New England has the highest utility rates in the country. It’s no wonder you’re looking for ways to save!  Here are 7 ways to save on your electric bill. Can you think of any others?

• Make saving money on electricity a neighborhood contest. Have you ever noticed that your electric company compares your electrical usage against other ratepayers? Take that information and compete against your neighbors to improve your energy consumption! You can do it privately or choose a few neighbors with similar habits and see if they’d be up for an energy-saving challenge.

• Shut it off. Make a habit of shutting off the lights every time you leave the room. Don’t leave the television or your audio player on when no one is watching or listening. Perform a household sweep at night to make certain everything’s off before everyone’s in bed.

• Get a programmable thermostat. Especially if you have electric heat, you don’t want to waste it! But even gas and oil heaters require electricity to regulate temperature so make sure you’re only heating your home when you’re in it. Additionally, set your heat lower in the evenings, when sleeping family members are under warm blankets.

• Improve your laundry habits. Wash your clothes in cold water and line dry whenever you can. It’s better for your energy bill as well as your clothes. When you do use your dryer, make certain to clean the lint trap after every load and perform regular maintenance of the dryer’s exhaust to keep it running at peak efficiency.

• Find inefficiencies. Old appliances use more electricity than modern Energy Star appliances, so replacing them can save you lots of cash over time. Change out the filters for your heating and air conditioning systems regularly to improve their efficiency. Lower the temperature on your water heater and insulate it and all your hot water pipes to reduce heat loss and save on energy. Look for places like doorframes, windows and pipe entries into your house that you can seal with expanding foam or caulking. If air is coming in, energy—and money—are going out.

• Change your lightbulbs. If you haven’t already upgraded to new, energy-efficient bulbs, what are you waiting for? Compared to old incandescent bulbs, newer lightbulbs use less electricity and last longer.

• Check your bill. Don’t just trust your electric company to get it right. Compare your electric meter and usage to what’s typed on your bill. Are they a match to what you’re being charged? If they’re not, speak up and demand a credit.

At Porter and Chester Institute, we teach our students studying electrical technology all about electricity, including how they can help their future customers save it! If you’ve ever considered a career in electrical technology in Connecticut or Massachusetts, give us a call today at 800-870-6789 to schedule a school tour.