1. Install door gaskets 2. Weather stripping on windows 3. Heat and cool your house less 4. Don't close off your heated basement 5. Turn down water heater temp Bonus. Use energy savings blinds
Personal milestone! 2200 square foot house, five people, and our energy bill last month was $87. For sure did a little dance in my living room that day!
Did you specifically apply the changes that he suggested? What worked for you? I am about to purchase a 2200 sqft home and am extremely nervous about the cost of electricity.
That is very expensive. You may have to check that the duct work is sealed tight and blowing properly. I lived in a apartment and literally had a duct heating the crawl space under my home.
WHY? When all you have to do is buy a ac to dc adapter that puts out 12 volts and buy a 3,000 watt inverter. plug in adapter to wall outlet and then plug in the 12 volts to the inverter input then plug in a 1,800 watt heater you can buy at wall mart. PAY MUCH MUCH LESS and run the heater as much as you like.
@@rayamundson2342 Hey i'm 21 years old and I've recently got a flat. I know nothing about what you've said however i do wanna be able to have the heater on as much as possible, ready for the winter. Any simple way of explaining what you put?
I'm an old lady in Nebraska (U.S. Midwest) and I wear long underwear all winter, all the time. It is much more comfy. I keep the house set 68 to 70. Won't go lower because I have small dogs who sleep on the floor.
We have an all electric house. We sealed the doors and windows like you did, changed out the bulbs to LED where ever we could, the rest were florescent, then we took our water heater and ran it only at night for about 3-5 hours. This gave us plenty of hot water to last all day including showers (morning). The Heat or air conditioning (we live down south) we run only for about 5 hours in the morning to heat up or cool down the house. The rest of the time it is off. We went from $397 per month down to $76 per month. Loving it!!! (This is with 7 people living in the house btw - 4 generations under 1 roof.)
I started using a heating pad. 40 watts on medium. I also have a personal-size vornado that can run 375 watts or 750 watts. If you have a small room, it works well. The 1500 watt size will raise the room temperature of a small room 10 degrees in an hour. The personal vornado raises the room temperature 4 degrees.
My bill used to be between $73-$98. The past few month I've been doing a lot to save energy. It all works bc now my electric bill is now $48 and planing on getting it lower.
The problem with power company they can price gouge you with estimate reading in my opinion it's Illegal, they supposed to credit you the difference when they do actual meter reading, they sure didn't credit me much, I don't use much power, leave the lights on, I turn off the electric water heater off it can stay very warm for few days if you don't leave it running for long time, I turn on water heater when I need to take bath, avoid long hot 🚿 and turn off water heater when done, I know power company is fudging the numbers because I use very little power, and they losing money. With estimate and actual meter reading the power company will find a way to price gouge you. I save my bills I'm going to find someone who is good with math knows how to read meter I took pics of meter if the person finds out the power company is cheating me and others time for lawsuit. The politicians write the rules on utilities and the crooked power company bribes the politicians making price gouging legal, Gas company is no saint summer time there is no bunch of fees in winter way too many fees I called the customer service at semco why is there so many fees? I asked is it government overregulation? She admittly said yes.
48$ ? I'd have sit with candlelite and have only a laptop and eat cold food and never use heat or ac to get that! ours is usually 225 or greater in summer when using equaliser payments to average it out... actual summer bills can reach 375 and thats not even using the central air, just cooling a used room with a window ac and leaving the rest of the house hot as in 90-95 degrees
I have a "Honeywell" thermostat. I really don't need my whole aprtment heated as I live alone. Can I just keep the setting @ 56 and run a small personal fan when needed to save money? I heard some say lower it to 55-57 during night and bring back up to 62-68 during the day. Just wanted to know if I can keep it @ 56 to save the most money during winter rather than adjusting it daily and before bed? I'm not worried about pipes freezeing as it hasnt below 37 degress Fahrenheit yet.Thanks in advance!
Yeah I'm surprised he didn't mention unplugging. You only use your coffee maker 10 minutes a day no need to keep it plugged in 24-7. Microwave 3 minutes a day. Only plug it in when you use it. Only charge your phone at night then unplug it during the day
@@Jake-li7ih because it’s unnecessary and ghetto, only a few things actually use a notable amount of power while idle. Even then, you should consider something more new and efficient.
We used insulated drapes on our windows, eliminated drafts year round. Felt warmer in winter, cooler in summer. Took them to 3 houses and 3 apartments over a 28 year time frame. Actually wore them out.
I am a 61 yr old in Missouri. In the winter, I keep my house at 60. I have health issues and I seem to do better with the cooler temps. I also started unplugging my microwave when not using to save electricity. I am a firm believer in weather stripping and I bought Insulated curtain liners last year. They have saved me a huge amount of money from my utility bills. I also have put the foam insulation behind each outlet and I was surprised at how much air can come through there. My house was built in 1945 but since putting double pane windows all around and boosting the insulation in my attic, I do very well with utilities now! Thanks for the great video and God Bless you and your family! :)
I came back Just to say that this video has helped me so much to save my budget! My bill from 189 went to $89. I noticed that the Heat was not working as often as it was, in fact, in the last 2 months has been activated just once. Incredible how the tape/strips and keep your termostat constant and the water heater low made such difference. I still have lots of hot water, no need for me to turn I back on. I may have to spin the tap all the way back but that’s ok. Numbers talk. Thank you so much for this video!
as an energy consultant here in Louisiana there is so much I can talk about fixing a home up for energy management but two things you did fail to mention wrap your hot water heater and insulated blanket it cost about $20 at your home improvement store also get a setback thermostat they cost anywhere from 50 to $150 at your home improvement store it's going to take about two years to get your money back on those but they will save you money in the long run and weatherization to your home. Just a few tubes of caulking goes a long way and don't forget your outlets around the perimeter of your house air escapes do those too
Extra insulation will help If you have an electric water heater, with a gas one, not very much if any. The heat column in a gas water heater becomes a cooling column as soon as the flames go out.
I invested a couple of thousands of dollars to make my house more efficient. I have all LED lights, I got new windows, radiant heat barrier, extra insulation in the attic, and two new HVAC units. My electricity bill at the height of summer is now around $135 for a 4,000 sq ft house.
Good tips! I have my streaming devices and TV on a power strip and when not in use I switch it off. I can't stand to see a red light on anything that is not being used. I even shut off my router box when it's not in use. my electric went from 160.00 to about 70.00 a month. I also dropped cable and bought a 7.00 antenna from Kmart and I still get all my favorite channels, I did pick up a fire stick to stream movies. Thanks !
Thank you for this. Hopefully I see a difference. Tired of over paying. I changed the boiler temp, left thermostat at 68 and will cover the doorway for now with a blanket at the bottom. ❤️
This was great, thanks, I been tryin to find out about "how to lower electric bill in mobile home" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Bennafal Nonaniel Theorem - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now )? It is a smashing exclusive product for reducing your electricity bill without the hard work. Ive heard some decent things about it and my partner got cool results with it.
I live in Wisconsin and our total LP+electric cost per year is around $2100 for 3,000 sqft. We put our living room electronics and and lights on a switch controlled outlet so they are only "on" when we are using them. We installed more attic insulation, found out our wood stove flu was open when we bought the house, so that is now closed. We closed the air vents in the basement since we don't use it in winter. We have a wifi and programmable thermostat so we can warm the house to 68 before we get home, but otherwise we let it drop down to 55 during the day and at night. And we have heavy curtains on the sliding doors and bedroom windows which really helps! Always on the lookout for more tips, thanks!
Turn off the heater at night and sleep with tons of blankets, wear tons of clothes indoors, turn off the water heater when you are not using it! My electric bill is 7 dlls a week
Good tips. Our bills have been around the same amount $160.00. I am going to pick door sealers today and hope that helps a lot more and window sealers.
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What has really helped us to save on electricity is living without a clothes dryer. A clothes dryer gulps down energy like crazy. It can easily add $30-50 per month to your bill. We have a retractable clothesline and a few indoor drying racks. We also try to keep our air conditioning set at 78. Lowering it to 75 really spikes our energy usage.
