Dallas

Here Are 5 Ways to Reduce Your Energy Bill

It's that time of the year when North Texans see their energy bills increase, but there are ways to save energy and money throughout the year.

It seems to happen around the same time every year — Micah Matthews gets his energy bill and is startled by the vast difference.

"My bill was $54 in November, and in December it was $86, so I was upset about that but I didn't know what was causing it" Matthews said. "Thirty bucks is a big jump!"

But this year, he's ready to make some changes around his Dallas apartment, and they're steps that all North Texans can take to cut down on energy costs.

If you find yourself getting cold at night, but your thick blankets just aren't doing the trick, try reversing your ceiling fan.

Leticia Castellanos, Vice President of Energy at Stream Energy, said spinning the fan in the opposite direction can force the rising warm air downward, giving your thermostat a bit of a break.

"What this means is you will feel warmer and you won't need to turn the heat up," she said.

Next, check your home for drafts.

"What you need to do is take the dollar bill, open your door, close the door and pull it. If it's easy and glides, then you need to change the weather stripping," she said.

Heat and air can escape through the smallest cracks. You're going to want to seal those edges up with weather stripping around your doors and windows. If you have pets, caulk may be a better option.

You'll also want to keep your home's blinds open in the winter and closed in the summer. This will reduce the amount of energy your HVAC system has to use.

Don't forget to unplug! Things like phone and laptop chargers and coffeemakers can cost you big time.

So go ahead and unplug and save yourself some cash throughout the new year.

"Now, I'm going to be going to everybody's home like hey, you should unplug this, unplug that. I'm gonna be this plug guy. Call me the plug," Matthews said.

Be sure to clean your HVAC unit every 30 days to keep it running efficiently.

If you're not sure how to do it, click here.

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