If you want to make sure that your household receives cheap gas and electric bills over the next few months, there are some smart tips and tricks that you can employ. Some of these nine suggestions are particularly useful during the hot summer days, but others will serve you well all year round.
1) Subject your air conditioning to close scrutiny:
If you have air conditioning in your home, summer is the most important time to make sure that the system is working optimally and to check that it is definitely maximising energy efficiency. Firstly, have it inspected to ensure that there are no faults or problems that you have not noticed. Secondly, if you do not have timers and sensors fitted, considering having them installed to make sure that your air conditioning system is only cooling the air when no one is home. This type of action can substantially reduce your energy bills. In addition, if you have not replaced your air conditioning system for a long time, you may find that there is a newer version that will save you more energy and money in the long run.
2) Reduce your use of lights:
You will naturally turn on fewer lights in the house during the summer months, but you might also want to consider adjusting certain habits. For example, while you might generally prefer to shut the blinds and use artificial light at certain times of days, your bank balance will thank you if you continue to let the sunlight in until it disappears in the middle of the evening.
3) Keep the sun out:
When you’re not actively using the sunlight to illuminate your rooms (or when the sun is at its hottest during the early and mid-afternoon), make sure that you always close your blinds and/or curtains to keep your rooms cooler and dramatically reduce the need for fans or air conditioning.
4) Dry your laundry outside:
There is no need to use huge amounts of energy and money to dry your clothes in the tumble dryer during summer. Instead, put your laundry out on a clothesline and let the sun do the work. As a bonus, your clothes will smell fresh and appealing after drying in an outdoor environment.
5) Consider an energy monitor:
Buying an energy monitor can illuminate certain habits and problems, helping to produce cheap gas and electric bills. They do not cost much to acquire, and once you know where and how you are using the most energy then you can start to change your approach to energy usage.
6) Make some changes to your shower:
You may have heard of the Ecocamel, which is an affordable small device that will replace your showerhead in a way that reduces your water consumption and helps you to save money on your utility bills. The Ecocamel sucks air into your water stream, and by mixing water with air it boosts the overall pressure to ensure that you continue to get a full stream of water while nonetheless actually using much less water. Reviews suggest that this alternative to your showerhead is superior to similar products that tend to lead to an unsatisfyingly weak shower stream.
7) Take advantage of cooler nights:
If you live in a place where it is cooler in the evenings, avoid using an energy-consuming cooling system at night and open the windows while you are asleep instead. Before it gets much hotter, close the windows and shut the blinds to ensure that your rooms continue to stay cool for a while during the day.
8) Remember the importance of insulation:
Insulation doesn’t just help to keep the cold air out during the winter months; it also prevents colder air from leaving the house during the summer. Make sure that the walls, doors and windows of your home are not leaking cool air out into the hot outdoors.
9) Raise awareness in your home:
Finally, you should make sure that all of the members of your household know all about how they can aid you in your attempts to save energy for cheap gas and electric bills.
Author Sam Jones advises that prices comparison website, uSwitch is the palce for cheap gas and electric because it is possible to compare prices and tariffs from all of the main suppliers