I have an old clothes dryer that has 'warm' and 'hot' settings. I measured the Watts for each setting and it showed: 1250 for warm 2200 for hot So I use it on the warm setting for 45-50 minutes just for socks, underwear, and tea towels, which makes less work hanging up fiddly items on a line. My rate is 21.835 cents per kiloWatt, so it costs between 19 cents and 21 cents per wash. I do a wash every 14-16 days, so it's about 38-43 cents a month. Well worth the convenience.
Great video man! Thank you. I'm an electricity broker down here in Texas, we can retail electricity and my way of making my website rank is by suggesting people how to lower their energy bill. I blog every day for one website or the other website. You gave me more ideas about how to write my next blog. Thanks again.
That is cool that you write blogs to help people. My two cents is that a heating pad only uses 40 to 60 watts and you can get pretty big ones. Turned out that I preferred that to an electric blanket which could use 400 watts. Easier to store.
How about adding more insulation to your attic. If you can not afford to do it all at once, buy the type that you roll out and each time you have a little extra money buy another roll or more.
You can actually buy the insulation from home depot and they have the machine for rent to do the blowin insulation in your attic and most times get it for free and you can do it yourself.
I live in Pensacola Florida and I rent a 2 bedroom very small little house, didn't use the a/c or heat at all last month and my energy bill was still $180
I was in the shower one morning when I ran out of hot water (never happened before). When I came out to investigate, I saw a SEMCO truck in my driveway. Went outside to see what was going on, SEMCO tech changing my gas meter. When I asked the guy "why are you changing my meter?" He answered "You're not using enough gas". Next month bill doubled yet our usage remained the same. Typical SEMCO tactics. Good luck!
My house has mostly fluorescent bulbs (once they burn out I replace them with LED bulbs). Should I replace my fluorescent bulbs with LED bulbs now or wait until they burn out and then change to LED bulbs like I am already doing? Would it even make that much of a difference changing from fluorescent bulbs to LED bulbs?
one thing we do during winter months is closing up the kitchen and living room area from the rest of the house and keep the warmth in there. both of these areas are offset and can not be closed off from each other but when we use the oven to cook dinner. it helps a lot to keep the bills down
Heating the body is way cheaper than heating the rooms. Heating pads are 40 to 60 watts. A King-sized heating pad and an Eddie Bauer down throw with a furry side are enough to keep me warm and I tend to keep the house at 55 degrees to save on oil heat. I do have vornados and I use those for an hour when it is really cold but they raise the temperature about 10 degrees in an hour and then I can shut them off.
I installed solar screens keeps house cool during hot summer months.👍🌞and I completely shut off heater during the beginning of winter months because home is well insulated and temperature stays at 70 degrees. Unless we have temperatures that stay low day and night.
If there is a part of your living space that you rarely use, that still may have power draining items installed, and it’s on its own circuit, you can turn that circuit off for quite sometime so that it utilizes 0 power.
We replaced all light bulbs with LED, put foam pads behind outlets & safety plugs in unused outlets (could actually feel air coming in some prior). Our can lights (in kitchen ceiling) were vented to attic. Since we switched to LEDs, we could safely seal the vents from attic side to stop air leakage. We also sealed the sill plate in basement to stop leakage. Look for anywhere you see cobwebs or spider webs. Those are places that air may be leaking. Find the source of leak & seal. Invest in a programmable thermostat. Our new one can be controlled from our cellphones, so we can adjust the temp from anywhere! Check amount of insulation in attic. Increasing (if needed) can pay for itself rapidly. If you have a pool, the pump only needs to run during daylight hours. Put it on a timer (that only cost us $15 & saves a bundle). Check to see if your energy provider has free or low cost energy audit or incentive programs. We did pay $1800 for insulation/air sealing work, but got a $1,000 rebate from Louisville Gas & Electric and the savings will have the remainder paid off in under 6 months. Yup, we are saving THAT much!
I save money where I can to put it where I want. My dream is to pay off our mortgage & be totally debt-free! THAT is why I garden! Well, that and the fact that you just can't get good produce in the stores.
The downside of LED lights is the blue light emissions. That disrupts your sleep patterns and natural melatonin production. TH-cam “blue light hazard.”
The wife and kids are probably rolling their eyes as he records himself doing this video while they're all wearing hoodies and blankets just trying to keep warm.
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Washing clothes in cold water saves alot too.also putting an off on switch on the electric water heater an keep it turned off until you need to bathe an turn it back off saves a ton.
We keep the house at 66 degrees in the winter (during the day) and 64 at night. I never understood how people have to have their house heat way high. Its not that hard to put on a sweater and slippers, and still be very comfortable. My kids are so used to it they walk around in t shirt more often than not. And at night time they are comfy and cozy in bed.
During the winter I keep my house at 69 during the day and 67 at night. I've noticed when I get below 67 that I sweat in my sleep. I wake up all sticky and wet and it's just plain gross. I sleep with a towel under my torso for a quick exchange when this happens. I must shiver when it gets too cold and that's how my body keeps me warm. During the day, I just throw on a hoodie if I get too cold. I hate spending extra money on my heating bill but I hate being awoken from my sleep hot, wet and clammy. Decisions, decisions...
Where do you live? It makes a big difference in heating costs where a person lives. Where I live the winters can be absolutely frigid. I am talking day time temperatures don't get out of the single digits and night time temperatures are in the negative degree range. No matter what temperature the thermostat is set at, the furnace is always coming on when it is that cold.
@WHY ME I keep mine at 68..... period all year long (except on super cold days it goes to 70 or 72) I like to walk around in tank tops and lounge pants and I prefer to keep it that way. That's why my heat is where it is at.
In colder climates, a humidifier on the heater will make a big difference as well to keeping the furnace temps lower. Just like in the summer when it's humid it feels Hotter than it really is. In the wilnter this concept works in the same way. Even at 69f and humidity of 50% it will make the house feel like many degrees warmer
As a firefighter for 20 years, PLEASE for the love of god do not leave your basement doors open. Yes warm air rises but so dose heat from fire You are creating a chimney effect and fire will propagate very quickly adding significant risk to you, your family and firefighters.
You are correct, however, I stand by what I said. Education on the subject of fire propagation and the very short time it takes fire to spread, any responsible person would shut the door. If we played the odds as you suggest, then we would not have smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and other life saving devices." It will Never happen to me" attitude is why many people die needlessly.
Thats true try to prevent any type of fire in the home because once it starts it will probably burn down to the ground before the Fire Department gets there to keep it from spreading which once it starts is really their main job.
Thank you! I just went down and turned down our water heater. It is electric and has the panel thing just like yours did. Ours was on hot and now it's on medium. It has been bugging me that we have to mix the hot water with so much cold just to take a shower. So you got me up and taking care of that. We have an adult kid in the basement keeping his room like a sauna with a space heater while the rest of the house is cool enough that we all wear sweats and jackets inside. Sigh.
oddly enough, after you mentioned the water heater, i went to my attic and lowered mine. we have similar control panels! mine was on A, so i just lowered it to hot. thanks for that super easy tip!
Swap out that tank to a on demand tankless. Get a pellet stove or a wood stove. The on demand tankless doesn't cycle. It's on demand and you never run out of hot water NEVER. That bill would drop even more. Look into it. I have them in house in Maine and nh. Been running them for years with not one complaint. Check it out peeps.
Thanks for your video. Very informative. I just put plastic all over my windows and some weather stripping but still notice the gas was kind of high. I do notice that my thermostat downstairs is not accurate. I have to turn it up past 70 just to get the heat to turn on downstairs. I have a separate thermostat upstairs and that seems to work good and accurate. I guess that would be the next thing to change thermostat. Problem Is I'm renting. Should I let the landlord know what's going on? Thanks
If you live in a cold area, use a heating pad in the winter. Even a large heating pad is only 60 watts versus 400 watts for an electric blanket versus 1500 watts for most space heaters.
