Texas Residents: Learn How To Save Energy!
This room-by-room guide is designed to help Texas residents start saving big on electric bills for their homes. Whether you are looking to compare electric companies in Texas or hoping to save the environment, these energy-saving tips will help you save a buck on your next electricity bill!
Lower Your Electric Bills
You’ve heard it all before—turn out the lights when you leave a room, switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, turn down your AC. But there’s plenty more you can be doing to use less electricity. And the Texas area has its own unique set of challenges and opportunities for customers looking to cut back on their electricity use.
Electricity Saving Tips for Texas Residents:
Follow these simple steps to start cutting back on electricity so that you can save money on your electric bills.
Living Room
- Texas Energy customers will spend more of their electricity dollars cooling their homes than anything else. But keep your AC in check: 78°F in the summer should provide you with optimal comfort and energy savings.
- Watch your windows. Yes that huge picture window makes the room look fabulous, but it also lets in a lot of solar heat when you aren’t looking. Use window shades, blinds or tinted glass on windows to control the sun. Summer heat is best controlled through windows with a low SHGC- or solar heat gain coefficient. Look for windows with an SHGC less than .30
- That ceiling fan does you no good once you leave the room. Turn off fans when you aren’t using them.
Kitchen
- Enjoy the weather and avoid heating your house when it’s not necessary. Grill items outside instead of using the oven. Or preheat items in the microwave before cooking, to reduce the amount of time a hot oven has to be on.
- Purchase only energy-star appliances and maintain them in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. This will save money on your electric bills and keep your appliances working longer!
- Keep your refrigerator running at its best: food should be stored at 38°F / 3°C, and the freezer should be kept at 5°F / -15°C. Also dust your refrigerator coils regularly and check doors to make sure seals are tight.
Laundry Room
- High efficiency appliances, as is true throughout the rest of your home, will make a big difference in electricity usage. Check into high efficiency washers and dryers to save time and electricity.
- Clean the lint filter in the dryer before every load, use cold water and air dry clothes when possible.
Bathroom
- Heating water is the second biggest energy expense Texas residents will have. Every time you use hot water you are using the energy required to heat it. Keep your hot water heater insulated and look into energy efficient pumps. Turn down the hot-water thermostat to 120 degrees.
- Repair any leaks in faucets or hot water pipes. Look into low-flow shower heads and faucets to use less water. And don’t let hot water run while you are doing simple tasks like brushing your teeth.
Bedroom
- Turn off and unplug appliances when they aren’t in use. That includes phone chargers, TVs and lamps.
- Use the fan and open windows whenever possible. And install a programmable thermostat to save energy at night when you are less sensitive to the temperature.
Garage
- Garages and garage doors can let in an enormous amount of heat, causing you to use more electricity trying to cool your home. Insulate your garage and garage door, and make sure to use weather-stripping on doors leading to any areas that don’t have insulation.
Attic
- Texas residents should aim for attic insulation that is at least 12 inches thick. Also, regularly check AC ducts for leaks and replace air filters regularly.
- Check your wiring: not only can old electrical systems suck a lot of electricity, but old wiring can also be a fire hazard.
Landscaping
- Use landscaping to create shade around your house, particularly around windows and AC units.
- Have your air conditioning units serviced every year – including a thorough cleaning of AC condenser / evaporator coils
Office
- Use power strips to protect from surges but also so that you can easily turn off appliances when not in use.
- Energy star isn’t just for kitchen appliances. Check out major electronics that bear the energy star approval.
