PHOENIX — It’s Money Saving Monday and we’re helping you save more and spend less on your utilities.
12News turned to a Valley homeowner and an expert to find out some effective things you can do to lower your electric bill.
From electricity, water, gas, and trash collection, the list of utility bills goes on and on.
One Valley homeowner made some changes to her home, both inside and out, and shared how she’s saving big on her utility bills.
“The first thing that stood out was our water bill, because we used to have grass in the front and the back, so our water bill was outrageous,” said Heidi Majidi, a Scottsdale mom and realtor with Re/Max Fine Properties.
Majidi said when they first moved into their home, she knew they had to make some changes.
“…aesthetically pleasing, but also help save some money,” she said.
So, they started by replacing the grass with turf.
“In the last three years, we’ve saved about $3,500 on our water bill,” said Majidi.
And that was just the beginning of their utility bill-saving home upgrades.
“We’ve since added ceiling fans, only to the rooms that we spend the most time in, instead of having to constantly lower your thermostat to cool the entire house,” Majidi said.
They installed smart thermostats.
“You can control the time of day in which the temperature rises when you’re not home and adjust it to be on a schedule,” said Majidi.
They also started using an air fryer in place of their oven.
“It’s insane how much we’ve saved on our electric bill,” she said.
The changes Majidi made are all things Casaundra Donahoe with SRP recommends to customers when they’re trying to get their utility bills down.
“I help manage programs all around energy efficiency,” said Donahoe.
She says keeping heat out of your home can make a big difference.
“You get two free shade trees a year,” she said. “Just participate in a workshop.”
Donahoe says it’s also a good idea to update your shade screens, as window coverings prevent heat gain from entering your home.
“We offer a rebate on shade screens as well,” said Donahoe.
Be sure to check the weatherization on your doors and windows.
“Make sure there’s no cracks or anything that needs to be replaced,” Donahoe said. “Because that is how the heat is going to seep in.”
Leaks, clogs, and holes can lose about 20% of the H-VAC’s efficiency, so managing your AC is key.
“You want to make sure you’re turning up your thermostat at least two to three degrees, to help counteract and lower your bill about 2-3% for each degree that you turn it up,” said Donahoe.
She has made quite a few energy efficiency upgrades in her own home in addition to switching to budget billing. Now she’s seeing the drastic change on her utility bills as well.
“My summer bill looked more like $300-$350, but now it’s $170 every month,” said Donahoe.
Bottom line – if you start out by making some small changes like Majidi did, it will show on your utility bills.
“We’ve saved between 35-40% on our water bill,” she said.
Majidi says they spent much more on the turf, than they did on the ceiling fans or air fryer, of course, but the savings have been well worth it.
“It’s significant,” she said.
If you’re upgrading appliances, look for appliances that use the government’s WaterSense label.
A water-efficient clothes washer could potentially use up to 20 gallons less per load, and a high-efficiency toilet, 19 gallons per person per day.
Plus, plenty of utilities offer rebates. In some cases, up to $100 to help with the cost of remodeling.
For more information about WaterSense appliances, click here.
If you have any Money Saving Monday ideas you would like to share with us or any topics you want us to cover, be sure to email us at money@12news.com.
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across