How to Save Money on Your Utility Bill in Today"s Economy
There is an old saying, "A penny saved is a penny earned".
In today's economy we should change that saying to, "Ten dollars saved is ten dollars earned".
Now you may be thinking $10 is not much, but if you discount a $100 utility bill to $90, it becomes a double digit number rather than a triple digit.
Did I really need to tell you that? After a complete review of this article the reader should be able to:
s.
Hot water heaters and cook stoves consume a lot of energy, but typically they aren't used as often, (my wife asked," what's a cook stove?").
The clothes dryer is relatively in-expensive to replace, so longevity is not much of an issue.
However upon routine use the lint filter should be cleaned and any accumulation of lint should be removed from basket and vent area.
Most people don't realize that with very little mechanical skills, the average homeowner can clean the fridge.
The part you want to clean is either on the bottom or back.
Of course you should unplug it first, then with a little assistance you can carefully vacuum the coils and components that are in that same area.
The last "Energy Hog", and by far the most costly to replace is the HVAC equipment.
Most experts agree that 80% of all break downs occur from dirty systems and components.
Manufactures recommend a professional service man inspect your equipment at least once a year.
After saying that, as a professional mechanical contractor, I can tell you that a basic preventative maintenance program is not that hard to implement.
You don't have to be a mechanical expert to perform a PM task.
Of course you can hire the services of a professional, but in either case, here are the basics:
When I said "inspect", what we are looking for is loose or frayed electrical wires or connections, loose belts, screws or other attaching devices, basically anything that might prevent a problem.
Certainly if the homeowner is not comfortable handling these tasks a professional should be called, most offer Service Agreements that are relatively inexpensive.
What ever you decide you will still be "money ahead", not only in the ways we discussed here, but you might save yourself an expensive service call.
Remember ten dollars saved is ten dollars earned, and don't we all want to earn more dollars.
In today's economy we should change that saying to, "Ten dollars saved is ten dollars earned".
Now you may be thinking $10 is not much, but if you discount a $100 utility bill to $90, it becomes a double digit number rather than a triple digit.
Did I really need to tell you that? After a complete review of this article the reader should be able to:
- Identify the 3 most energy consuming appliances/equipment in the home.
- Implement a basic maintenance routine.
- Save on the operating costs.
- Increase the longevity.
- Have a peace of mind knowing our major appliances are operating efficiently
- Clothes Dryer
- HVAC,(heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) equipment
- Refrigerator/freezer
s.
Hot water heaters and cook stoves consume a lot of energy, but typically they aren't used as often, (my wife asked," what's a cook stove?").
The clothes dryer is relatively in-expensive to replace, so longevity is not much of an issue.
However upon routine use the lint filter should be cleaned and any accumulation of lint should be removed from basket and vent area.
Most people don't realize that with very little mechanical skills, the average homeowner can clean the fridge.
The part you want to clean is either on the bottom or back.
Of course you should unplug it first, then with a little assistance you can carefully vacuum the coils and components that are in that same area.
The last "Energy Hog", and by far the most costly to replace is the HVAC equipment.
Most experts agree that 80% of all break downs occur from dirty systems and components.
Manufactures recommend a professional service man inspect your equipment at least once a year.
After saying that, as a professional mechanical contractor, I can tell you that a basic preventative maintenance program is not that hard to implement.
You don't have to be a mechanical expert to perform a PM task.
Of course you can hire the services of a professional, but in either case, here are the basics:
- Change or clean the air filter (at least once a month).
- Clean and inspect the burners and fan motors.
(a small shop vacuum will work here, remove panels for access, and of course disconnect the power). - Clean the condensing coil (that's the one you can see outside, water and a non-caustic spray-on coil cleaner is what we use).
When I said "inspect", what we are looking for is loose or frayed electrical wires or connections, loose belts, screws or other attaching devices, basically anything that might prevent a problem.
Certainly if the homeowner is not comfortable handling these tasks a professional should be called, most offer Service Agreements that are relatively inexpensive.
What ever you decide you will still be "money ahead", not only in the ways we discussed here, but you might save yourself an expensive service call.
Remember ten dollars saved is ten dollars earned, and don't we all want to earn more dollars.
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