Are your utility bills looking unusually high this season? If you’re struggling to keep your electricity expenses low, there are several things that you can look into to get these costs back under control. Check out these common causes of soaring utility bills to see if your home is suffering from one of these culprits.
Outdated Appliances
If your home appliances are nearing the ends of their lifespans (usually around 10 to 15 years for heating and cooling installations), you’ll likely find that your energy use is on the rise. Older appliances don’t run as efficiently as their newer counterparts. As an appliance becomes more expensive to operate, you may want to start considering your options for a new installation.
Our Del-Air Appliance Center supplies more than 20 major appliance brands. Our experts can help you choose the most efficient options on the market so you can upgrade your home with products that will cut back on your energy use and help you lower your utility bills each month.
Increasing Electricity Rates
Electricity rates can vary from time to time, changing the total that you’ll pay for your utilities, even when your usage stays consistent. Check your recent utility bills and compare the price per KWH to see if this is the source of the spike in your energy bill.
If your utility company has recently changed to a time-of-use plan, this will also impact your bill. A time-of-use plan charges you differently depending on the time of day when you pull energy from the grid. If you’re using a lot of energy during peak hours, you’ll pay more than if you used that electricity during hours when there are fewer people on the grid.
Vampire Power Usage
Energy vampires are appliances that draw energy even when they’re not in use. Duke Energy reports that this type of phantom power drain can account for up to 20% of your electricity bill each month.
Look around the home for potential energy vampires. Common culprits include:
- Chargers with large plugs or bricks
- Cable or satellite boxes
- Video game consoles
- Coffee makers
- Digital TV converters
- Devices that turn on via remote control
- Devices with a standby light
Plug these vampires into a power strip that you can turn off when the devices aren’t in use. You can also opt for smart power strips that turn off on a timer or during periods when they don’t detect activity.
Poor Home Insulation
If your home isn’t properly insulated, your heating and cooling can slip right out. This will cause you to pay more for your home comfort than is strictly necessary. Make sure you have insulation in your attic to keep this hot spot isolated from the rest of your Floridian home. Insulation in the walls and floors can help you create a more secure envelope as well.
Leaky Windows and Doors
Check your windows and doors to make sure you have a good seal where air conditioning can’t escape. You should caulk any cracks around the windows or doors and add weather-stripping along the bottom. Upgrading to more energy-efficient windows can help as well.
Extreme Weather Conditions
Floridian summers can be harsh even in ordinary circumstances. When the season is unusually hot, you may find your energy bills spiking significantly. Your air conditioner has to work much harder to keep things cool under these circumstances. To make sure your costs are as low as possible, it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance. Our preventive AC maintenance plans will help you stay on top of annual visits. There are other steps you can take to improve AC efficiency as well, such as changing your air filter regularly.
If your air conditioner is one of the problems causing your utility bills to rise, we can help. Contact our team at Del-Air for efficient services and smart tips that will help you keep your home comfortable for less.
