Power is by far one of the most expensive utilities. But the thing is that we need it for almost everything we do in our daily lives. This is why we still pay hefty amounts to the power companies. It is a necessity that we cannot live without whatsoever. But what if we tell you that there are some things that you can do to make your power bills less costly?
Yes, certain things you commonly do or ignore in your daily routine contribute to the increased power bills. This is why we have listed a few key factors that might affect your power bills without you knowing.
Whether getting power from the best power company in your area or getting an excellent deal from your power supplier, you can still easily lower your bills even more. You must know the facts below and work effectively on these to ensure lesser power bills.
1. Plugged In Vampire Sources
You might switch off the lights or plug out your curling iron while leaving your home, but other than these, several other appliances are still plugged in when not used. These are known as vampire sources. These vampire sources drain out a lot more power than you expect.
These vampire sources may include your television, kitchen appliances (including microwave oven, etc.), your computer, or even your smart speaker. When left plugged in, these appliances draw a small amount of power all the time. Even leaving your phone’s or laptop’s charger plugged into the wall without your computer or phone connected can consume a lot of energy.
These might not make much difference to your power bill in the short run, but if you look at the longer run, these vampire sources might cost you much. To avoid these extra charges in your power bill, you must always plug out the appliances and chargers when not in use.
2. Inefficient And Old Lightbulbs
These days there are various kinds of light bulbs available in the market that don’t require much power and provide the same or even better light than old-school bulbs. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are the best option available in the market, and they require less energy and provide a more vibrant and intense light.
Incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) used to be the best option a few years ago. But now, as technology has moved forward, we can say that these bulbs emit light and heat in all directions. This results in a loss of a lot of energy! On the other hand, they emit light in a specific way, making them more efficient than their successors.
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LED bulbs also require 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb. This means that you can easily save hefty amounts of money in the long run just by replacing conventional bulbs with LED bulbs. No matter if you are getting power from one of the best electric providers in your area, if you don’t switch to a newer technology, you might not be able to lower your power bills.
3. Bad Insulation
We know that using power to heat up or cool down a room requires power. But what you might know is that most homes have insufficient insulation. Even if you have huge chillers or heaters available at your place, you still require more energy to keep your house or office warm or cold if proper insulation is not available to retain it!
You must check your home’s insulation to ensure that you only use the least amount of power needed for heating or cooling. To avoid air leaks, check the exterior frames of your windows and doors and caulk them if necessary.
4. Peak Time Power Usage
You must check if you are getting power at a variable or fixed rate from your power supplier. If you get it at a variable rate, you might avoid using extra energy during peak times. Each kilowatt unit of power will cost you much more at peak time than the usual price. It is common practice to charge more when the demand is high. However, most people don’t even suspect that their power company might be doing it as well.
You must check your contract with the power company and check the price breakdown. If you are getting the power at a variable rate, you must refrain from using the extra appliances at peak hours. Also, your internet router must be turned off when not in use, especially during an internet blackout.
Avoid These Power Bill-Affecting Factors!
Now that you know about the major factors contributing to high power bills, you must be more vigilant and save as much power as possible!