Remember to keep your curtains closed in the summer and open in the winter. The sun in the winter can help warm your house for free. Also don’t run an empty fridge. Motor runs harder if it’s empty. Fill up with bottles of water if nothing else.
Good day MIgardener! Thank you for the video. There were a couple of things I have added to my winterizing list. :-) I had also never placed the insulation strips 'in-between' where the window locks are. That is brilliant. I am definitely trying that! I was wondering about insulation around the gas water heater. That would also help. Yes? Did you post an update with the energy saving blinds for the window?
Luke, great video! We put plastic on our windows but I am going to get the weather stripping for the doors and windows. The plastic comes off the windows in the spring and all the AC goes out! The weather stripping will help! Thanks for the video! P.S. Lowering the hot water temp is also good when you have little ones. She will be growing and turning the water on herself in a few years.
I live alone in a one bedroom apartment my electric bill used to be low like 40-50$ but this summer my bill was so high like 95.00 and it’s still high so I’m going to try this and see what my bill will be I definitely need the window sealer there’s a draft that come in my house thanks for the tips !
I'm in the same boat with you! I'm rarely home so I'm used to my bill being $30 in the winter and no more than $50 in the summer. That was in my old place. My projected bill for this month will be around $77 in my current location. My friend and her husband have a 2,600 square foot house with washer, dryer, and lights on all the time and their bill is only about ten dollars more than mine. They live in a newer home compared to my apartment so I'm fixed on making as many energy-efficient modifications as possible while still minding the terms of my lease. Lowe's here I come!
@@ChinaDoll305 I can’t remember what I did since this was 2 years ago but unplug device’s you don’t use from the wall , don’t turn your AC on until it’s needed try opening your windows
Condensation creating mold is my issue. In central Michigan, my gas bill in the winter is around $45, electric is $35...covering windows creates condensation and it makes mold. Family of 2 adults, a 4 year old and an 8 month old.
Condensation is generally caused by air entering the room. Check the gaps around the window inside and out. Moisture from showers/baths/cooking is the other area where condensation can form. Make sure exhaust fans are used, and preferably exhausted to the outside, not the roof space. Most people in Australia have exhaust fans into the roof space. There are products available now like 'draftstoppa' that fit over the exhaust fan (inside ceiling) and close when not in use. This prevents roof air from 'falling' into the room below.
Keeping your hot water heater at or below 120 degrees Fahrenheit will help prevent scalding. Flushing the water heater tank from the drain valve every 6 months will remove mineral deposits and other debris that collect on the bottom of the heater that reduces the efficiency at which the water is being heated. Replacing the sacrificial anode annually (sooner if your water has a high mineral content) will help extend the life of your water heater.
Cool vid‼️ Appreciate all the information. The one thing I do is unplug all the appliances after use. Quick Question, which saves more money, put 1 plug in my power strip and plug that into the wall, or plug the 1 lamp cord directly into the wall?
I put on a sweater. But seriously, We insulated The sill plate in the basement, and threw some foam insulation on the copper for the heating system and probably save a ton, once we make up for the small cost of the couple rolls of insulation and packages of foam. The oil tank is in our basement, and when we bought the property it got cold in the room. But with all the holes and drafts sealed up, it's no longer the cold room.
talkingalwayz I don't worry about any of that. I just invest in power company ETFs and natural gas stocks. Getting around $1400/mo.dividends. Let them pay my bills.
Just adjusted the hot water heater to medium hot. I'll see how low my next hydro bill goes. Our latest bill is $183 in the summer and we didn't use much electricity with central air system off, not to mention our place is only 910 square feet.
68o set gas thermostat saves $40 mo. thermal room darkening drape used alone look nice & block harsh sun 100%. I used trim he did is perfect w/ 1side sticky for door & bottom part blocks air.
Hello MIgardener! You advocates sealing of the house, I just want to point out that by doing so you might increase the radon concentration levels in you're house because of taking away the natural circulation of the house. Best Regards, Christoffer (Medical physicist)
Well we aren't creating a vacuum, but thank you for your concern. The winter is the only month the windows are closed and I imagine with us walking in and out of the door daily it would cycle enough fresh air in to solve the problem.
But there are radon gas detectors that can be & should in any event be installed, too, right, Christoffer? "Prevention is obviously better than cure," as the old adage goes, but just figured I would note along with your concern that I believe there are such devices for detecting harmful gases that ought to be installed anyway. Be blessed in Sweden! 👍
Radon gaz naturally sips through concrete slabs... that's why you do not want any living quarter over a concrete slabs but over a vented crawl space! Some locale have more radon than others but its hush-hush because it would become a legally required disclosure for properties - Look it up for yourself, like hearthquake maps and flood zones... common knowledge is so often overlooked 😁
Microwave saves big unplugged. tv stuff on strip cord on/off. Bubble wrap placed on w/water spray keeps condensation off windows. Some LED bulbs get very hot fast. Outside bulbs come w dusk-dawn sensor in bulb. Cost $15-20 but ive had my 3yrs now.
What an awesome idea for a video! Im going to give these a try! Especially with energy rates skyrocketing in the new year up in Alberta, we will need this!
Great video and great tips! We have a 300 year old house so can relate to the gaps;) Clever tips and not only does it save money but it also cuts down your carbon footprint! I hope you and your family have a great Christmas :)
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With hydro here the highest in North America, these tricks are always great to know. Our windows and doors are 10 years old but were the top of the line when we built this place. One hot water heater has to be on very hot as it also heats the floors. I will turn the other one down though. With 62 windows in this house I would really like to know if those blinds work well. Thanks for the info and look forward to hearing about the blinds.
Your house is a box of a finite volume. When you put heat into that box, it will stay there until it escapes the box or outside cooler air enters the box. If your thermostat is sensitive to 2 degrees and you have it set to 70 deg. F., your furnace will come on when the room temperature drops to 69 degrees and will turn off at 71 degrees. Your heating appliance (furnace) produces a constant BTU rating when it is operating and it will consume fuel at a constant rate. It will run for as long as required for that particular heat output to raise the temperature in your particular box by 2 degrees. If you set your thermostat to 67 degrees, it will cycle on at 66 degrees and turn off at 69 degrees. Your furnace will consume the same amount of fuel, at the same BTU rating, for the same amount of time to raise the temperature of the same box by the same 2 degrees. If you further insulate your hot water heater, the same principles apply. Your savings are real, but they are the result of the changes you made to seal and insulate your box only. Reducing the thermostat settings for your home or your hot water heater is a common misconception that will not reduce your energy cost. As a Thermal/Combustion Engineer I can provide you with proof in the math but, it would take a lot longer than the explanation I've provided you with here.
The AC is an absolute money sucker during the summer and I live on a 3rd floor 1 bedroom apt in Massachusetts. I save more during the fall and winter as it is warmer but I also work from home five days a week due to Caronavirus so the electric has gone up from last year. I am saving money on transportation to work so it balances out but the summer is typically the highest for electric
Do a segment on keeping power bills down in summer season. Especially when you live in Nevada n Arizona the hottest place to live. Winter is easy Put on a sweater, socks, sweatpants and also it's better to take cold showers.
When you start to 'do the math' on how much you save YEARLY doing certain tricks, here and there all adds up and you end up saving enough for a free yearly holiday !! well worth it
Just FYI, for electricity savings, use task lighting, not overall lighting. It can make a big difference. Light only where it's being used (and don't forget to light for security, of course, It's worth it.)
I have motion detector night lights and basically only use those and the television for lights most of the time. I also have a rechargeable tap light in each room in case the power goes out.
Just curious but would your tricks work if you don't have gas? My home is full electric and looking on ways to reduce my bill...any suggestions would be helpful
Here in Australia most people pay about $130 per quarter for power just for service charges, and then there is the high per Kwh for the actual usage. The gas isn't to bad at the moment.
