Household Tips for Your Home’s Electrical Wiring
At Gulf Coast Electric, we’ve been serving Destin’s electrical needs since 1980. We’ve seen everything from lights flickering to rewiring entire commercial buildings.
This is why Gulf Coast Electric wants to help you keep your home’s electrical wiring running at top condition. We have created a list of the best tips and tricks for how to save on your home’s electricity bill.
At Gulf Coast Electric, we believe that maintenance is the best way to prevent larger electrical issues.
Reduce the amount of hot water you use
If your home’s hot water is supplied through an electrical water tank, you can lower your energy bill by using less hot water. There are various ways you can reduce your hot water use at home:
- Curb the frequency of machines that use hot water such as a dishwasher or washing machine. This is achieved by doing full loads of dishes and clothing rather than partial loads.
- Install a timer on the water heater so that it only operates at the specific times when you use the most hot water.
- Check for and repair water leaks. Even a small drip on your hot water system can run up your energy bill. If you have a leaky faucet it is possible that your water heater is working overtime and costing you money. It pays to fix even minor leaks to hot water systems.
Install Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
One of the best ways to save money on your electrical bill is by installing Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs.
Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs come with many electrical benefits including:
- 10,000 hours of light vs. 2,000 hours from a traditional light bulb
- More energy-efficient lighting (save on electricity bills)
- Many, many shapes, sizes, colors and dimming effects!
Unplug Charging Devices
You may not think about it often, but your electrical devices are still using your home’s electricity when plugged in. This can especially come into play if you have many devices plugged in at the same time. Check to make sure that your devices such as phones are unplugged once they are fully charged.
Seal your Windows and Doors
Tiny spaces between your window pane and window frame, door and door frame, and even leaving your chimney’s flue open can result in your home’s climate-controlled air leaking. This causes your home’s ac or heater to use more energy when trying to control the temperature in your home. Check all seals around doors and windows to keep electricity bills low.
Replace Your AC Air Filter
A dirty, clogged air filter will put extra strain on your air conditioner. This will cause your AC to use more energy and run up your electricity bill. Be sure to replace your ac filters to save on your electricity bill.
Program your thermostat
The US Department of Energy states that you can save up to 10% on energy use by adjusting your AC temperature by 7-10 degrees less than your usual for eight hours a day. You can make this change for when you sleep or when you’re away from home. Investing in a programmable thermostat allows you to make these adjustments automatically without having to constantly change your thermostat settings.
Schedule Electrical Audits
Throughout your home, there are various places that you can save on energy usage. At Gulf Coast Electric, we want to help you save as much energy as possible through your electrical use at home. That’s why you can schedule an energy audit to have your entire home’s electricity system inspected. Energy audits ensure that you aren’t wasting electricity or wasting money.