In the summer of 2020, there was a 10% hike in electricity bills across the board. As more people are staying home than ever before, electricity bills are expected to go up during the pandemic.
Experts claim that in regions with four distinct seasons, there will be a greater difference in electricity bills between the summer and spring months due to changes in temperatures.
Also, energy per kilowatt-house in these parts of the country is more expensive than in the West or the South. Even slight increases in usage will have a significant impact on electricity bills.
Tenants and homeowners in California saw their bills jump by an average of 13.4% in April 2020 compared to April 2019. The hike in bills was the result of an increase in price per kilowatt-hour. While Californians were paying 20.7 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity; the rest of the country was paying 13.28 cents per kilowatt-hour on average.
Since electricity bills are on the rise and people across the country are struggling to make ends meet, residents need to find ways to reduce their bills.
Here’s how you can start saving up on your electricity bills:
1. Make Use of Daylight
One of the easiest ways to reduce energy bills is to keep the lights off as long as possible during the day and make use of daylight.
Install glass windows in your home with high-quality tint films that let the sunlight through but block solar heat.
One south-facing window brings in 20-100 times more light than artificial light. Switching off a single 60-watt bulb for just 4 hours a day can save more than $9 every year. If you keep most of your lights off during the day, you’ll save quite a bit of money.
2. Unplug Electronics That Aren’t Being Used
Even when your appliances are switched off, the standby mode still uses up energy. Instead of leaving your appliances on standby, turn them off from the main supply to reduce your annual energy bills by 10%.
3. Turn Off Your AC When You’re Not Home
People living in hot states like California often leave their AC on even when they’re not home to keep the space cool, but ACs use up a lot of energy.
Either turn off your AC or install a smart AC that can be controlled remotely using an app, so it switches on a few minutes before you come home.
4. Upgrade Your Electrical Panels
Another reason homeowners see hikes in their electricity bills is because of outdated and inefficient electrical infrastructure. As your home’s electrical panels get older, they may not be able to manage the load of large appliances like televisions, HVAC units, computers, water heaters, etc.
Upgrading your electrical panel not only helps reduce electrical bills but also keeps your home and appliances safe.
If you think you can benefit from a new electrical panel, get in touch with TD West Electric. We provide comprehensive electrical services in the Bay Area, including installing electrical panels, and EV chargers, replacing damaged meters, and more.
We offer electrical services for both commercial and residential buildings.
Get in touch with us by calling 510-648-1465.