As a licensed HVAC individual can't help but notice your furnace has metal venting which dictates it's 80% or lower efficiency.....my second give away is the large accessory return air filter cabinet which usually were of the vintage of 70% efficiency draft hood furnaces.....this is without actually seeing your furnace. Research draft hood appliances and you'll learn a draft hood equipment feed chimney is like a vacuum cleaner sucking the heat out of your house 24/7....let alone the wasted efficiency of not fully extracting the heat potential of each cubic foot of gas at the heat exchanger to go into your home and not wasted in the flu gases leaving your structure.
Utilities are super expensive where I live in canada. We have all energy efficient appliances, light bulbs, tripple pane windows, brand new build. 750sqft basement apartment. Almost never use the lights and keep the house at 69°c. It still costs is around $200/month for gas alone.
SMUD in Sacramento is so unfair. I used just $8.98 in electricity costs last month but had to pay the base $20.30 on top of that, meaning I paid over 3 times of what I used.
00crashtest, I'm on an electric co-op & about 1/2 of my bill is the "Service Availability Fee". They explained it to me this way: The SA fee goes for maintaining the poles, lines, equipment, tree trimming in right of ways & guys who fix the broken lines. All co-op members pay the SA fee & it is averaged by the # of members. (mine is $25.00 a month) The KW costs are for the actual amount of energy I used. Think about it like this- you spend $600.00 to buy a washing machine (the SA fee) & then have to pay for the water, soap & electric each time you wash a load (the KW costs)
Welp and our lights got cut off because the bill it's 1268$.😭 My mom is gonna pay it when she gets off work but she told us to sit in the dark until we understand that we can't be running the lights all day long
Again I've tried the hottest setting on the hot water heater and I have tried the medium setting. You're looking at a 10-minute shower before you get cold water on the medium and about a 20 minute shower on hot. Gigantic Difference!
Forgot the biggest one. LED light bulbs. I couldn't believe my tiny 900 Sq ft house actually had about 30 bulbs. I am not talking lamps, I am talking light bulb fixtures that came with my house. I replaced all bulbs, even my T8s with LED equivalents. 60, 80, 100 watts vs 9 watt (60 watt equivalent) makes a huge difference. Sure we all like to get into the habit of turning lights off when we are not in the room, but we all know from time to tie we forget and kids always forget. I'd rather a few 9 watt bulbs be accidentally left on all day than a few 60-100 watt bulbs.
What about used motor oil burning furnace. I live in western Canada and it’s always cold in winter like everything freezes. I think about installing used motor oil burning furnace cut electric bill to minimal.
I changed out to low watt LED light bulbs...65% drop in electric bill. I keep my apt at 62°F daytime, 57°F night and sleep under 4 old blankets 2 fleese n' 2 wool. Insulated hot water pipes save on radiated heat. Hot water tank blanket saves energy. The door and window foam stripping really cuts drafts. And I like the other commentors idea about wall plug fiam inserts and plug inserts...off to the hardware store i go. Energy companies keep coming out to check my meters due to low energy consumption...haha.
Hi. We are going to curate a video about energy savings, and I found your video to very informative. Would it be alright if I used some clips from your video as long as I mention that it's from you, mention your channel, and provide a link to the full video in the description?
Monitor those electrical outlets people. I unplug anything not in use including TV. The plug is my power button. Now my fridge is my big energy sucker. When I stock my fridge I use that as the opportunity to thaw frozen meat in the fridge. I been keeping my freezer stocked with plenty of ice from the ice maker in plastic grocery bags. If you do this your fridge use less energy. I'm retired so being a penny pincher is my side hustle. A tornado hit and knocked my power out for two days. I had ice on hand that saved my food. Once a year eat your food down in the winter and unplug your fridge for a month. It allows your fridge to defrost. My house is 58 when I plug that fridge back in. It's easier for it to cool it's self. I like my house cold I just add layers. Put a big bowl of white vinegar in there so it smells nice. Electric bill 64 bucks 2000 sq ft
Use clothing drying rack. Don’t bake in summer. Don’t use candles in summer. Turn off AC when no one at home. Use heated blanket in winter. Run dishwasher on short cycle only when super full. Turn off the lights when no one in the room. Use ceiling fans. Change the direction of ceiling fan blades rotation twice a year, read why and how. Texas. My bill is super low.
1. Install door gaskets
2. Weather stripping on windows
3. Heat and cool your house less
4. Don't close off your heated basement
5. Turn down water heater temp
Bonus. Use energy savings blinds
Personal milestone! 2200 square foot house, five people, and our energy bill last month was $87. For sure did a little dance in my living room that day!
Did you specifically apply the changes that he suggested? What worked for you? I am about to purchase a 2200 sqft home and am extremely nervous about the cost of electricity.
U obvi dont live in new york
Five Cents Matter man my bill is 780$ ! Something must be wrong 3 kids me wife and out grandmother
lol, You made me feel better about my bill. Mine came out to $495. I'm gonna do everything he says and see how next month goes.
@fake acc do you use any energy monitoring software. do u think it can be valuable?
My electric bill this month was $300 which is RIDICULOUS for only 2 people in an apartment I’m definitely gonna use these tips . Wish me luck ! 👌
Omg same story for me! I’m so confused why it was this high, we’re you able to get your down?
Mine too.i dont know how i will do it
Same!! and Water bill hiked 300% and only one person in apartment in last two months :(
That is very expensive. You may have to check that the duct work is sealed tight and blowing properly. I lived in a apartment and literally had a duct heating the crawl space under my home.
Same! 400 for two people and we tend to think we are conservative with power
I am an old lady in England. In Winter, I wear a fleece jacket indoors rather than turn up the heating. Every little helps!
WHY? When all you have to do is buy a ac to dc adapter that puts out 12 volts and buy a 3,000 watt inverter. plug in adapter to wall outlet and then plug in the 12 volts to the inverter input then plug in a 1,800 watt heater you can buy at wall mart. PAY MUCH MUCH LESS and run the heater as much as you like.
@@rayamundson2342 Hey i'm 21 years old and I've recently got a flat. I know nothing about what you've said however i do wanna be able to have the heater on as much as possible, ready for the winter. Any simple way of explaining what you put?
I'm an old lady in Nebraska (U.S. Midwest) and I wear long underwear all winter, all the time. It is much more comfy. I keep the house set 68 to 70. Won't go lower because I have small dogs who sleep on the floor.
@@ahicks414 very thoughtful to think of your pets' comfort.
@@rayamundson2342 Not sure if you can use a 3000 watt inverter with a space heater
We have an all electric house. We sealed the doors and windows like you did, changed out the bulbs to LED where ever we could, the rest were florescent, then we took our water heater and ran it only at night for about 3-5 hours. This gave us plenty of hot water to last all day including showers (morning). The Heat or air conditioning (we live down south) we run only for about 5 hours in the morning to heat up or cool down the house. The rest of the time it is off. We went from $397 per month down to $76 per month. Loving it!!! (This is with 7 people living in the house btw - 4 generations under 1 roof.)
Can someone help me..i live in South Florida..my electric bill $300 for month..its a killer!!
Four generations? You're awesome!
+Jesmin Qureshi Have you replaced bulbs with LED? Do you unplug things you're not using?
Chana Moriel God bless you all. Great job and thx for sharing.
@@jesminmatin4159 same!
4 years later, you've helped a desperate Wisconsin resident lower my bill a lot. Thank you!
I started using a heating pad. 40 watts on medium. I also have a personal-size vornado that can run 375 watts or 750 watts. If you have a small room, it works well. The 1500 watt size will raise the room temperature of a small room 10 degrees in an hour. The personal vornado raises the room temperature 4 degrees.
My bill used to be between $73-$98. The past few month I've been doing a lot to save energy. It all works bc now my electric bill is now $48 and planing on getting it lower.
Please share how you lowered your bills. Mine is crazy, over $230 in the winter.
Wow! Keep going. Maybe the electric company will eventually be obliged to pay you, if you are able to maintain a constant linear reduction.
