Save energy on National Cut Your Energy Costs Day

It’s the new year and the perfect time to start implementing small changes around your home that could result in big savings on your monthly energy bill!

To start saving in 2023, Georgia Power encourages homeowners and renters to:

• Adjust Thermostat Settings – It’s most energy efficient to set your manual thermostat to 68°F in the winter. For example, you can expect a 3-4% decrease in energy use for every degree lower you set your thermostat during the winter months, so changing your home’s temperature settings can result in substantial savings.
  
• Turn Off Lights – It may sound like a simple tip but turning off lights when you leave a room can also increase your monthly savings. To put it into perspective, turning off just one 60-watt incandescent bulb before you leave for the day can save you about $15 a year.
  
• Keep Air Vents Clear of Obstructions – Move any furniture, curtains or rugs that may be blocking your air vents and return -air registers. This will help maintain a consistent temperature throughout your home.
  
• Change Air Filters – Heating and cooling accounts for as much as 50% of a home’s typical energy usage. Maximize the efficiency of your units by changing the filters once a month, or every three months for pleated filters.
  

Now that the holidays are over, it’s also a great time to tackle small home improvement projects that could enhance the overall efficiency of your home such as:

• Consider Installing a Smart Thermostat – It can automatically adjust temperature settings when you are away from the house and save up to $100 a year in energy costs. Georgia Power’s Home Energy Improvement Program offers rebates for installing a smart thermostat, check out georgiapowermarketplace.com for details.
  
• Investing in LED Bulbs – Consider replacing the incandescent light bulbs in your home with LED bulbs. Although they are slightly more expensive, LED bulbs consume up to 90% less energy and will last about 15-25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Georgia Power’s Residential Lighting Program offers special discounts and pricing on LEDs.
  
• Insulating Your Attic – Adding insulation to your attic, crawl space or basement will help keep heat where it belongs, ultimately saving you energy around the clock after installation. In fact, this is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy waste.
  
• Sealing Air Gaps – Use caulk or weather stripping around windows and doors in your home to effectively seal any areas where air can either enter or escape. Sealing these types of air gaps can save up to 10% on energy use.
  

For our customers who choose to make energy efficiency home improvements in the new year, Georgia Power offers certain rebates. Visit georgiapower.com/homeimprovements to learn more about available incentives for energy efficient upgrades.

For more energy efficiency resources, tips and money-saving programs, check out georgiapower.com/save.