Energy Bills Are Set To Soar in These 4 States: Save Hundreds With These Tips
Written by
Martin Dasko
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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As GOBankingRates recently reported, Energy Innovation predicted that national energy rates would increase by an average of 9% to 18% by 2035. Dan O’Brien, a senior analyst at Energy Innovation, shared that the firm anticipates the highest cost increases in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri and Kansas.
With Americans concerned about rising energy bills, it’s essential to take proactive steps to minimize this expense in advance, before it becomes a significant portion of your monthly budget.
Here are different ways you can save up to hundreds on your utility bill as rising costs become a concern.
Identify Gaps Through an Energy Audit
Sequoya Cross, a recognized leader in the renewable energy industry and vice president of energy storage for Briggs & Stratton Energy Solutions, recommended that you request an energy audit from your local utility company. “Sometimes they’re offered for free, but be sure to ask first. The audit will cover your house from top to bottom and identify areas where air is seeping out or entering in,” she said.
An energy audit will help you identify areas for improvement, as it may reveal gaps around windows and doors. When your home is drafty, you’re likely losing the hot air that your furnace produces, and you’re putting extra wear and tear on it. Cross also mentioned that the attic is another area where leaks can occur, so you’ll want to ensure that you have sufficient insulation.
The audit may even find that older appliances like refrigerators, electric stoves, washers and dryers are consuming excessive power to run. The audit should help identify steps that you can take to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Check With Your Local Utility Company About Programs and Incentives
“Many utilities offer free energy-efficiency items to their ratepayers, complimentary energy-efficiency audits, and generous incentives and rebates for equipment replacement,” said Christine Ciavardini, a client relationship manager from MD Energy Advisors.
She also pointed out that you can look into energy-efficient replacement items like LED bulbs, low-flow shower heads, power strips, weather stripping and smart thermostats. You’ll want to contact your utility company to learn more about incentives so that you can start making changes.
Make Home Upgrades for Improved Energy Efficiency
“Making energy-efficiency improvements involves taking actions like sealing air leaks, improving insulation, installing smart thermostats, upgrading water heaters, and replacing outdated and inefficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment,” said Naeem Turner-Bandele, Ph.D., an energy systems engineer and the CEO of Latimer Enterprises.
These upfront upgrades can help you save a significant amount of money in the future, especially as rates continue to shoot up. Ciavardini mentioned that wrapping your water heater in insulation can save you 10% on your electricity water heating costs. Ciavardini also recommended that you ensure that you’re using LED light bulbs everywhere in your home.
Cross pointed out that getting a smart thermostat is a wise move because heating and cooling a home consumes a significant amount of energy. A smart thermostat can help you automatically adjust your heating and cooling settings when you’re not home to save on costs.
Identify Energy Hogs
“Another way for homeowners to lower their utility bills is by knowing which appliances or rooms in the home are consuming the most energy (aka energy hogs) and taking a few practical steps,” Cross said.
You can purchase a power consumption meter for $25 or less at most local hardware stores. Then, you can plug each appliance into the meter to see how much power it draws.
Cross noted that the more sophisticated models can monitor multiple appliances or even all circuits in your electrical panel and can log power consumption over time. You can figure out which appliances have been bringing up your energy bill because it goes up even more due to external factors. You may want to consider replacing some of these appliances or looking into ways to reduce your reliance on them.
Eliminate Vampire Energy Draws
Cross warned that there are electrical devices that draw power even when they’re turned off. Take a walk around your home, and you’ll quickly identify items like your laptop, printer, coffee maker, phone chargers and other items that can easily be unplugged.
In your kitchen, you’ll want to observe the devices with digital display screens, as they may also be drawing power. As a general rule, it’s wise to unplug toasters, coffee makers, electric kettles and other items when they’re not being used.
Generate Your Own Power
If you want to save money on monthly electricity bills, solar panels and home battery systems are another viable solution. “With solar and batteries, homeowners can generate power from the sun, use it to meet their electricity needs and then store any excess energy in batteries. This excess energy can be used on cloudy days or at night when the panels aren’t producing,” Cross said.
Cross also emphasized that homeowners can still take advantage of the 30% federal investment tax credit for solar and battery storage until Dec. 31, 2025. If you’ve been considering green energy options, it’s essential to act now, as installation can take two to four months.
Various online calculators can help you determine the cost of solar and battery storage to help you estimate how much you would be saving on utility bills. The goal is to figure out how you can reduce your energy bill proactively before the cost soars due to recent legislation.
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