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A12 BUSINESS
Tuesday 4 July 2023

Creative ways to cut your energy costs

this summer

By KIMBERLY PALMER of
NerdWallet
Blasting the air condition-
ing to counteract stifling
heat can provide much-
needed relief this summer,
but the utility bills that fol-
low might not be as pleas-
ant. According to the Bu-
reau of Labor Statistics,
the price of electricity has
been steadily climbing
over the past two years.
“Most U.S. households
will continue to pay high
costs for energy through- A gas meters keep tabs on usage at this Jackson, Miss.,
residence, Feb. 22, 2022.
out the summer because Associated Press
of high energy prices and
the anticipated hot tem- mation about where your lights off when you leave
peratures,” says Courtney home might be leaking, the room and keeping win-
Klosterman, home insights she adds. You can find one dows and doors shut when
expert at insurer Hippo. through local home ser- the air conditioning is on
The good news is you might vice provider listings, and can go a long way, Glover
have more control over some utilities offer the ser- says. Installing a smart ther-
your energy usage than vice for free. mostat, which automati-
you think. Paula Glover, In certain cases, elec- cally adjusts the tempera-
president of the Alliance tronics themselves might ture based on time, your
to Save Energy, a nonprofit be leaking, says Ethan habits and the season, can
that advocates for energy O’Donnell, digital editor of also help, she adds.
efficiency policy, estimates FamilyHandyman.com, a Hicks suggests leaving win-
that based on numbers website about home im- dow coverings closed dur-
from the Energy Depart- provement projects. Tele- ing the day to help keep
ment, consumers could visions, appliances and the sun’s heat out of your
save 10% to 20% a year on all kinds of other electron- home and getting a sea-
energy bills just by shifting ics can use energy even sonal tuneup to your air-
habits and making some when they are turned off, conditioning system to
energy-efficient invest- he says. make sure it’s working ef-
ments. But, she adds, “You A tool called an electricity ficiently. Changing your air
have to be diligent.” usage monitor, which can filter monthly or quarterly
Here are five steps you can be found for under $15, also helps it run better, she
follow to lower your energy helps determine exactly adds.
bill this summer: how much. MAKE SMALL UPGRADES
TAKE A BASELINE O’Donnell discovered that Small home improvement
Before making any chang- his lamp, appliances and projects, such as add-
es, it’s helpful to examine phone chargers were using ing or replacing weather
how much energy you more electricity than he stripping that seals leaks
currently use, says Angie realized even when pow- around doors and win-
Hicks, co-founder of Angi, ered off, so he made an ef- dows, can significantly
a website that provides fort to unplug them when reduce your energy con-
information on home ser- possible and estimates he sumption, Hicks says.
vices. Hiring a professional saves at least $50 a month “Walk around your house
to give your home an en- from those changes. with a lit candle and if the
ergy audit typically costs ESTABLISH EFFICIENT HABITS flame flickers, that’s where
between $200 and $700 Simple changes like adjust- drafts are coming in. That’s
and gives you helpful infor- ing your thermostat, turning a good candidate for
weather stripping,” she
says.
Another simple job involves
swapping out incandes-
cent bulbs for LED light
bulbs, which use at least
75% less energy, according
to the Energy Department.
“It seems like nothing but
has an enormous impact
when we do it collective-
ly,” Glover says.q