Your Electricity Bill: One simple rule that can save you hundreds each year!

Tired of paying too much on your electricity bill? Does it feel like your power company is taking you to the cleaners every month? There is one simple rule you probably didn't know about and not doing it is costing you loads of money - needlessly!

What is that simple rule? Run major household appliances only during off-peak hours.

You can save yourself hundreds of dollars a year on your electricity bill just by running your dryer on weekends only!

Contrary to popular belief power rates are not fixed. Power rates vary significantly depending on the day of the week and the time of day. Your rates rise when the demand for power is high and fall when the demand is low. Your rate during the peak periods can be more than double the rate you pay during non-peak hours.

Since your major appliances make up roughly 20% of your electricity bill running them during off-peak hours can add up to big savings. The table below compares the costs of running a 4800 watt clothes dryer during peak and off-peak hours.

In the comparison above, you see that by using the dryer during off-peak is about $0.92 cheaper to run than during peak hours. On average a dryer consumes between 50-125 kWh (kilowatt hours) per month, which works out to a saving of $11.52 - $28.80 per month. That’s a whopping $345.60 a year in potential savings!

It’s worth looking into what your power company’s peak and off-peak hours are. Typically weekends are the cheaper than any other weekday. Peak times usually run between noon and 3pm, after 9pm is when you can expect the lowest rate.

More ways to save with off-peak rates

Of course, you can save even more money on your electricity bill by running some of these other appliances that also use alot of energy during off-peak hours.

• Range - 12000W - Your range or stove is by far the biggest energy hog in your home - obviously the less you use it the more you'll save. That's easier said than done but if you can get away with using the microwave instead of the range it will pay off. You could also try pre-cooking most of your meals for the week on the weekend.

• Dishwasher - 1300W - Try to limit use of your dishwasher to one load per day. Set it to run only after 9pm or overnight when everyone is sleeping and you'll save big on your electricity bill.

• Vacuum - 1200W - Your vacuum uses a surprising amount of energy. Like everything else on this list, using it sparingly and during off-peak hours will contribute to lowering your energy bill.

• Air Conditioner - 1050W - Because of their continuous use in the summer months, air conditioners are probably the biggest drain on your electricity bill. If you can, try running it only at night. If you can bear it, use a fan to cool off during the day, it uses far less power than your AC unit.

• Heater - 1000W - Electric heaters are great if you need them but they are very expensive to run. The best thing to do is not use them at all or be mindful of off-peak hours.

• Dehumidifier - 800W - Dehumidifiers don't have the wattage of an Air Conditioner but it needs to run continuously to get rid of moisture. It's best to run it overnight as it can also be a major energy drain.

• Clothes washer - 500W - Your washer is not quite the energy hog your dryer is but since you are likely to use them both at the same time it's important to schedule your laundry at the right times. Try to limit doing laundry to weekends or evenings after 9pm.

More tips to save on your electricity bill

Okay, now you know how taking advantage of off-peak power rates can help you save on your electricity bill. Not a bad start but what else could you be doing to conserve energy and save even more money? Here are a few more tips to be even more energy efficient.

Heating and Cooling

The energy used to heat and cool your home accounts for approximately 60% of your electricity bill. Upgrades to make your home more efficient in this area will eventually pay for themselves.

• Get your home energy audited
• Have your furnace inspected and serviced yearly
• Invest in programmable thermostats
• Install window blinds on all your windows
• Check weather stipping and caulking throughout your home
• Insulate an unfinished basement
• Insulate the attic or top up insufficient attic insulation
• Not using your fireplace? Seal it off and close the chimney flue
• Fans are alot cheaper to run than your Air conditioning unit

Lighting and appliances

The energy used for lighting and appliances accounts for 20% of your electricity bill. A little common sense mihgt serve you better than spending money on brand new energy efficient appliances.

• Your clothes dryer is expensive to run so hang clothes out to dry when you can
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with cfb's (compact fluorescent bulbs)
• Unplug electronics (beware of these energy vampires)
• Take dishes out of the dishwasher to dry by air
• In the market for new appliances? Opt for energy efficient Energy Star rated appliances
• Don't open the oven door to check on food that is cooking
• Cover your food when cooking on the stove top
• Make use of slow cookers & toaster ovens much more cost effective than cooking on your stove

Heating water

The energy used to heat water accounts for 20% of your electricity bill. Cutting energy costs in this area costs little or no money. Just changing a few bad habits can make a big difference.

• Basement unfinished? Invest in a hot water heater jacket and insulate your water pipes
• Invest in low flow faucets and shower heads
• Only full loads when doing laundry (remember to take advantage of off-peak power rates)
• Use cold water cycles for laundry
• Use dishwasher only for full loads
• Take showers instead of baths

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