DAVIDSONVILLE, ANNAPOLIS, EDGEWATER, ARNOLD AND SEVERNA PARK REAL ESTATE
It’s around this time of year that the bottom line on Annapolis utility bills tends to begin to grow larger once again. Power and water consumption can’t help but rise as we bid farewell to Annapolis’s mild springtime conditions. Gardens and lawns get thirsty now that the days are growing longer, and once deep summer heatwaves develop, household utility bills report what happens when air conditioners and sprinklers are called into action.
For Annapolis householders who’d prefer avoiding a budgetary shock when they open utility bills this July and August, it’s good to recall that some of the most effective expense-cutting activities are also the most straightforward. They are so simple and so obvious, that, paradoxically enough, they’re easy to overlook (at least that’s what the USEIA tells us). Here are some of the most effective cost-trimming actions—they also benefit the environment:
Energy:
- Replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs
- Shut down computers
- Use power-miser power strips
- Turn off the lights!!!
- Use cold water (80°) in the laundry (except for synthetics and for sanitizing)
- Eliminate “vampire” power (unplug idle electronics)
- Run the washers (dish- and clothes-) only when fully loaded
Water:
- Water outside only when the sun is low
- Favor baths over showers
- (again) Run appliances only when fully loaded
- Put a few drops of food coloring in toilet tanks: if it begins to appear in the bowl without flushing—fix the slow leak
These points aren’t just economical today—later, when you’re ready to sell your Annapolis home, you’ll be able to show utility bills that demonstrate a house that’s economical to operate. When that time to sell does roll around, calling me is also a simple and effective step you can take!
DEBORAH LAGGINI, Long and Foster Real Estate, Annapolis, MD 21403
CELL 410.991.6560
EMAIL deborah.laggini@longandfoster.com
REALTOR, Annapolis, Davidsonville, Edgewater, and Surrounding Communities