Tips to reduce your utility bills
Utility bills can really take a big chunk of your monthly paycheck. This means you have a lot less to spend on food, clothing and entertainment, coupled with the fact that you’re not helping the environment. Here are a few tips that can shave your utility bills all year around.
- Your fire place- Yes it’s great to make a fire and just read and relax. But when you’re not using your fireplace, all that cold air comes all the way in to your home. Make sure that when your fireplace is in use, drop your thermostat down and when it’s not make sure it’s closed so that the cold air cannot make its way in.
- Make sure your cracks are closed- Have a good look at your windows and walls and ensure that all small openings are closed. Window cracks can be sealed with 3M’s indoor window kit. For the bottom of doors install an adhesive screw on backed door sweep. This will stop cold or hot air entering or escaping your rooms.
- Make sure your electrics are well serviced- This means cleaning your fan blades, ensuring your furnace, fridge, freezer and washing machine is cleaned and all casing are intact. Ensuring your electrics are in good condition, will make sure they work efficiently and use less electricity. If you would like to go a step further, purchase electrical items with an energy star rating, which use half as much electricity as other models.
- Spend on new insulation- If you live in an old house and have not invested in new insulation, spend in this area to reduce your energy bills by at least 30%.