Whether you own a log home or a traditional home, you may be wondering how to save money on your electric bill, particularly with the summer coming up. Here are a few top tips and pieces of advice from Gastineau Log Homes.
- Turn Out The Lights (And Replace Your Bulbs With LEDs)
Whenever you’re not in a room, turn off the lights. And if you haven’t already, consider replacing all of your bulbs with LEDs. They’re up to 75% more efficient than incandescent bulbs and 50% more efficient than CFLs.
- Fight Against “Parasitic Draw” With Power Strips
Plug your home electronics into power strips, and turn these strips off when you’re not in use. This helps combat “parasitic draw” – which happens when these appliances consume electricity even when they’re not turned on.
- Care For Your Fridge Properly
A full fridge is more efficient to run than an empty fridge, so stay stocked up when you can, or use pitchers of water and bags of ice to fill up your fridge or freezer. You also should clean the coils twice a year to enhance efficiency, and keep the interior temperature between 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Avoid Baking – Use Slow Cookers & Other Preparation Methods
Slow cookers use up to 75% less energy than an oven, and pan-frying and other cooking methods are also more efficient than baking. Since ovens also heat up your kitchen and home a lot, this is a particularly good option in the summer.
- Do Laundry In Cold Water
90% of power used in laundry is due to heating water. So reduce your power bill by only washing your clothes in cold water. You can save even more money by line drying your clothes instead of using your tumble dryer.
Cut Down Your Electric Bill With These Helpful Tips!
We hope this blog from Gastineau Log Homes will help you save some money this summer. Interested in the benefits of a log home, such as better energy efficiency? Contact us now to learn more about our log homes and log cabin kits.
