Energize Your Wallet with Summer Savings

Spring has sprung, and that means lots of time outdoors: long walks with the dog, and countless hours in the yard and garden. Spending time to spruce up the outside of your home is a great way to take advantage of the fair weather, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect the inside! While you’re outside soaking up rays of sunshine, your utility bills may be getting more expensive due to inefficiency in your home. Warm weather can be tough on your wallet, but you can fight back. Check out these easy and effective tips for reducing your energy costs!

Your Home, Unplugged

You’ve been huddled up inside all winter in front of the television and computer. Now that spring is finally here, it’s time to unplug those electronics and get your family outside. Even when off, televisions, DVD players, computers, printers, stereos, and other electronics can draw surprisingly large amounts of power, which translates to higher energy costs. This is called “vampire power” because it sucks energy. Do your budget a favor by unplugging these machines or using a “smart” power strip, which shuts off power to electronics that go on standby. Why should you continue to pay for the power to run these machines when you’re not using them? Unplug your energy-suckers and spend the extra cash at the ice cream truck.

Your Home, Re-plugged

Nothing feels better than stepping into a cool, air-conditioned house after a hard day’s work in the garden. But while you were pulling weeds and planting bulbs, that precious cool air may have been escaping out of various leaks and holes in your home. Sealing air ducts, upgrading insulation, and plugging up leaks in your attic and basement will regulate the cool, refreshing climate that you strive for while plugging up financial leaks in your energy bills. Air conditioning is expensive—don’t let it slip through the cracks!

Cooler Ways to Stay Cool

As outdoor temperatures go up, you may be tempted to cool down by turning your thermostat down. However, there are other ways to stay cool indoors while leaving that thermostat setting where it is. Reward yourself with a refreshing cool shower after playing baseball in the park and you’ll be less inclined to kick up the air conditioning when you’re done. You can also use the spring and summer as perfect opportunities to ignore your oven and fire up your outdoor grill and cook delicious meals for your family. Heating up the oven can drastically increase the temperature in your kitchen and your home, which means you’ll be forced to blast the air conditioning just to stay comfortable! Besides, there’s nothing better than chicken or a burger pulled right off the grill—nothing, that is, except saving money on your utility bills.

Regular Tune-Ups

And don’t forget to schedule regular tune-ups! Keeping your system maintained and running efficiently will also help reduce those pesky energy bills. Your Air conditioner is like a car in that it runs best when properly maintained. Regular tune-ups can also prevent your system from failing at an inconvenient time. And don’t worry, the savings from regular tune-ups will offset the cost of the service.

Employing even one of these cost-cutting tips can dramatically reduce your energy costs and the impact of your home on the environment, which gives you the peace-of-mind you need to truly enjoy the season. Whether you plan to spend your spring digging in the dirt, cheering on your favorite sluggers, or entertaining neighbors and friends on the patio, you can rest assured that your home is running as efficiently as possible. So, conserve your energy—you’re going to need it!