From Guest Blogger Lizzie Weakly: High Utility Bills? How Your HVAC and Other Appliances Could be to Blame

Many homeowners have gone to great lengths to lower their utility bills and to make their home greener. For example, you may have already switched to energy-saving light bulbs. You may also use a programmable thermostat and follow other energy-saving tips around the house. The primary sources of energy consumption in a home are the HVAC system and your appliances. If you want make a big dent in your utility bills, you need to understand how your appliances and HVAC system use energy. Your understanding of energy consumption can help you to determine additional ways to save money.

General Appliance Energy Consumption

Some of your appliances use energy on a regular basis, such as your refrigerator and your HVAC system. These appliances turn off and on regularly without your manual operation required. Other appliances use a considerable amount of energy when the appliances are turned on, such as the dishwasher, clothes dryer and oven. Your use of these appliances impacts energy consumption considerably. For example, if you run your washing machine and dryer with very small loads, you may be running more cycles than necessary. If you regularly bake things that could be grilled outdoors or microwaved in a fraction of the time, you may be wasting energy through the oven. Pay attention to your usage of each appliance, and find ways to trim back when possible. You can also upgrade to more energy-efficient appliances to save even more money on utility expenses.

When the HVAC System and Appliances Are in Poor Condition

Your HVAC system and appliances may also use more energy when they are not properly maintained. All seemingly minor repair issues should be addressed promptly. When appliances and the HVAC system are not in great condition, they may run longer or use more energy than necessary in different ways. In addition to addressing repair issues for your equipment as soon as possible, you can set up regular maintenance service annually. For example, Dick Kearsley Service Center can offer HVAC maintenance service, and your local appliance company can service your fridge, clothes dryer and other appliances.

Many people think that they need to make huge adjustments to their lifestyle in order to scale back energy consumption. However, you can now see that focusing your attention on your HVAC system and appliances can help you to reduce energy consumption overall. Something as simply as scheduling regular maintenance on your equipment can yield tremendous savings. Take a closer look at how you use these features in your home as well as their repair and maintenance needs. By doing so, you can more easily identify smart ways to reduce home energy consumption and to save money on your utility bills going forward.