Energy Usage

Many homeowners dread the arrival of their energy bills. The cost of energy seems to continually increase and it can be daunting to anticipate whether your bill will be higher or lower this month. While you may be aware that heating and cooling accounts for a large proportion of energy bills, you may not know which of your major appliances are contributing to those hefty bills. Here we’ll explore the four appliances that use the most energy and the ways you can boost their efficiency to lower your utility bills. The Dishwasher: According to Connect4Climate data, dishwasher’s only require approximately $49 of energy per year. While your dishwasher may not be using a lot of energy throughout the year, it can use lots of water. There are a few ways to decrease your dishwasher water usage. The best way is to only run a cycle when the dishwasher is full. While some models have a half load program, it is more efficient to only run the dishwasher with a full load. This will also save on electricity and detergent costs. If you switch to an Energy Star model, you can save gallons of water and energy each year. So, spending a little more initially on your new appliance can be well worth it in the long run. Your Electric Oven or Range: If you used your oven every day set at a 350ºf temperature, you would spend $90 a year on energy costs. So, if you use your oven more