What homeowners can do to keep their electric bill down
By Courtney Klosterman, Home Insights Expert at Hippo, the home insurance group focused on proactive protection
Regular maintenance and upkeep of your home’s critical appliances and systems can help with system efficiency to reduce energy use, and your electric bill, during extreme weather conditions.
A recent survey from Hippo found that of U.S. homeowners who plan to do spring cleaning this year, less than half are planning on doing key appliance (43%), structural (38%), and systems (26%) preventative maintenance.
Here are some key maintenance projects for keeping your home’s systems running smoothly and your electric bill down:
Service HVAC systems – When your HVAC works efficiently, heat and cool air are distributed throughout the home with good circulation. Common system breakdowns are a result of dirty HVAC filters, thermostat settings, a pilot light being out, or faulty thermocouple. Hippo’s Housepower Report found that 40% of homeowners had their HVAC system break down in the past year, yet many are not taking the proper steps to maintain their system. Here are some key actions to take:
- Help improve the air quality inside of your home, use less energy and maintain proper functioning of your HVAC unit by changing the filter every 30 to 90 days. Hippo found that only 16% of homeowners who responded to its Housepower survey do this on schedule.
- Schedule a bi-annual tune-up with a home care professional to help avoid appliance breakdowns. Only 13% of homeowners admit to servicing their HVAC unit once a year or more often, according to Hippo’s Housepower report
- Check your HVAC warranty. Our report also found that only about a third of homeowners know the age of their HVAC (28%), its location (33%), the cost to replace it (33%) or the warranty information on it (32%).
Reset water heater thermostats – After your home’s HVAC system, your home’s water heater is the second-highest source of energy usage and utility costs. This is because it takes a lot of energy to heat your home’s water and 41% of homes have their water heating settings far too high, according to (add source).
This is because once your home’s water heater is set at a specific temperature, the heater maintains that temperature all day, every day. Your water heater continually cycles on and off, reheating water to that temperature whether you are actively using it or not. So when you lower the temperature on your water heater a few degrees, you can save significantly on your heating bills.
Vacuum refrigerator coils – The coils on your refrigerator are critical to keeping it cool. Dust and dirt can reduce performance and increase energy bills. Most homeowners don’t vacuum their refrigerator coils on schedule according to Hippo’s Housepower Report, and nearly 1 in 5 responding homeowners say they did not know they had to vacuum their refrigerator coils at all. Vacuum or clean under and behind your refrigerator twice a year to help maintain peak performance.
Eliminate air leaks and drafts – Repairing or replacing seals in your home is a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive way to ensure you won’t be paying more for your energy usage during the high season. Weatherstrip doors and windows that are drafty or breezy. Look for cracks and openings around door and window frames that may need a bead of caulk to stop chilly air from coming in the house. Here are some areas to check:
- External doors – Once you have determined you have a drafty door, the weatherstripping or seal around the door is your most likely culprit. Once you have decided to repair and have the needed supplies, remove any damaged weather stripping and once that is all cleaned up, you can begin to reseal these areas with your chosen form of sealant.
- Attic and basement – Inspect your attic, basement or even crawl spaces thoroughly when searching for air leaks, as these floors may be less on a daily basis and tend to hide the worst leaks. For small leaks, you can use a quick dab of foam or caulk but for larger leaky areas, you may need to install or replace insulation.
- Unexpected leaks – While doors and windows are more obvious sources of drafts, air can leak into your home from some pretty unexpected areas. investigate outlets, utility cupboards, light fixtures, HVAC units and any gaps in your insulation. Put these spots on your list to inspect as you’re doing your seasonal home maintenance checks.
- Fireplace damper – Your fireplace can be a source of heat or cool air loss when it’s not in use. This is an easy fix. Make it a habit to close your damper whenever you’re not actively using your fireplace. If you never use your fireplace, play it extra safe by plugging and sealing the chimney flue.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
