Spring Cleaning for Your Energy Bill

Spring is the perfect time to freshen up your home—and that means giving your energy bill a little spring cleaning. As temperatures rise, it’s important to make adjustments around the home and to your habits to reduce your energy consumption without sacrificing comfort. Here are some tips to help you save money on your power bill as the weather warms up:

Keep the heat out.

One of the easiest ways to save energy during spring is to keep the hot weather outside. Keep windows and doors shut, especially during the hottest times of the day, and use curtains, blinds or shades to block out direct sunlight. Seal gaps or cracks around windows, doors and other areas around your home’s structure to prevent hot air from sneaking in.

Be mindful when setting your thermostat.

Setting your thermostat mindfully is the key to saving money on your energy bills. The closer the temperature outside is to your thermostat setting, the less energy you’ll use. During the spring, set your thermostat higher while you’re away to keep from cooling an empty home. Smart and programmable thermostats are great upgrades that automatically adjust the temperature based on you’re preferred presets, taking all the guesswork out of it.

Put fans and vents to work.

Before cranking up the AC, turn on the fans. Ceiling fans are great for creating airflow but remember, they cool people, not rooms—so be sure to turn them off when you leave a room. Use bathroom fans after a show or bath to remove excess humidity, and don’t forget to run the exhaust fan in the laundry room when doing laundry to filter out excess heat. These simple steps can help you keep your home cool without running the AC all day.

Clean and maintain your cooling system.

A well-maintained cooling system is more efficient and less likely to drive up your energy bill since it doesn’t have to work as hard. Regular maintenance, like vacuuming vents to clear dust buildup and changing the air filter, ensures that air can flow freely throughout your home. Refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines to determine when to schedule maintenance or change filters for optimal performance. These small tasks can make a significant difference when it comes to your home’s cooling efficiency. 

Lower your water heater temperature.

Although your water heater isn’t the first thing you think of when trying to save money on the power bill, it’s an important consideration. Your water heater could be working harder than it needs to. According to the Consumer Product Safety Guidelines, setting it no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit can help save energy. Washing dishes and doing laundry during off-peak hours is another way to save money while using hot water. When you can, use cold water for these chores for further savings.

Spring is a great time to take a fresh look at how you use energy at home. With just a few simple changes, you can reduce your energy usage and lower your monthly power bill. When you sign up for prepaid electricity with Texas power company, Pronto Power, you’ll have access to track your meter and monitor your energy consumption, which helps you identify even more opportunities to save. Visit our website to learn more about how our prepaid power plans work.