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Cut your utility bills
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Published: May 1, 2009
With money tighter than it has ever been for many people, there are dozens of ways to keep whatever cash is coming in the door from going back out it, or even under it.
Experts say folks can look into almost every room of their houses — above and beneath them, as well — and find ways to trim down their utility bills.
Joe Blevins is the energy services coordinator for the City of Statesville's electric utility. He says there a number of things a person can do to be less a victim of the grid and water supply.
"The first thing I look at is the temperature on the thermostat," Blevins said. He explained that the number he sees there should not move outside the 10-degree boundary of 68 (in the winter) and 78 (in the summer).
"These temperatures can be hard on some people," Blevins said. "But they are tolerable. If it gets too cold just put on a sweater."
Another way to cut even more costs in the colder months, is to lower the thermostat another 10 degrees or so at night and during the day if everyone is at school or work.
Blevins said one way for some people to, literally, bring down the heat is to hit the reverse switch on their ceiling fans.
"Hot air rises," he said in explaining a basic scientific tenet. "And when you blow the fan on it, it forces that hot air back down."
That keeps the house warmer and allows its heating system to work less strenuously.
And, most importantly, it reduces costs.
Blevins said that every two-degree deviation from those temperatures (above or below, depending on the season) can add 5 percent to a family's utility (gas or electric) bill.
Another simple thing people can do but usually wait too long on, Blevins said, is to change the filters in the house's vent system.
"If that filter is cluttered up with dirt and dog hair and other things," he said, "it's obviously not going to run as smooth and the system is going to have to work harder."
And that adds costs to the bills.
Another important step in reducing utility costs, according to Blevins, is keeping the heated or cooled air you are paying for inside your house.
"Air leakage is a biggie," he said in reference to the air that escapes through various places in the house.
"When you feel cold air around a door or window, that's not cold air coming in," he said. "It's the air from your house — that was warm but has already switched over to cold — that is going out."
Blevins said most of the leaks can be detected easily by placing your hand around a window or other suspected area.
In cases of a door, if you see light around the door frame, there is almost certainly an air exchange going on.
Weather-stripping around a door is inexpensive as is replacing the caulking or sealants around windows or plumbing fixtures.
Other simple steps a person can take are to follow the old household laws that fathers have been laying down for generations: if you aren't using it, turn it off; if you leave the room, flick the light switch.
"Just turning off lights is a biggie," Blevins said. "And it's a major source of wasted electricity."
And the light bulbs one uses can also make a big difference in the gradual savings. Fluorescent bulbs cast the same amount of light and use about one-third the power.
Other simple steps for cutting costs include:
• Use the dishwasher instead of constantly cleaning dishes in the sink. Washing and rinsing dishes three times a day uses more water and power than one load per day in the dishwasher.
• Watch where you place furniture. Covering vents block air distribution and uses more power.
• Keep your water heater set at 120 degrees.
• Use low-flow faucets.
• Ask your utility provider about an equal-pay program, in which customers' bills are the same every month and then the difference is settled at the end of the year.
But under this plan, Blevins cautioned, make sure there is not an unwelcome surprise at the time of settlement.
"I usually pay a little over each month, just in case," he said.
Blevins said a person who is diligent about watching power and water usage can see substantial reductions on their bills.
"If someone really pays attention to what they're doing," he said, "they could save 25 to 30 percent without having to spend very much."
Learn more:
For additional information about cutting utility costs or to inquire about an energy audit, contact Joe Blevins at (704) 878-3419.
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