How to Lower Your Electric Bill This Summer
Fort Worth electricity bills are typically the most expensive during the summer months. When temperatures skyrocket, residents and businesses crank up the air conditioning to keep cool. This does two things — increases energy demand, which results in higher wholesale electric rates, and raises the amount of electricity you use in a month. Higher usage plus more expensive rates equals high power bills.
If you have noticed an increase in how much you’re paying for electricity in the past few months, there are steps you can take to lessen the impact. Raising the temperature of your air conditioning even just a few degrees can help significantly lower your energy usage, which will likely lead to cheaper bills. However, with hot summer temperatures hitting Fort Worth, that isn’t always a feasible option. Here are a few easy ways to lower your electricity bill this summer that don’t involve turning off the AC.
Routine maintenance
Ensuring your HVAC unit is maintained and in good working order can help it run efficiently, cutting down on unnecessary energy usage. Routine maintenance also helps you avoid any issues with your unit not working properly during peak summer temperatures and extends its lifespan. Fort Worth is home to a variety of HVAC maintenance and repair experts. If it’s been a while since the last time your HVAC unit was looked at by a professional, consider scheduling a maintenance visit.
One easy step you can take to maintain your AC unit is replacing your home’s air filters. You don’t need to schedule an appointment with a professional and it only takes a few minutes. According to the Department of Energy, replacing dirty or clogged air filters can lower your AC energy usage by up to 15%.
Adjust your water heater
Water heaters account for about 18% of the average home’s energy usage. During the hot summer months, lowering the temperature of your water heater is a quick and easy way to reduce your home’s energy consumption.
Like HVAC units, water heaters can also benefit from routine maintenance. Schedule an inspection with a licensed professional to make sure your water heater is running efficiently. Water heaters have a normal lifespan of between 8 and 12 years. If your water heater is old or hasn’t been maintained over the years, upgrading to a new and more efficient water heater could ultimately lead to energy savings.
Check your window seals
Window seals are rubber strips that stop the hot outside air from coming into your home and keep cool air from escaping outside. In the winter, window seals will also keep cold air out and heated air inside. Check your window seals once a year and replace old or damaged seals to ensure the air you’re paying to cool stays inside.
You should also check the weather strips around exterior doors and look for any cracks around doors and windows. Preventing air from escaping your home is a quick, simple, and inexpensive way to make sure you’re cooling your home efficiently.
Use LED lightbulbs
LED lightbulbs use up to 75% less energy than traditional, non-LED bulbs. They can also last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, making LEDs a good investment from all angles. If you replace all the bulbs in your home with LEDs, you could significantly reduce the amount of energy you’re using for lighting. What’s more, LEDs emit very little heat compared to incandescent bulbs, so they’ll also help to keep lit rooms cooler during the day.
Switch energy plans
Fort Worth’s energy market is deregulated, meaning you can choose your home’s energy plan and provider. If your current plan isn’t working for your usage level or you’re experiencing high electric bills every month, it could be worth shopping for a new plan.
Switching energy plans is a relatively simple process. You can sign up for another plan directly through a provider’s website or use an energy marketplace site. After signing up, your new provider will coordinate with the old provider and transfer your service. One important note — if you’re enrolled in an energy plan that requires a contract (which is the case for most fixed-rate plans), you’ll likely need to pay an early termination fee (ETF) to switch plans before your contract expires. Some plans, like variable-rate and month-to-month options, don’t require a contract, so you can switch at any time without paying a fee.
If you’re interested in switching energy plans, you’ll want to pay close attention to the plan’s rate for your usage tier. Rates will vary depending on which tier you fall into — 500 kWh, 1,000 kWh, or 2,000 kWh. You can check past electric bills to gauge how much energy you normally use in a month. Switching to a new energy plan with a lower rate could lead to cheaper energy bills for the rest of the summer.
This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 4:00 PM.