9 Ways to Reduce Your August Utility Bill

So you've tightened the reigns on your air conditioner, threatening the kids within an inch of their lives when they dare turn it below 82°.  Doors and windows are sealed, fans are turned to high, and you don't cook between 4 and 7 p.m. If you're still choking down huge bills this summer, and can't afford a system overhaul, there are several steps you can take to bring down energy usage without living by candlelight.  

1. Cook with the stovetop and microwave more than the oven.  Your oven consumes far more energy than the range, so take advantage of other heating options.  If you micro zap a frozen lasagna instead of warming it in the oven, you could be saving as much as 80%, according to the Energy Star Program.  

2. If you use a slow cooker, think about setting it on a covered patio rather than your kitchen counter.  Of course, this may or may not work for your family if you have a menagerie of wildlife, tame or otherwise, camped next to the back door.  But by shuttling the heat outside you won't have to pay more to cool off that hot kitchen.  According to the Dollar Stretcher the amount of energy used by a slow cooker is comparable to an oven as it runs for much longer and does not cycle on and off like an oven.

3. Cover up those pots and pans.  Modesty is a virtue when it comes to keeping heat contained.  You'll be able to cook the food faster with the trapped steam and avoid cooling the space.

4. Heat meats and casseroles from room temperature.  Most recipes are designed to heat food that has not been sitting in the fridge for the last several hours.  If you've assembled a casserole or meat dish ahead of time, remove it at least 45 minutes before cooking to let it relax.  This not only saves a couple of bucks, as you won't have to cook as long, but your food will be tastier.

5.  Keep your pilot light regulated for the kitchen and (if applicable) the fireplace.  If the light is poorly adjusted you'll waste a lot of extra gas.  You want to turn the dial until you see a mostly blue flame with a little yellow at the top.

6. Wash all your dishes at once, late at night or early morning.  It's annoyingly loud anyway, so set it to run after everyone is asleep.  Wash a full, but not overfull, load each time and turn the heated dry off--let the dishes air-dry.  Also scrub the dishes ahead of time and run them through a lighter setting that uses less hot water (just make sure you aren't using gallons of heated water to scrub them first).  

7. "Bleed" the hot-water heating system.  Locate the valve at the end of your radiator and open it with a screwdriver to release trapped air.  Hold a cup or bowl under the valve and stop when you hear a hissing noise.  When water begins to trickle you've successfully released the air.

8. Don't turn the AC unit completely off during the day.  Invest in a thermostat, like the 7-Day Programmable Thermostat, and you can save up to 33% on your utility bill.  You can easily set a "return" temperature (between 74°-78°) that is comfortable for you and a “leave” temperature 5-10 degrees higher.  If you opt to completely shut down the unit during the day, forget about having any semblance of cool in the evening--plus the compressor could use more energy in the evening rather than a little throughout the day.  

9. Keep the freezer well stocked.  The operating cost for a freezer filled twice a year versus once a year is only 1/2 as great.  Stick a gallon of water in if you don't have enough food to fill it.

Brace yourself for record highs this August!  You can be assured of a toasty climax to summer, but by remaining proactive you can still chisel off savings while staying comfortable.