Last updated 7 months ago
There are always new ways to make your home more efficient. Even the simple act of unplugging certain energy-sucking appliances can go a long way toward reducing waste and your energy bills. Read to learn more about the energy vampires in your home and how you can improve overall efficiency.
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Usual Suspects: Several popular appliances are well-known energy vampires. Computers and their accessories (printers, faxes, wireless internet) all draw power after being turned off. Entertainment appliances like televisions, and DVD players are also guilty of this energy waste. Even the cable and satellite boxes connected to your television use energy while you sleep. Appliances with clocks are also typically energy vampires; the extra standby power is used to keep the clock ticking on time.
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Vampire Clues: This list of energy vampires is by no means exhaustive. Thankfully, there are a few tips that you can use to spot an energy vampire. For example, electronics with external power sources and chargeable batteries are almost always energy vampires. Small electronics with continuous displays are also guilty of wasting energy after hours.
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Potential Costs: An important part of identifying energy vampires of your home is also identifying their costs. ScienceDaily.com reports that a single vampire television set can inflate your annual energy costs by $10. Unfortunately, these extra charges add up fast. Homes with typical appliances like a plasma TV, computer, and clock stand to lose over $50 to energy vampirism each year.
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Energy Solutions: One of the easiest ways to solve this problem is to use a power strip. Surge-protected strips can handle multiple plugs and be turned off with the flip of a switch. This simple set-up makes it easy to shut down an entire room’s worth of appliances at once. Make sure to purchase a surge protector with enough outlets for every energy vampire appliance in a room.
The experts at Florida Public Utilities Company can teach you everything you need to know about energy vampires. Contact us at (561) 832-0872 to find out which appliances are wasting power in your home.
Last updated 8 months ago
Misinformation about home efficiency can make it hard to reduce energy waste. Thankfully, energy providers like the Florida Public Utilities Company provides resources to clear up these misunderstandings. Read on and learn to avoid the common energy mistakes that are inflating your power bill.
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Terminology Issues: Energy efficiency is currently a hot topic. Sometimes the terminology can be confusing. For instance, many homeowners have difficulty distinguishing between the concepts of energy efficiency and energy conservation. Energy efficiency refers to an appliance’s ability to use the energy to operate it with minimal loss. Fluorescent lights, for instance, use 75% less electricity while producing the same amount of light. Energy conservation is referring to how we as humans use less energy through things like turning off lights and computers when not in use. Setting your thermostat a couple degrees warmer in the summer is a conservation measure. Equipment and appliances relate to efficiency. Human behavior relates to conservation.
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Appliance Myths: Now, based on that knowledge, just because you buy a high efficiency appliance like a 15 SEER air conditioner or a gas tankless water heater doesn’t necessarily equal lower utility bills. The reason is because of the human factor. Gas tankless water heaters for example will never run out of hot water. Therefore, it is conceivable that a household with a couple teenagers may find it is difficult to get them out of the shower! Longer showers = negating the efficiency improvement of the appliance by our lack of energy conservation! The high efficiency air conditioner with the temperature dropped from 78 degrees to 75 degrees will negate the savings.
You can also save money by working with a reliable, supportive energy provider. Choose Florida Public Utilities Company if you need natural gas, electric, or propane service for your home. We can be contacted online or by phone at (561) 832-0872.
Last updated 8 months ago
Even small repair issues can cause your AC to use significantly more energy than usual. Your family can avoid higher energy bills by keeping your air conditioning unit in good shape. The following tips from the Florida Public Utilities Company can show you the simplest strategies for a healthy air conditioner.
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Clear Weeds and Leaves: Make sure your outdoor AC unit has clear air flow. Weeds growing up around the unit or leaves and debris on top of the unit will hinder air flow and cause your unit to not run as efficiently.
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Have an Annual Professional Cleaning: Central air conditioners are common in Florida and are complex systems. It is good practice to have a reputable and professional HVAC contractor perform annual maintenance on your system. They will clean all the components you can’t access safely.
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Regularly Change Your Filters: One of the most important parts of energy-saving AC maintenance can actually be performed by you. Filters, when changed regularly, reduce the amount of dust and debris that infiltrates into your air conditioning system. A dirty filter can both reduce efficiency and worsen air quality. Take time to inspect your filter and determine how often the filter should be changed. Use a MERV 8 filter and change it every three months. Put a note on a calendar to remind yourself.
Florida Public Utilities Company works to provide accessible utilities to every Florida resident. We even offer rebates on energy-efficient appliances. Call us at (561) 832-0872 to learn more about our money-saving programs.
Last updated 8 months ago
You can cut down on home improvement and repair costs by making your home more efficient. In fact, even small chores like changing the air filter can save you hundreds of dollars each year. You can contact Florida Public Utilities Company by visiting our website or by calling (561) 832-0872. You can also consult the following links for reliable efficiency advice.
Last updated 8 months ago
I’d like to say you will save big money cooking with natural gas but the annual cost of cooking whether gas or electric is approximately $50. There is a better reason to switch to natural gas for your range. It is the reason why 95% of all chefs prefer cooking with natural gas! It is why when you watch the Food Network and other cooking shows the cook tops are almost always gas. The reason is the heat is more even. You have total control of the temperature and when it is on it is on and when it is off it is off. You can prepare your own gourmet meals or just cook a great burger when you are cooking with gas.
Florida Public Utilities Company always puts the customer first. That’s why we respond to your emergency calls 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Contact us at (561) 832-0872 to find out more about our services or to learn more about natural gas cooking.
