Know your electricity costs – highest expenses:

• Heating and cooling costs average 40% to 60% of total annual electric bills.
• Water heaters are the second largest expense, averaging $33.00 each month.
• Refrigerator/freezer costs about $14.00 a month to operate.

Reduce your electric bill by:

• Check the efficiency of your old heat pump or water heater. City of Albemarle offers rebates of $150.00 for electric water heaters.
• Replace outdated or inoperative appliances with energy-efficient electric appliances. Today's heat pumps, water heaters, and refrigerators offer much greater efficiency than ones made 10 or more years ago.
• Mind your thermostat. Every degree you lower your heat in the 60-to-70-degree range will save you about 5% on heating costs. Cooling costs decrease by about 5% for each degree you raise the thermostat.
• Properly insulate your home, including the hot-water tank and any hot-water pipes that run through unheated portions of the house. Poor and aging insulation makes your air-conditioning and heating systems work harder, costing you more. Older homes may require new or additional insulation for proper efficiency. See insulation tips below.

Insulation tips:

• Check closed fireplace dampers. When not using fireplace, fill any gaps between dampers with insulations or cover with a board.
• Plug all the holes around pipes, ducts, exhaust fans, and wall outlets. Make sure to turn off electrical current switch when insulating outlets.
• Do not cover light fixtures directly. This is a fire hazard.
• Insulate HVAC ducts passing through uninsulated attics and basements. Insulating these ducts can save over $100 each year in heating and cooling costs.
• A more-inexpensive approach is to use 2” foil-backed insulation. Be sure to keep foil facing outward. Seal cracks between each section of ducting with flexible caulk before adding insulation.

Low-cost saving ideas that won’t leave you sweltering, freezing, or in the dark:

Install a shower flow controller. Available at hardware stores, flow controllers are inserted between shower head and shower arm to reduce water flow down to three gallons per minute, while still allowing a good spray. Each controller saves up to one gallon of hot water per minute and up to 4,000 gallons a year.

Turn down your thermostat and insulate your water heater. Try reducing the setting on your water heater thermostat to 1100-1200 to save on costly hot water used in appliances like dishwashers. Insulate your water heater with jacket kits available at local hardware outlets. Be sure to buy the right for your appliance and follow the installation instructions carefully.

Cool washing-machine water. Change rinse water to cold. This won't affect your wash and saves around 17 gallons of hot water. For even more savings, cold wash with a cold-water detergent.

For more info on cost-saving measures:

For further information on energy-conservation measures, contact City offices at 704-984-9615.

Click here to learn about our Energy Efficiency Rebates Program