5 Easy Tips To Reduce Your PG&E Bill

Oct 15, 2017Blog, Home Energy

The average U.S. household spends a minimum of $2,200 on utility bills annually – a substantial amount of money. Other factors that you may or may not be aware of can also cause your energy bills to go even higher during certain months of the year.

PG&E bill too high?

Here are the usual culprits that cause high household power usage and crazy high energy bills which you should know about:

Using old appliances

Old appliances or those sold before 1997 do not have Energy Star ratings and, as such, are huge energy suckers. Old appliances use more energy than new energy-efficient models.

You may be hesitant to replace them because they look great or because they are still functional. However, continuing to use these appliances means you are driving your electric bill through the roof.

Leaving your devices on standby mode

Leaving your appliances or electronics plugged, especially if you’re not using them, is one of the big factors that cause huge electric bills. This is because most modern devices never really power down.

Whenever you press the “Power” button on an appliance, it transitions to a standby mode so it can be turned back on faster for continued use, or to carry out a scheduled task, like recording a TV show.

However, even if these devices are sitting idle, they are still sucking electricity while waiting for your next command or for a scheduled task to run.

Incorrect use of lights

Many homeowners make the mistake of using lights to affect the brightness of an entire room which leads to high electric bills.

However, lighting is only efficient when they are used to provide direct light to particular areas of a room, such as chairs, kitchen tables, and workspaces.

In addition, you will also have higher bills if you keep leaving the lights on when nobody’s using them.

Weather

When temperatures get too hot or too cold, your heating or cooling equipment will run longer and at maximum capacity and, as such, will use more electricity.

To keep your home comfortable, your HVAC system will have to work hard, and this means it will require more energy.

In extreme weather conditions, you will often find your energy bills higher than usual.

Poor insulation and leaks

Air leaks from wall cracks, doors and windows promote energy loss. If you have poor insulation, your HVAC system will also work harder to keep cool air inside your home during summer and hot air in when it’s winter.

This, of course, translates to higher electricity bills.

 HVAC HVAC Reducing Your Energy Bills

You can lower your monthly PG&E bills by following these 5 tips:

1. Out With The Old Appliances, In With The New!

You can start by getting a new energy-efficient refrigerator since these models use about four times less electricity than the older ones.

2. Unplug All Your Electronic Devices & Appliances When Not In Use

These include any mobile devices which you are charging; unplug them once they are fully charged. You can also connect your devices to power strips and turn off the power strips when you’re not using them.

This way, you won’t have to unplug all your appliances and equipment one by one. At the same time, you can be sure that “off” really means “off” since the power strips disconnect the device from the power source.

3. Only Use Lighting While In Use

Make sure to turn off lights when they are not in use.

If you’re still using incandescent light bulbs, switch to LED light bulbs since they are more energy-efficient and can last for several years.

4. Regularly Maintain Your HVAC Equipment

You can improve your HVAC system’s energy efficiency and minimize problems by planning regular HVAC maintenance.

One of the best HVAC efficiency tips you must always remember is to inspect and clean key parts or components at least once a year.

5. Sealed & Insulate Your Home Properly

Inspect your doors and windows and look for breaches or cracks in your exterior walls that can let air draft in your home at least once a year. If there are gaps or cracks, use fresh sealants to cover or fix them.

Also, take the time to check your attic insulation. If you can see the attic’s floor joists above the insulation, you will need to have some supplemental material installed.

You can also consider investing in new insulation materials to make your attic and your home more energy-efficient.

You don’t have to keep being surprised by (and frustrated with) your electricity bills every time you receive them.

By being vigilant and following useful energy-saving tips, you can effectively lower your monthly electricity consumption and save some money.