Turning off power strips at night is one simple way you can help decrease your summer utility bills.
Summer is a time for warm weather, bright sunshine, and long days. However, what isn’t so great about summer weather is that it often leads to higher utility bills. If you aren’t careful, your water and electricity bills could increase during the next few months, especially with many of us still spending more time indoors. Fortunately, there are ways to be mindful of how much energy you are using during the warm months. Remember the following tips to help lower your apartment’s summer utility bills.
Go Green, Literally
An efficient way to keep your apartment cool—and to use less air conditioning—is to keep the windows covered. However, no one enjoys keeping blinds closed or curtains drawn all day. So, a creative compromise is to invest in a few large houseplants and place them in front of your sunniest windows. These plants will flourish in the sunlight while providing you with cool shade and extra fresh air for your apartment.
Use Fans
Air conditioning is a convenient invention, but it can have a significant impact on your summer utility bills. If you want to save money while remaining cool, you can run any floor, ceiling, or window fans whenever possible. This will cool your home without using nearly as much power.
Wash at Night
You are likely to use the most power during the day when temperatures are highest. To avoid demanding too much of your apartment’s power during the day, and to avoid potentially higher costs for electricity use during peak power hours, use your clothes washer and dishwasher in the evenings.
Use a Power Strip
Electronics such as TVs and laptops are sneaky drains on your power and stealthily increase your summer utility bills as they use energy even when not in use. You can help decrease the strain these devices put on your energy by plugging them into power strips. You can turn the power strip off with one switch when you leave the house or go to sleep to avoid hours of unnecessary power use.
Use Your Oven Sparingly
When you use your oven in the summer, you are using up gas and electricity to run it while simultaneously heating your place, which requires more energy to cool back down again. Whenever you can, choose no-cook meals or meals that only require quick stovetop use. Or, if you have one, you can break out your outdoor grill for cooking instead.
By following a few of these tips, and getting creative with your energy use whenever possible, you can help lower your summer utility bills for the next few months.
Let Us Be Your Apartment Home!
Whether you need your very first apartment home or are relocating to the area, Apartments of Harborside Village would love to be your dream apartment home. Are you looking for beautiful waterfront apartments in Joppa, Maryland? Let us show you one of our spacious and affordable apartments at the Apartments of Harborside Village. To learn more about our apartment options, visit us online, give us a call at 410-679-1130, or email us. For a peek into what it’s like to live in our community, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.