The problem with power company they can price gouge you with estimate reading in my opinion it's Illegal, they supposed to credit you the difference when they do actual meter reading, they sure didn't credit me much, I don't use much power, leave the lights on, I turn off the electric water heater off it can stay very warm for few days if you don't leave it running for long time, I turn on water heater when I need to take bath, avoid long hot 🚿 and turn off water heater when done, I know power company is fudging the numbers because I use very little power, and they losing money. With estimate and actual meter reading the power company will find a way to price gouge you. I save my bills I'm going to find someone who is good with math knows how to read meter I took pics of meter if the person finds out the power company is cheating me and others time for lawsuit. The politicians write the rules on utilities and the crooked power company bribes the politicians making price gouging legal, Gas company is no saint summer time there is no bunch of fees in winter way too many fees I called the customer service at semco why is there so many fees? I asked is it government overregulation? She admittly said yes.
48$ ? I'd have sit with candlelite and have only a laptop and eat cold food and never use heat or ac to get that! ours is usually 225 or greater in summer when using equaliser payments to average it out... actual summer bills can reach 375 and thats not even using the central air, just cooling a used room with a window ac and leaving the rest of the house hot as in 90-95 degrees
I have a "Honeywell" thermostat. I really don't need my whole aprtment heated as I live alone. Can I just keep the setting @ 56 and run a small personal fan when needed to save money? I heard some say lower it to 55-57 during night and bring back up to 62-68 during the day. Just wanted to know if I can keep it @ 56 to save the most money during winter rather than adjusting it daily and before bed? I'm not worried about pipes freezeing as it hasnt below 37 degress Fahrenheit yet.Thanks in advance!
My previously electric bill was $47.42. Unplug, unplug. Use lights when necessary. Daylight saving helps a tremendous amount.
Yeah I'm surprised he didn't mention unplugging. You only use your coffee maker 10 minutes a day no need to keep it plugged in 24-7. Microwave 3 minutes a day. Only plug it in when you use it. Only charge your phone at night then unplug it during the day
@@Jake-li7ih because it’s unnecessary and ghetto, only a few things actually use a notable amount of power while idle. Even then, you should consider something more new and efficient.
Ghetto? Lol unnecessary use of the word 😂 the time to unplug those and plug them back in
Daily though is crazy.
“UNPLUG” is 99.98% USELESS!!! Non-running appliances use barely ONE WATT to run their cLocks/controls.
We used insulated drapes on our windows, eliminated drafts year round. Felt warmer in winter, cooler in summer. Took them to 3 houses and 3 apartments over a 28 year time frame. Actually wore them out.
Chris Dahl How can you stand to have a dark house if you have insulated curtains up?
I did the same thing but I did it in a hot area. I went to Walmart and bought them
I am a 61 yr old in Missouri. In the winter, I keep my house at 60. I have health issues and I seem to do better with the cooler temps. I also started unplugging my microwave when not using to save electricity. I am a firm believer in weather stripping and I bought Insulated curtain liners last year. They have saved me a huge amount of money from my utility bills. I also have put the foam insulation behind each outlet and I was surprised at how much air can come through there. My house was built in 1945 but since putting double pane windows all around and boosting the insulation in my attic, I do very well with utilities now! Thanks for the great video and God Bless you and your family! :)
I came back Just to say that this video has helped me so much to save my budget! My bill from 189 went to $89. I noticed that the Heat was not working as often as it was, in fact, in the last 2 months has been activated just once. Incredible how the tape/strips and keep your termostat constant and the water heater low made such difference. I still have lots of hot water, no need for me to turn I back on. I may have to spin the tap all the way back but that’s ok.
Numbers talk. Thank you so much for this video!
as an energy consultant here in Louisiana there is so much I can talk about fixing a home up for energy management but two things you did fail to mention wrap your hot water heater and insulated blanket it cost about $20 at your home improvement store also get a setback thermostat they cost anywhere from 50 to $150 at your home improvement store it's going to take about two years to get your money back on those but they will save you money in the long run and weatherization to your home. Just a few tubes of caulking goes a long way and don't forget your outlets around the perimeter of your house air escapes do those too
Rick, would you recommend any books for Louisiana energy savings? Thanks
Rick Buisson Louisiana is like Jacking up the bill
A hot water heater timer is good too.
Extra insulation will help If you have an electric water heater, with a gas one, not very much if any. The heat column in a gas water heater becomes a cooling column as soon as the flames go out.
What does wrappping the water heater in a blanket do? How does that help..mines in the garage
I invested a couple of thousands of dollars to make my house more efficient. I have all LED lights, I got new windows, radiant heat barrier, extra insulation in the attic, and two new HVAC units. My electricity bill at the height of summer is now around $135 for a 4,000 sq ft house.
Good tips! I have my streaming devices and TV on a power strip and when not in use I switch it off. I can't stand to see a red light on anything that is not being used. I even shut off my router box when it's not in use. my electric went from 160.00 to about 70.00 a month. I also dropped cable and bought a 7.00 antenna from Kmart and I still get all my favorite channels, I did pick up a fire stick to stream movies. Thanks !
Thank you for this. Hopefully I see a difference. Tired of over paying. I changed the boiler temp, left thermostat at 68 and will cover the doorway for now with a blanket at the bottom. ❤️
Just a heads up a company named Beato Bloom is using your clip off your energy bill savings to promote a device called eco watts claiming save as much
@MIgardener
This was great, thanks, I been tryin to find out about "how to lower electric bill in mobile home" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Bennafal Nonaniel Theorem - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now )?
It is a smashing exclusive product for reducing your electricity bill without the hard work. Ive heard some decent things about it and my partner got cool results with it.
Yup, saw a similar ad on FB too
@MIgardener
From a fellow Michigander, I can tell the difference in 2 degrees on the thermostat. We keep ours at 68° or lower.
I live in Wisconsin and our total LP+electric cost per year is around $2100 for 3,000 sqft. We put our living room electronics and and lights on a switch controlled outlet so they are only "on" when we are using them. We installed more attic insulation, found out our wood stove flu was open when we bought the house, so that is now closed. We closed the air vents in the basement since we don't use it in winter. We have a wifi and programmable thermostat so we can warm the house to 68 before we get home, but otherwise we let it drop down to 55 during the day and at night. And we have heavy curtains on the sliding doors and bedroom windows which really helps! Always on the lookout for more tips, thanks!
Turn off the heater at night and sleep with tons of blankets, wear tons of clothes indoors, turn off the water heater when you are not using it! My electric bill is 7 dlls a week
Good tips. Our bills have been around the same amount $160.00. I am going to pick door sealers today and hope that helps a lot more and window sealers.
im waiting for summer version of this enegy saving video. living in south east asian country, we only have hot or very hot day... 😆
U need a geothermal ac system 55 degree ground temp save on ac
Just wonderful, I've been looking for "way to save on electric bill" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you ever come across - Eeyaidey Unconventional Eradicator - (just google it )?
It is a good one off guide for discovering how to reduce your electricity bill using this simple secret minus the headache. Ive heard some awesome things about it and my cousin got excellent results with it.
What has really helped us to save on electricity is living without a clothes dryer. A clothes dryer gulps down energy like crazy. It can easily add $30-50 per month to your bill. We have a retractable clothesline and a few indoor drying racks.
We also try to keep our air conditioning set at 78. Lowering it to 75 really spikes our energy usage.
I have an old clothes dryer that has 'warm' and 'hot' settings. I measured the Watts for each setting and it showed:
1250 for warm
2200 for hot
So I use it on the warm setting for 45-50 minutes just for socks, underwear, and tea towels, which makes less work hanging up fiddly items on a line.
My rate is 21.835 cents per kiloWatt, so it costs between 19 cents and 21 cents per wash. I do a wash every 14-16 days, so it's about 38-43 cents a month. Well worth the convenience.
Great video man! Thank you. I'm an electricity broker down here in Texas, we can retail electricity and my way of making my website rank is by suggesting people how to lower their energy bill. I blog every day for one website or the other website. You gave me more ideas about how to write my next blog. Thanks again.
That is cool that you write blogs to help people. My two cents is that a heating pad only uses 40 to 60 watts and you can get pretty big ones. Turned out that I preferred that to an electric blanket which could use 400 watts. Easier to store.
