It is Time to Shine an LED Light On Your Hydro Bills
If you live in an urban condo and are faced with high hydroelectric bills month after month you’ll want to keep reading.
If you live in an urban condo and are faced with high hydroelectric bills month after month you’ll want to keep reading.
The average cost of hydro in 2022 for a studio unit to a 3-bedroom unit in Toronto ranged from $40 up to $250 a month. The cost of utilities depends on a few factors such as the type of condominium, the building location, and usage throughout the month. With that said, we have gathered a couple of suggestions on how you can keep these costs low without having to change much of your daily routine.
- Lighting
Lighting typically accounts for about 20% of your energy use. Turning them off when they aren’t in use or before leaving the house can help cut down on some of the costs. If you’re currently using incandescent lights, it may be worth replacing them with energy-efficient LEDs with use up to 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer.
- Appliances
A programmable thermostat can make a huge difference on your heating and cooling costs and they’re not as big an investment as you think, with some very good ones costing under $100 and budget options as little as $25. These will allow you to customize when and how your AC kicks in, lowering when you’re out of the house and ramping back up before you come home so it’s not working any harder than it has to.
You can also install window shades to protect against the sun during the hottest months, and open your doors and windows in the cool hours. In the winter months, be sure to open your blinds and allow the sun in throughout the day.
When washing clothes or dishes try to avoid running them until they’re full (although some machines have a “smaller load” setting to save on water and energy). But load your dishwasher over hand washing when possible. Energy-efficient dishwashers use nine times less water than you would washing by hand and just a third of the electricity required to heat the water coming out of your tap.
Running a cold cycle in your washing machine can also help reduce energy use by more than half! When it comes to drying your clothes, try to air dry them. The fewer clothes in the dryer, the more efficiently it runs. When you do need to use it, make sure the lint filter is clean, avoid mixing in towels and other items that retain moisture, run on a lower heat setting, and run it during off hours (such as overnight).
- Electronics
Electronics can still consume energy even when they are plugged in and not in use or in sleep mode. This includes household devices such as a computer, television, blow dryer, and phone charger to name a few.
One option is to unplug your devices when they are not in use or you can consider purchasing a smart power strip that will automatically shut off your devices when not in use. Many smart power strips have a “master outlet” so that when one device shuts off, the others plugged into that device will as well.
We want you to get the most value out of your Cortel Group condo and be able to live the life you’ve always dreamed of without breaking the bank.
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