Sometimes such things as our energy bills can be a complete mystery to us. We may ask, ‘Why are we paying so much?’, ‘’What are we using that is so expensive?’ or ‘Why is this month so much more than last month?’
Fortunately there are some key considerations that affect our energy bills, and that’s what this brief article is all about.
Your Choice Of Energy Supplier
Some people proactively shop around for the best company, and enjoy the discounts. It’s often the case that these deals are for a limited time. After that the rates may no longer be competitive, and the user may be on an expensive tariff.
The trouble is it can be time-consuming looking online and changing suppliers. An Australian company called Electricity Monster says there are web pages designed to help, and if you go to their site you will see an example. The public are looking for free sites that show different providers side by side. They also want electric and gas prices to be compared, and to be advised of such things as discount vouchers.
Things Beyond Your Control
The current pandemic has meant that millions of people have been in lockdown. Multitudes of folk have been forced to work from home by their employers. Added to this has been the issue of children being sent home from school while their parents attempt to educate them. Suddenly the house is full of people 24/7, all needing to use electricity and so on.
The weather can also be an external factor beyond our control. If it is extremely hot, people have their air conditioning units constantly on. If it is cold the heating will be turned up. Clothes can no longer be hung out to dry when the weather turns cold – instead they are put in electric dryers.
Whatever the external factors, people still need to wisely navigate their use of power during these seasons.
The Type Of Home
Most modern homes are more environmentally friendly than their older equivalents. If there are high ceilings it will be more costly to heat the rooms. If the layout is open plan, it may be that the warm air can easily serve the upstairs as well as the downstairs.
Some people have poor seals around their windows and doors. This means the warm air will escape and the cold air will come in. The heating system will therefore have to compensate for this – at a cost. Not everyone has their attic insulated, either. Without this, the heat will simply rise and escape through the roof.
Appliance Efficiency
Old dishwashers, washing machines and fridges may continue to work okay, but will not be as energy efficient as their modern counterparts.
Some peoples’ heating systems or air conditioning units are inefficient. Radiators may need bleeding and services may be overdue. If someone only has individual electric heaters in each room, they will be paying more than if there was a full heating system installed.
Storage heaters can save money. This is because they can be set to work at night when fuel costs are generally cheaper.
Our Lifestyles
These days it’s possible to walk past a family home in the evening, and see a light on in every room. People need to get into the habit of turning them off every time they leave the room. A lot of electricity is used when televisions are left with the power light on, even though the actual TV is not being used.
Some people like to have very warm homes, although this is not the most healthy way to live. It’s possible to see a noticeable fuel bill reduction after reducing the heating temperature by a mere 1%. It is questionable why people would insist on having warm homes in winter, and walking around in t-shirts. Why not wear thicker shirts and jumpers, and turn the heating down to save money?
Many people enjoy daily showers, and they are more economical with water than having a bath. Others take a daily bath but let it drain out after use, rather than keeping it for any later person to use. This means more water will need to be heated up.
It’s important to wear clean clothes. Some families are extreme, however. At the end of the day, whatever has been worn may get thrown into the laundry basket to be washed. This is good when it comes to underwear, but generally needless when it comes to such things as jumpers or trousers.
As we can see, many things can affect our energy consumption at home. We need to be wise. This way we will save money, and we will benefit the environment too.