@@wishingb5859 Your idea is better than mine. Thank you for the reply.
How about adding more insulation to your attic. If you can not afford to do it all at once, buy the type that you roll out and each time you have a little extra money buy another roll or more.
You can actually buy the insulation from home depot and they have the machine for rent to do the blowin insulation in your attic and most times get it for free and you can do it yourself.
first time home owner here. These were great thanks!
I live in Pensacola Florida and I rent a 2 bedroom very small little house, didn't use the a/c or heat at all last month and my energy bill was still $180
I was in the shower one morning when I ran out of hot water (never happened before). When I came out to investigate, I saw a SEMCO truck in my driveway. Went outside to see what was going on, SEMCO tech changing my gas meter. When I asked the guy "why are you changing my meter?" He answered "You're not using enough gas". Next month bill doubled yet our usage remained the same.
Typical SEMCO tactics.
Good luck!
James Gross Huh! Did you call them about it? What was their response?
My house has mostly fluorescent bulbs (once they burn out I replace them with LED bulbs). Should I replace my fluorescent bulbs with LED bulbs now or wait until they burn out and then change to LED bulbs like I am already doing? Would it even make that much of a difference changing from fluorescent bulbs to LED bulbs?
one thing we do during winter months is closing up the kitchen and living room area from the rest of the house and keep the warmth in there. both of these areas are offset and can not be closed off from each other but when we use the oven to cook dinner. it helps a lot to keep the bills down
why ? do what i say on here and run electric heater as much as you want. PAY WAY WAY LESS.
Heating the body is way cheaper than heating the rooms. Heating pads are 40 to 60 watts. A King-sized heating pad and an Eddie Bauer down throw with a furry side are enough to keep me warm and I tend to keep the house at 55 degrees to save on oil heat. I do have vornados and I use those for an hour when it is really cold but they raise the temperature about 10 degrees in an hour and then I can shut them off.
I installed solar screens keeps house cool during hot summer months.👍🌞and I completely shut off heater during the beginning of winter months because home is well insulated and temperature stays at 70 degrees. Unless we have temperatures that stay low day and night.
If there is a part of your living space that you rarely use, that still may have power draining items installed, and it’s on its own circuit, you can turn that circuit off for quite sometime so that it utilizes 0 power.
The Body is most comfortible at 70 degrees and you will feel a difference 2 degree lower. But a sweater can change the paradigm.
We replaced all light bulbs with LED, put foam pads behind outlets & safety plugs in unused outlets (could actually feel air coming in some prior). Our can lights (in kitchen ceiling) were vented to attic. Since we switched to LEDs, we could safely seal the vents from attic side to stop air leakage. We also sealed the sill plate in basement to stop leakage. Look for anywhere you see cobwebs or spider webs. Those are places that air may be leaking. Find the source of leak & seal. Invest in a programmable thermostat. Our new one can be controlled from our cellphones, so we can adjust the temp from anywhere! Check amount of insulation in attic. Increasing (if needed) can pay for itself rapidly. If you have a pool, the pump only needs to run during daylight hours. Put it on a timer (that only cost us $15 & saves a bundle). Check to see if your energy provider has free or low cost energy audit or incentive programs. We did pay $1800 for insulation/air sealing work, but got a $1,000 rebate from Louisville Gas & Electric and the savings will have the remainder paid off in under 6 months. Yup, we are saving THAT much!
Wow Linda! you really took energy efficiency to the next level! Great job!
I save money where I can to put it where I want. My dream is to pay off our mortgage & be totally debt-free!
THAT is why I garden! Well, that and the fact that you just can't get good produce in the stores.
The only place I get spiderwebs is on the ceiling fan bulb fixtures in my dining room.. Could that be a leak at the ceiling fan??
👍🏻
The downside of LED lights is the blue light emissions. That disrupts your sleep patterns and natural melatonin production. TH-cam “blue light hazard.”
The wife and kids are probably rolling their eyes as he records himself doing this video while they're all wearing hoodies and blankets just trying to keep warm.
This is just superb, I've been looking for "average electric bill for 1 bedroom apartment" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Eeyaidey Unconventional Eradicator - (should be on google have a look )?
It is a smashing exclusive guide for discovering how to reduce your electricity bill using this simple secret minus the normal expense. Ive heard some interesting things about it and my friend got amazing success with it.
Cheers for this, been searching for "reduce electric bill tips" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Sonrisonly Ideological Superiority - (should be on google have a look ) ? It is a great one off guide for discovering how to save money on home power bills minus the headache. Ive heard some interesting things about it and my m8 got great results with it.
I couldn't stop picturing this while watching the rest of the video 😂
😂
The amount of bot comments is unbelievable
Washing clothes in cold water saves alot too.also putting an off on switch on the electric water heater an keep it turned off until you need to bathe an turn it back off saves a ton.
We keep the house at 66 degrees in the winter (during the day) and 64 at night. I never understood how people have to have their house heat way high. Its not that hard to put on a sweater and slippers, and still be very comfortable. My kids are so used to it they walk around in t shirt more often than not. And at night time they are comfy and cozy in bed.
During the winter I keep my house at 69 during the day and 67 at night. I've noticed when I get below 67 that I sweat in my sleep. I wake up all sticky and wet and it's just plain gross. I sleep with a towel under my torso for a quick exchange when this happens. I must shiver when it gets too cold and that's how my body keeps me warm. During the day, I just throw on a hoodie if I get too cold. I hate spending extra money on my heating bill but I hate being awoken from my sleep hot, wet and clammy. Decisions, decisions...
64? it must be torture to live with you.
If my room says 61 I am very lucky and very warm because I am not turning my electric heat on
Where do you live? It makes a big difference in heating costs where a person lives. Where I live the winters can be absolutely frigid. I am talking day time temperatures don't get out of the single digits and night time temperatures are in the negative degree range. No matter what temperature the thermostat is set at, the furnace is always coming on when it is that cold.
@WHY ME I keep mine at 68..... period all year long (except on super cold days it goes to 70 or 72) I like to walk around in tank tops and lounge pants and I prefer to keep it that way. That's why my heat is where it is at.
In colder climates, a humidifier on the heater will make a big difference as well to keeping the furnace temps lower. Just like in the summer when it's humid it feels Hotter than it really is. In the wilnter this concept works in the same way. Even at 69f and humidity of 50% it will make the house feel like many degrees warmer
great tip! not something I would have thought about but makes sense!
I thought humidity above 40% will promote mold?
As a firefighter for 20 years, PLEASE for the love of god do not leave your basement doors open. Yes warm air rises but so dose heat from fire You are creating a chimney effect and fire will propagate very quickly adding significant risk to you, your family and firefighters.
You are correct, however, I stand by what I said. Education on the subject of fire propagation and the very short time it takes fire to spread, any responsible person would shut the door. If we played the odds as you suggest, then we would not have smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and other life saving devices." It will Never happen to me" attitude is why many people die needlessly.
Thank you for this!! I certainly had no clue. Thank you for your service and educating all inn fires!!
Thank you for your service!
John Arenburg llkjpjpjjpipjik
Thats true try to prevent any type of fire in the home because once it starts it will probably burn down to the ground before the Fire Department gets there to keep it from spreading which once it starts is really their main job.
Thank you! I just went down and turned down our water heater. It is electric and has the panel thing just like yours did. Ours was on hot and now it's on medium. It has been bugging me that we have to mix the hot water with so much cold just to take a shower. So you got me up and taking care of that. We have an adult kid in the basement keeping his room like a sauna with a space heater while the rest of the house is cool enough that we all wear sweats and jackets inside. Sigh.
oddly enough, after you mentioned the water heater, i went to my attic and lowered mine. we have similar control panels!
mine was on A, so i just lowered it to hot. thanks for that super easy tip!
Set it to B for safety (bacteria).
Swap out that tank to a on demand tankless. Get a pellet stove or a wood stove. The on demand tankless doesn't cycle. It's on demand and you never run out of hot water NEVER. That bill would drop even more. Look into it. I have them in house in Maine and nh. Been running them for years with not one complaint. Check it out peeps.
