Lower Your Energy Costs in Your Home or Apartment

Sitting in my friends Houston in Katy, Texas we started discussing his electricity bill and this sparked up a long conversation. He has a moderately sized house probably in the 2,200 square foot range. I am not an expert, but his bill last summer averaged around $450 per month at 10 cents per kilowatt. The electricity rates sure have decreased as the recession has set in. However, there are a variety of steps that home owners and even apartment owners can take to lower their electricity bill each month. The only downside is that it might come with some up front out of pocket expenses.

It is important to recognize which direction your windows face in your apartment or home. Try and purchase a home where the windows face north and south. Those of us who live in the hotter summer states know temperatures reach in the 90’s every day. My friends has windows that face east and west. Double pane windows can be a great solution at helping to keep hot air out and cool air in. However, windows can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Most people cannot afford these out of pocket expenses. But there a couple methods that are inexpensive. Purchase some blinds that will keep the sunlight to a minimum. Keep these blinds closed during the day. Make sure they are not cheap flimsy blinds. Very little light should be able to penetrate the blinds. Another option is to have a company install a coating on your windows. This might be similar to tinted windows. If you have tinted windows in your car you will recognize that they keep your car cool while it bakes in the sunlight.

Purchase some standalone fans. Fans use a small fraction of the energy expended by an A/C unit.

You should replace your air conditioning filter monthly. If you live in an apartment, the maintenance crew can replace these free of charge. Don’t make you a/c unit work harder than it should.

Purchasing a digital thermostat may also be wise. You can program it to decrease a few degrees while you are sleeping or in the middle of the day while you are at work. A few degrees can add up to big savings over the long term.

Insulation is also a huge factor that keeps you home cool in the summers and warm in the winters. Blown insulation is a process whereby loose particles are blown into your attic area. Not only is it fairly cheap, it is recyclable and environment friendly. There are many services that you can contact that can give you further detail and provide you with a free estimate.

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