Summer is almost here, June 21st to be exact. Denver, Colorado has already seen its first 100-degree temperature day. With such warm weather on the horizon, homeowners can be expected to be more energy-efficient and cost-conscious. Running an air conditioner all day can dramatically increase the electricity usage and consequently the monthly utility bill. For Denver, Xcel Energy claims that Summertime is peak utility usage because the highest energy demand on the grid is in the summer months. During the summer, air conditioning adds demand to the normal daily functions of homes, buildings, and commercial companies. Because of the higher demands, more energy is being generated to meet said demand, resulting in higher costs for everyone. Not to mention, many of Denver and the surrounding metropolitan areas like Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Aurora, Englewood, etc. have families working from home. This undoubtedly increases each household’s individual usage and energy demands.

Can an Electrician Help With Summer Savings on Your Electric Bill?

The answer to that question is two-part. One part is about addressing your home’s electrical system and components. Older homes and older electrical systems will not be the most efficient and have been outmoded by today’s standards. The less efficient an electrical system and its components are the more money they could cost to operate. So a homeowner would need to identify outdated electrical equipment and have a professional electrician install it. On the topic of appliances and household systems, installing high-efficiency appliances and components can significantly reduce energy costs. Back to lighting, homeowners can have a licensed electrician install the lighting throughout the home with LED bulbs and low-energy wiring to help save costs year-round. A good HVAC system with an updated air conditioning unit will make sure homes are using extra energy to cool off.

Update your outlets

Old outlets can be a culprit for causing high electrical usage. Older electrical outlets can be spotted by their condition and signature two-pronged holes. Updating your electrical outlets to the modern three-pronged ones alone will result in better electrical usage and efficiency. You can even have a professional electrician install smart outlets which can be used on a timer among other features so there is no chance of electrical usage outside of those scheduled times.

Have an Electrician install lighting

Older light fixtures can be a huge power-draining item in a home, especially if it isn’t wired correctly for the fixture itself. Having a professional electrician install your lighting systems with the correct wiring and high-efficiency fixtures will go a long way in your power-saving goals. Have an electrician install lighting with LED bulbs and lower voltage requirement systems.

Tips You Can Do To Keep The 

The other part of the answer comes down to personal usage and being more conscious of energy consumption habits. A homeowner can do a lot to ensure that their home and energy needs are being met with minimal consumption. Simply turning off lights during the day or when they aren’t needed. Unplugging appliances and devices that are not in use can make sure they aren’t drawing power unnecessarily. In addition, turning off the air conditioning while out of the house or simply letting mother nature cool the home down will greatly help with the monthly energy bill. Here are some tips you as a homeowner can start doing today to save cost on the electricity bill:

Open your vents

Ensure that your home has all the vents open throughout. Somewhere along the way, an old wives tale said the best thing to do for the Summer was to close all the vents of your home to trap the cooler air and keep hotter air from entering your home. Modern-day HVAC systems do operate that way. In fact, closing your vents will ultimately put a lot of stress on your air conditioning system when you do decide to turn it on – in other words, it costs more money. In short, keep your vents open!

Skip the hot water

For laundry and even showers, the summertime is the hardly ideal temperature for scalding hot water to be used. The hotter the water the higher the energy bill. So when doing laundry opt for the cold water option. Some appliances even claim that the bulk of energy consumption during the use of a laundry washer is 90% heating up water. On the topic of laundry, Denver or Colorado in general is such a dry place with the altitude. So why not use that to your advantage and let your clothes dry on a drying rack instead of using a dryer? Bonus, this option is also to help keep clothes in better condition longer!

Cool Down At Night

If you can manage it, timing the usage of your appliances and energy consumption to non-peak hours can yield savings. Do all of your heavy energy usage chores and needs a little after 8 PM in the night, most energy companies will have different rates for different times of the day.

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O’Brien Electrical Contractors are your source for all electrical installs and repairs. Call us today at (303) 463-1800 or reach us through our contact form for immediate service!