Owning a home in New Jersey offers many incredible benefits. You have a place that you can call your own. You have greater privacy. Home values typically increase over time. You get certain tax deductions that you wouldn’t get if you were renting an apartment.

As a homeowner, your biggest expense is likely your mortgage. One of the other biggest expenses tied to homeownership is the cost of the utility bills. Your home needs electricity to run and your HVAC to keep the temperature comfortable. You’ve likely looked at your monthly bills and winced more than once. Here are a few tips on how you can reduce your monthly utility costs.

Adjust the Temperature

You set your thermostat so that your HVAC system can keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Maintaining those temperatures, however, can hit you right in the wallet. It’s estimated that adjusting your thermostat up or down 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours each day can save you up to 10% on your energy bills.

Older thermostats have to be manually adjusted. Having to remember to adjust it every day can be stressful. If you have an older thermostat, consider upgrading to a programmable version. This type of thermostat allows you to set the temperatures for different times of the day. Or, you could choose a smart thermostat. With this type of thermostat, you can adjust your settings from anywhere on your smart device.

Check Your HVAC

Your HVAC uses the most energy out of anything else in your house. If it’s old or components are worn out, it can’t effectively keep your home comfortable. It has to work harder, driving your energy costs up. Check your HVAC to make sure there are no issues. Inspect the filter at least once a month and replace it when it’s dirty. Schedule an HVAC maintenance appointment at least once a year. A qualified technician will be able to find issues before they become major problems and provide the repairs you need. If your system is getting on in years, you may want to consider replacing it with a new, energy-efficient model.

Replace Old Appliances

Old appliances do not necessarily operate efficiently. They use a significant amount of energy. A dishwasher or washing machine might use more water than necessary. The thought of having to purchase new appliances might seem counterintuitive at first. Replacing old appliances with newer, more energy-efficient ones can pay you back potentially hundreds over time. Some products may even eligible for rebates.

Invest in Solar

Investing in new jersey solar offers you a completely clean source of energy. Solar panels absorb sunlight. The light is converted into energy that can then be used to power your HVAC or provide you with electricity. Excess solar energy can be sold back to the grid. While the initial investment of solar can be scary, there are options to help you pay. You can even qualify for a federal tax credit, which enables you to deduct 30% of your installation from your taxes.  

Look at Water Usage

Your home needs water for washing clothes, cleaning dishes, showering, flushing toilets, and more. All of that usage adds up. You can take steps to reduce water usage by taking shorter showers, replacing the showerheads, and replacing your toilets. Also, ask your utility company if there are any discounts available for running your dishwasher or washing machine during off-peak hours.

Consider Your Lighting

It’s not uncommon for people to leave lights on, even when they’re not in the room. Doing so, however, is one of the things that can waste energy and increase your utility bills. Shut off lights when you’re not in the room. Change out your lightbulbs for energy-efficient ones. Have dimmer switches installed.

If you’re trying to reduce your utility bills, it’s important to first identify what’s causing your bills to be so high. Once you’ve determined the cause, you can make the necessary changes. Some changes may require an initial investment, but the return on investment will more than make up for it.