NEW CONCORD, Ohio – Tuesday is National Cut Your Energy Costs day and winter accumulates some of the highest energy bills of the year.
Guernsey Muskingum Electric Cooperative Energy Advisor Ray Crock provided some common sense tips for how to low your energy bills.
“Most people obviously think turn out the lights but your two biggest energy users in the house, regardless of what you’re using to heat your house is heating and cooling and then heating water. So if they’re your two biggest energy users, they’re also your two biggest potential savings,” Crock said.
Turning your thermostat down a few degrees saves two or three percent for every degree you turn the temperature down and turning the temperature down during parts of the day then returning the temperature to a comfortable level will not cost more.
Crock also noted that if the water is too hot to hold your hands into, then savings might be had by turning your hot water tank temperature lower.
“But there’s a huge difference between taking an 8-minute shower and taking a 30-or-40-minute shower. That is huge on an electric bill,” Crock said. “The other things are just things like when you’re brushing your teeth, don’t let hot water sit there and run the whole time you’re brushing your teeth or the whole time you’re shaving. Do laundry with cold water, not hot water. The water out of a hot water heater is not hot enough to sanitize clothes. Dry them on hot, that will sanitize clothes.”
For more tips on energy savings you can visit energy.gov.
