Understanding Your Energy Bill Can Help Reduce Wasted Consumption

Trust me: You’re not the only one who shudders at the thought of understanding an energy bill. But if you’re among the few who try to decipher and double-check all those rates and numbers, you deserve a lot of credit—as much for determination as curiosity.

The rest of us may be content in knowing, in general terms, where our money is going so that we can save energy and money every month. So if your household is like most others, here’s how your yearly utility breaks down, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE):

• 46 percent on heating and air conditioning
• 14 percent to heat water
• 13 percent to run appliances
• 12 percent on lighting
• 4 percent on electronics
• 11 percent on what’s known as standby voltage for devices like cell phones and computers, which are plugged in but are turned off.

Understanding an energy bill is the first step in helping cut energy costs. You can slash your utility bill by as much as 25 percent by reducing waste in the following ways:

• Plug air leaks around windows, doors, light fixtures and electrical outlets.
• Replenish insulation, especially in your attic.
• Lower your thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer when no one’s home.
• Remain vigilant about annual furnace and air conditioning checks, as well as checking and replacing air filters.
• Capitalize on the good graces of Mother Nature. Put the sun to work for you during the winter by opening your window treatments during the day to warm your home and close them at night to block the cooler temperatures. Keep the sun out in the summer to prevent your air conditioner from working more often than it has to.

All of us at Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning hope to help you save money on energy costs, and we know that understanding your electric bill is the first step toward achieving meaningful energy savings. Call us for an appointment and we’ll give your utility bill the big chill together.

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Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning is a full-service heating and air conditioning company and a Bryant® Factory Authorized Dealer in Central Florida. Whether you need repair, maintenance, or installation of a new heating or cooling system, we provide efficient, cost-effective, and professional service. When it’s hot, call Scott!

Categorised in: Energy Savings