The one thing about having a hot water tank is power outage you still have some water on reserve if you have a well
Good information we feel your pain with heating in Midwest. Don't forget LEDs helped save us on the electric part of the bill.
Thanks for your video. Very informative. I just put plastic all over my windows and some weather stripping but still notice the gas was kind of high. I do notice that my thermostat downstairs is not accurate. I have to turn it up past 70 just to get the heat to turn on downstairs. I have a separate thermostat upstairs and that seems to work good and accurate. I guess that would be the next thing to change thermostat. Problem Is I'm renting. Should I let the landlord know what's going on? Thanks
You can light candles at night to save power. Also you could get solar panel powered lights too.
I never knew the water heater one! Thank you so much!! I've had to slash our grocery fund to pay the gas bill and this will really help
If you live in a cold area, use a heating pad in the winter. Even a large heating pad is only 60 watts versus 400 watts for an electric blanket versus 1500 watts for most space heaters.
Remember to keep your curtains closed in the summer and open in the winter. The sun in the winter can help warm your house for free. Also don’t run an empty fridge. Motor runs harder if it’s empty. Fill up with bottles of water if nothing else.
Good day MIgardener! Thank you for the video. There were a couple of things I have added to my winterizing list. :-) I had also never placed the insulation strips 'in-between' where the window locks are. That is brilliant. I am definitely trying that! I was wondering about insulation around the gas water heater. That would also help. Yes? Did you post an update with the energy saving blinds for the window?
Luke, great video! We put plastic on our windows but I am going to get the weather stripping for the doors and windows. The plastic comes off the windows in the spring and all the AC goes out! The weather stripping will help! Thanks for the video! P.S. Lowering the hot water temp is also good when you have little ones. She will be growing and turning the water on herself in a few years.
The weather stripping helps so much that it isn't even a joke. It paid for itself 10 times over already.
I live alone in a one bedroom apartment my electric bill used to be low like 40-50$ but this summer my bill was so high like 95.00 and it’s still high so I’m going to try this and see what my bill will be I definitely need the window sealer there’s a draft that come in my house thanks for the tips !
I'm in the same boat with you! I'm rarely home so I'm used to my bill being $30 in the winter and no more than $50 in the summer. That was in my old place. My projected bill for this month will be around $77 in my current location. My friend and her husband have a 2,600 square foot house with washer, dryer, and lights on all the time and their bill is only about ten dollars more than mine. They live in a newer home compared to my apartment so I'm fixed on making as many energy-efficient modifications as possible while still minding the terms of my lease. Lowe's here I come!
I was able to cut my bill in half!!!! My bill this month was 47.00$ !!!!
@@anthonettemiddleton2206 How did you do It?
@@ChinaDoll305 I can’t remember what I did since this was 2 years ago but unplug device’s you don’t use from the wall , don’t turn your AC on until it’s needed try opening your windows
Condensation creating mold is my issue. In central Michigan, my gas bill in the winter is around $45, electric is $35...covering windows creates condensation and it makes mold. Family of 2 adults, a 4 year old and an 8 month old.
Condensation is generally caused by air entering the room. Check the gaps around the window inside and out.
Moisture from showers/baths/cooking is the other area where condensation can form. Make sure exhaust fans are used, and preferably exhausted to the outside, not the roof space.
Most people in Australia have exhaust fans into the roof space. There are products available now like 'draftstoppa' that fit over the exhaust fan (inside ceiling) and close when not in use. This prevents roof air from 'falling' into the room below.
Keeping your hot water heater at or below 120 degrees Fahrenheit will help prevent scalding. Flushing the water heater tank from the drain valve every 6 months will remove mineral deposits and other debris that collect on the bottom of the heater that reduces the efficiency at which the water is being heated. Replacing the sacrificial anode annually (sooner if your water has a high mineral content) will help extend the life of your water heater.
140F is the minimum by law in Australia to kill bacteria in the water.
The maximum from the tap is 122F to prevent scalding.
Cool vid‼️ Appreciate all the information. The one thing I do is unplug all the appliances after use. Quick Question, which saves more money, put 1 plug in my power strip and plug that into the wall, or plug the 1 lamp cord directly into the wall?
I put on a sweater. But seriously, We insulated The sill plate in the basement, and threw some foam insulation on the copper for the heating system and probably save a ton, once we make up for the small cost of the couple rolls of insulation and packages of foam. The oil tank is in our basement, and when we bought the property it got cold in the room. But with all the holes and drafts sealed up, it's no longer the cold room.
Great job... We keep our heat on 68, it keeps it from kicking on/off all day because it stays pretty even for the most part
How can you get the company to stop charging delivery fees monthly that are higher than the electric you use???
talkingalwayz ......bingo..
talkingalwayz
I don't worry about any of that.
I just invest in power company ETFs and natural gas stocks.
Getting around $1400/mo.dividends.
Let them pay my bills.
@@blackworldtraveler3711 Which ones do you suggest?
Robert Brown
XLU and AEP for electric.
Oneok and One Gas for NG.
But I've had these over 10-15 years.
get solar and they will pay you for electricity
In the winter open up the window blinds and get the sunlight inside. It’ll heat up your home.
Techmatt167 my electric company charges extra for party favors and new smart meter
we heat to between 61 and 66 depending on the time of day (Nights colder)
Just adjusted the hot water heater to medium hot. I'll see how low my next hydro bill goes. Our latest bill is $183 in the summer and we didn't use much electricity with central air system off, not to mention our place is only 910 square feet.
My dad keeps it at 80 even when we trying to sleep blankets are a thing of the past now
Hmmm... My family notices a difference when we go just 1 degree lower.
68o set gas thermostat saves $40 mo. thermal room darkening drape used alone look nice & block harsh sun 100%.
I used trim he did is perfect w/ 1side sticky for door & bottom part blocks air.
Hello MIgardener! You advocates sealing of the house, I just want to point out that by doing so you might increase the radon concentration levels in you're house because of taking away the natural circulation of the house. Best Regards, Christoffer (Medical physicist)
Well we aren't creating a vacuum, but thank you for your concern. The winter is the only month the windows are closed and I imagine with us walking in and out of the door daily it would cycle enough fresh air in to solve the problem.
That's good to hear! Keep up the good work with the videos and advises you give. Merry Christmas from Sweden :)
But there are radon gas detectors that can be & should in any event be installed, too, right, Christoffer? "Prevention is obviously better than cure," as the old adage goes, but just figured I would note along with your concern that I believe there are such devices for detecting harmful gases that ought to be installed anyway.
Be blessed in Sweden! 👍
+Margaret Gust What are you talking about?
Radon gaz naturally sips through concrete slabs... that's why you do not want any living quarter over a concrete slabs but over a vented crawl space! Some locale have more radon than others but its hush-hush because it would become a legally required disclosure for properties - Look it up for yourself, like hearthquake maps and flood zones... common knowledge is so often overlooked 😁
Microwave saves big unplugged.
tv stuff on strip cord on/off.
Bubble wrap placed on w/water spray keeps condensation off windows.
Some LED bulbs get very hot fast.
Outside bulbs come w dusk-dawn sensor in bulb. Cost $15-20 but ive had my 3yrs now.
It’s giving ghetto…
What an awesome idea for a video! Im going to give these a try! Especially with energy rates skyrocketing in the new year up in Alberta, we will need this!
Great video and great tips! We have a 300 year old house so can relate to the gaps;) Clever tips and not only does it save money but it also cuts down your carbon footprint! I hope you and your family have a great Christmas :)
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With hydro here the highest in North America, these tricks are always great to know. Our windows and doors are 10 years old but were the top of the line when we built this place. One hot water heater has to be on very hot as it also heats the floors. I will turn the other one down though. With 62 windows in this house I would really like to know if those blinds work well. Thanks for the info and look forward to hearing about the blinds.
