Simple Tips for Cutting Your Boise Utility Bills

It’s around this time of year that the bottom line on Boise utility bills tends to begin to grow larger
once again. Power and water consumption can’t help but rise as we bid farewell to Boise’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 Boise 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 Boise 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!