Top Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill

When winter creeps in and the holidays are around the corner, lowering your energy bill is often top of mind. This year, as we continue to spend more time at home and combat the continual rise in cost of living, saving big on your utilities is a major win. Here are some suggestions on how to help lower your energy bill and keep more money in your pocket!

Lowering Your Electric Bill in Winter

This time of year in colder climates, utility costs seem to skyrocket. However, there are a number of ways you can lower your electric bill during the winter months. 

• Keep your home a couple degrees cooler than you might otherwise prefer. You’d be surprised how easy it is to adjust to a couple of degrees and how much those couple of clicks can save you in the long run. 
• Bring temperatures down at night. Rising heat from the lower levels of your home can keep second-floor bedrooms cozy at night. Take advantage of this natural phenomenon and lower your thermostat in the evening.  
• Replace windows to reduce leakage. More efficient windows installed professionally will keep your heat where it belongs - in the house.

Of course, if you’re looking for more comprehensive solutions for lowering your electric bill in the winter months, you can think bigger, too. For example, updating your home’s heating and cooling system to a more energy efficient option can save a lot of money in the winter and year-round. 

How to Keep Energy Costs Low Year-Round

While winter often reminds us most just how costly home ownership can be, keeping energy costs in mind year-round can have compounding benefits for you - and your pocketbook. 

Lowering your utility bill can be as simple as adopting a few new habits, such as turning lights off as you leave the room

• Unplug TVs, stereos, and small appliances on when they are not in use
• Keeping the thermostat at a consistent  temperature 
• Turning your heating and cooling systems off when the weather allows

However, if you are interested in generating greater savings over a longer period of time, it’s worth considering an investment in making your home more energy efficient. 

Investing in Energy Efficiency

Investing in energy efficient appliances, lighting, and plumbing options is a great way to reduce your overall electric and water usage. And that’s really just the tip of the energy efficiency iceberg. To see the biggest impact on your utility bills for years to come, invest in energy efficient upgrades to your home. 

For some families, this might mean installing solar panels or utilizing alternative energy sources like wind or water. If you’re looking for a more accessible starting point to long-term savings, consider investments in your windows and doors. A poorly-installed, under-insulated, or no longer efficient window or door can account for up to 25% of your home’s energy loss. That’s a quarter of your energy usage — and thus, a quarter of your utility bill — flying out  the window every month. 

Upgrading to more energy efficient windows is one of the greatest investments you can make for long-term savings in your energy costs. Pella offers a wide range of window styles and types with energy efficient add-ons that make it easy to lower your energy bill without sacrificing your home’s style. 

Energy Consumption and Extreme Weather

Over the past several years, the changing climate has made controlling our individual energy consumption more difficult. Frequent and unseasonably extreme temperature fluctuations make it harder to “set it and forget it” when it comes to your thermostat. The constant starting and stopping — which requires your home’s heating and cooling systems to ramp up and dial back again —  is costing homeowners much more than they’d like. 

Unfortunately, these changing weather patterns and more severe temperature swings are only predicted to worsen. However, that doesn’t mean that your energy costs must continue to rise. Rather, it’s about knowing how to mitigate the impact of these fluctuations on your home’s energy usage. 

Small changes  can add up, but consistent, long-term savings on your energy costs and utility bills boil down to ensuring your home is energy efficient from top to bottom. 

When you’re ready to get started, schedule a consultation with Pella’s window and door experts to get personalized suggestions on how to improve your home’s energy efficiency.