>two water heaters
>62 windows
Stock your mansion with less caviar and Bentleys and you'll save some money for sure
Your house is a box of a finite volume. When you put heat into that box, it will stay there until it escapes the box or outside cooler air enters the box. If your thermostat is sensitive to 2 degrees and you have it set to 70 deg. F., your furnace will come on when the room temperature drops to 69 degrees and will turn off at 71 degrees. Your heating appliance (furnace) produces a constant BTU rating when it is operating and it will consume fuel at a constant rate. It will run for as long as required for that particular heat output to raise the temperature in your particular box by 2 degrees. If you set your thermostat to 67 degrees, it will cycle on at 66 degrees and turn off at 69 degrees. Your furnace will consume the same amount of fuel, at the same BTU rating, for the same amount of time to raise the temperature of the same box by the same 2 degrees. If you further insulate your hot water heater, the same principles apply.
Your savings are real, but they are the result of the changes you made to seal and insulate your box only. Reducing the thermostat settings for your home or your hot water heater is a common misconception that will not reduce your energy cost. As a Thermal/Combustion Engineer I can provide you with proof in the math but, it would take a lot longer than the explanation I've provided you with here.
The AC is an absolute money sucker during the summer and I live on a 3rd floor 1 bedroom apt in Massachusetts. I save more during the fall and winter as it is warmer but I also work from home five days a week due to Caronavirus so the electric has gone up from last year. I am saving money on transportation to work so it balances out but the summer is typically the highest for electric
Do a segment on keeping power bills down in summer season. Especially when you live in Nevada n Arizona the hottest place to live. Winter is easy Put on a sweater, socks, sweatpants and also it's better to take cold showers.
When you start to 'do the math' on how much you save YEARLY doing certain tricks, here and there all adds up and you end up saving enough for a free yearly holiday !!
well worth it
Just FYI, for electricity savings, use task lighting, not overall lighting. It can make a big difference. Light only where it's being used (and don't forget to light for security, of course, It's worth it.)
I have motion detector night lights and basically only use those and the television for lights most of the time. I also have a rechargeable tap light in each room in case the power goes out.
Just curious but would your tricks work if you don't have gas? My home is full electric and looking on ways to reduce my bill...any suggestions would be helpful
Good tips Luke, especially the door strip.
Jeebus...Here in Oz, it is closer to $1,000 AUD/ 3 months.
Cant wait until im on solar & battery (currently saving for these)
During cooler summer days put silicone caulking around the outside of the windiws where window frame fits into the house.
shout out to these kids who watch this, just trying to help parents pay bills a little less
I imagine some of these things might seem like common sense to some people but not for me. Thanks lol good vid
I am all elic. Never heard of the stuf you but around Windows will get some soon. Thank you!
Here in Australia most people pay about $130 per quarter for power just for service charges, and then there is the high per Kwh for the actual usage. The gas isn't to bad at the moment.
As a licensed HVAC individual can't help but notice your furnace has metal venting which dictates it's 80% or lower efficiency.....my second give away is the large accessory return air filter cabinet which usually were of the vintage of 70% efficiency draft hood furnaces.....this is without actually seeing your furnace. Research draft hood appliances and you'll learn a draft hood equipment feed chimney is like a vacuum cleaner sucking the heat out of your house 24/7....let alone the wasted efficiency of not fully extracting the heat potential of each cubic foot of gas at the heat exchanger to go into your home and not wasted in the flu gases leaving your structure.
Also research the human bodies evaporative cooling, and you understand how adding humidity in the winter makes the body feel warmer at cooler temps.
The tips you pointed are good just informing you of ways to go further.....good luck.
Turned my water heater down as I watched! Good tips! How does the window strip go on?
I have been looking on what the water heater should be on. Thanks so much!
Utilities are super expensive where I live in canada. We have all energy efficient appliances, light bulbs, tripple pane windows, brand new build. 750sqft basement apartment. Almost never use the lights and keep the house at 69°c. It still costs is around $200/month for gas alone.
SMUD in Sacramento is so unfair. I used just $8.98 in electricity costs last month but had to pay the base $20.30 on top of that, meaning I paid over 3 times of what I used.
00crashtest, I'm on an electric co-op & about 1/2 of my bill is the "Service Availability Fee". They explained it to me this way: The SA fee goes for maintaining the poles, lines, equipment, tree trimming in right of ways & guys who fix the broken lines. All co-op members pay the SA fee & it is averaged by the # of members. (mine is $25.00 a month) The KW costs are for the actual amount of energy I used.
Think about it like this- you spend $600.00 to buy a washing machine (the SA fee) & then have to pay for the water, soap & electric each time you wash a load (the KW costs)
Great advice
Just be careful when turning down your hot water. You need 55-60 Celsius(140F) to kill Legionnaires bacteria.
Welp and our lights got cut off because the bill it's 1268$.😭 My mom is gonna pay it when she gets off work but she told us to sit in the dark until we understand that we can't be running the lights all day long
Again I've tried the hottest setting on the hot water heater and I have tried the medium setting. You're looking at a 10-minute shower before you get cold water on the medium and about a 20 minute shower on hot. Gigantic Difference!
My last apartment averaged $13/mo. I rarely turned on the thermostat. Space heaters were my friend.
Does turning the air conditioner on/off during the day consume more energy?
Yes
Forgot the biggest one. LED light bulbs. I couldn't believe my tiny 900 Sq ft house actually had about 30 bulbs. I am not talking lamps, I am talking light bulb fixtures that came with my house. I replaced all bulbs, even my T8s with LED equivalents. 60, 80, 100 watts vs 9 watt (60 watt equivalent) makes a huge difference. Sure we all like to get into the habit of turning lights off when we are not in the room, but we all know from time to tie we forget and kids always forget. I'd rather a few 9 watt bulbs be accidentally left on all day than a few 60-100 watt bulbs.
I live in Houston it’s over 100 degrees here I need tips for summer and saving on air conditioning bills not heating
Damp sheets put them in the windows and the breeze will keep the house cool
???? You have never been in Houston in summer, don’t you? 😂
What about used motor oil burning furnace. I live in western Canada and it’s always cold in winter like everything freezes. I think about installing used motor oil burning furnace cut electric bill to minimal.
I changed out to low watt LED light bulbs...65% drop in electric bill. I keep my apt at 62°F daytime, 57°F night and sleep under 4 old blankets 2 fleese n' 2 wool. Insulated hot water pipes save on radiated heat. Hot water tank blanket saves energy. The door and window foam stripping really cuts drafts. And I like the other commentors idea about wall plug fiam inserts and plug inserts...off to the hardware store i go. Energy companies keep coming out to check my meters due to low energy consumption...haha.
Hi. We are going to curate a video about energy savings, and I found your video to very informative. Would it be alright if I used some clips from your video as long as I mention that it's from you, mention your channel, and provide a link to the full video in the description?
Monitor those electrical outlets people. I unplug anything not in use including TV. The plug is my power button. Now my fridge is my big energy sucker. When I stock my fridge I use that as the opportunity to thaw frozen meat in the fridge. I been keeping my freezer stocked with plenty of ice from the ice maker in plastic grocery bags. If you do this your fridge use less energy. I'm retired so being a penny pincher is my side hustle. A tornado hit and knocked my power out for two days. I had ice on hand that saved my food. Once a year eat your food down in the winter and unplug your fridge for a month. It allows your fridge to defrost. My house is 58 when I plug that fridge back in. It's easier for it to cool it's self. I like my house cold I just add layers. Put a big bowl of white vinegar in there so it smells nice. Electric bill 64 bucks 2000 sq ft
Use clothing drying rack. Don’t bake in summer. Don’t use candles in summer. Turn off AC when no one at home. Use heated blanket in winter. Run dishwasher on short cycle only when super full. Turn off the lights when no one in the room. Use ceiling fans. Change the direction of ceiling fan blades rotation twice a year, read why and how. Texas. My bill is super low.
buy the book Energy Saving Tips on AMZN
Meanwhile I got charged $690 for one month in a two bedroom apartment
Electric company charges me $31 a month for Office charges I only used $50 in electric
My house is not even 2 years old but keeping the basement door open made a difference.