Energy Saving Tips

As the saying goes, "If you don't like the weather in Texas, stick around because it will change soon." This quick change in temperature can have a dramatic impact on your energy bill. That's why it is important to have the best electricity prices in Texas. With Payless Power, you will.

Saving energy means saving money. Whether it’s hot or cold outside, there are many things you can do to reduce your electricity consumption year round. Payless Power wants to help you manage your pre paid electricity consumption and makes every effort to educate customers to become “energy smart.”

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it is possible to cut your energy bill up to 25% by reducing the amount of energy that is wasted. Below are simple, low cost tips to improve your energy efficiency and reduce your pre-paid electric bill:

• Install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer.
• Keep your thermostat set at 78 degrees during the summer for maximum energy efficiency.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs with the ENERGY STAR® label.
• Let dishes air dry instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
• Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
• Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
• Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Visit www.energysavers.gov for more energy-saving ideas.

Heating and cooling account for the largest portions of a home’s energy consumption – almost 50% of a typical family’s electric bill. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling from 20% to 50%.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
• Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
• Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
• Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency,low-noise models.
• During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your southfacing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
• During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.