Summer is quickly approaching, which means it’s only going to get hotter. As the thermometer climbs, your electric bill and other utilities will climb right along with it. Rather than having to sell all of your earthly possessions to pay those bills, let’s take a look at some great ways to save some energy which in turn should help you to save a little money as well.

Cook quickly: Sometimes there’s just no substitute for a meal cooked on the stove, but when you use your microwave to heat up meals, you could be using up to ⅔ less energy than when you use the stove.

Use Your Dishwasher: Surprisingly, dishwashers typically use less water than washing your dishes by hand, especially newer models that focus on energy saving and using less water – such as Energy Star certified appliances. Want to save even more energy and money? Instead of using the heat dry feature, let them air dry or dry them by hand.

Fill’er Up: We’ve discussed the importance of keeping your refrigerator full in our 5 Simple Tips to Get the Most From Your Refrigerator blog. Keeping your refrigerator stocked prevents it from warming up too quickly whenever you open the door.

Wash Temperature: Some newer washers will optimize the temperature for you, but if not, you can save energy by washing with cold or warm water as opposed to hot. You can learn more by reading our Save Money Doing Laundry blog.

Line Dry: It’s not nearly as common now, but if you’re trying to save money, hang drying your clothes is a sure way to save money over using your dryer.

Using Your Dryer: When you do use your dryer, fill it up, but don’t overfill it. As always, clear the lint trap after each use.

Load Your Dishwasher: Wait until your dishwasher is full before starting a wash. As mentioned above, to save even more, turn off the self-drying feature. Proper loading can help ensure cleaner dishes, and could help prevent a service call if you think your dishwasher isn’t working properly. See our Properly Loading a Dishwasher blog for tips on dishwasher loading best practices.
Miscellaneous: When you’re shopping for new appliances, purchasing an Energy Star certified machine can help you save money in the long run. Even if you pay more up front, they will typically save you money in the end.

Turn off things that you’re not using such as lights, TV, etc, and unplug them if you want to save even more, especially if you’re going out of town.
Using a fan will help reduce the amount of energy your AC has to use, and will allow you to set the thermostat a little bit higher without suffering.

Summer in DFW, OKC, and the surrounding area are bad enough when it comes to enduring the heat, so there’s no need to make it worse by paying ridiculously high energy bills. If you still feel like your appliances are costing you more money than they should, it may be time to give the experts a call. You can reach us at 844.3.GUINCO, or fill out this form, and we’ll get your appliances back to running efficiently. As always, Thank You for Letting Our Family Help Yours!