Illinois Home Additions that Always Result in a Lower Electric Bill

We are all aware of small energy-saving ways to lower our electric bill, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, taking short showers, and using fans instead of AC to circulate air. Though these small, "green" changes are important, there are other, more significant home additions you can make to lower your electric bill.

Install Solar Panels

A costly but permanent solution to getting a lower electric bill in Illinois is to install solar panels on your rooftop. Solar panels are ingenious because they provide a renewable energy resource to your home, meaning that once they are purchased and installed, your electricity bill will be forever slashed. In fact, the government may even end up paying you for the energy your home generates!

State and national governments also give generous tax credits for IL homeowners who transform their home into an eco-friendly residence. These tax savings could pay for up to 80 percent of a home's solar unit. Green homeowners can also get a lower electric bill by asking their local power company about a renewable energy program.

Installing solar panels for your IL home will not only lower your electric bill, it will also help the environment. Solar panels may seem like an expensive home addition, but in most cases, it takes just two to three years to recoup the costs of purchasing and installing solar panels.

Use Energy-Efficient Appliances

Most of us aren't aware that our refrigerator can account for up to one-fifth of our monthly electric bill. Large home appliances, like fridges, stoves, freezers, and washers, are major consumers of electricity. That's why it's important to replace old appliances with more modern, energy-efficient models. Energy Star appliances can cut a household's electricity and water use in half, making these eco-friendly appliances yet another way to save electricity and lower your electric bill.

Buying new appliances may seem like a considerable expense, but it's important to understand that energy-saving appliances can pay for themselves in a matter of years. To persuade Illinois homeowners to buy eco-friendly appliances, the government issues a tax incentive of 30 percent off the appliance's sticker price, up to $1,500.

Invest in High-Performance Windows

Like other elements of an IL home, windows have advanced technologically in the past few years. In the past, windows often caused unwanted heat loss and condensation issues in cold climates. Today's energy-efficient windows, however, trap heat inside your home during cold months. In hotter climates that require heavy AC, older windows too often leaked out the home's cool air. With energy-efficient windows, it is now possible to greatly reduce heat gain during the summer and improve heat retention during the winter.

Again, the government offers a tax credit for energy-efficient windows, doors, and skylights. The real savings, though, is the money you'll save on your utility bill. Installing energy-efficient windows can lower your electric bill by hundreds of dollars annually. And, naturally, efficient windows and doors also enhance comfort, reduce condensation, preserve electricity, and help to protect the environment.