same goes for your home’s comfort system. In a few short weeks, you will expect your air conditioning system to be working perfectly when the hot days arrive. Having it checked now will avoid any delays in keeping yourself and your family comfortable.
3. Invest in an energy efficient, environmentally safer home comfort system. You might think that spending several thousand dollars to buy a new comfort system for your home is foolish if the one you have now is working properly. If your home’s system is more than a few year’s old, the efficiency level probably isn’t close to what’s available today. If your system’s SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) is 10 or less, you can literally cut your energy usage in half by installing a comfort system with a SEER level of 20.

Newer systems also better maintain the humidity levels in your home making the living conditions for your family much more comfortable. Newer systems also filter out more outside contaminants which provides your family with cleaner air to breathe.

If you wold like more information about saving money on energy costs, call Bunn’s and Bennett Heating and Air Conditioning at 256-536-0967. We are a fully licensed and insured HVAC dealer in Huntsville, AL, and we’ve been serving the needs of the Tennessee Valley for more than thirty-four years. Visit our website at www.bunnshvac.com or email us at [email protected]. Want more information about our service maintenance plan? Go to https://bunnshvac.com/residential/maintenance/.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]