Management of Business Utility Bills

A smart business owner must always seek out better and more effective methods to cut on business utility bills. A utility bill is defined as the category of a company that provides basic amenities such as sewage services, garbage collection, and electricity bills. It might seem cliché to shut down computers and switch off all the lights in the building at the end of a business day, but you might be ignoring other business utilities such as water and gas bills. Here are five ways of easy utility bill management for the prosperity of your business.

1. Different heating rates of rooms

In many cases, businesses heat their building uniformly throughout the day, especially in the colder seasons. Even if you reduce the temperature used to heat up the building, you will still end up spending an extra dime on this utility bill because you end up heating rooms that are rarely ever used. This can be solved by adjusting the radiator valves to channel the heating to the frequently used rooms and shutting off the regulator in those that are seldom visited such as stores.

2. Mitigate water wastage

It is common to find people wasting water in bathrooms and kitchens without putting much thought to it. According to research, a running tap wastes at least 6 liters of water per minute and a dripping tap wastes at least 5,500 liters annually which all piles up water bills for the company. To combat this, install automatic taps that will switch off after a few seconds or when it doesn’t sense an object at its mouth. Additionally, installing reminders at every tap could prove effective in achieving better water utility bill management.

3. Unplug your electric appliances when not in use

Did you know that your electric appliances that are still plugged in consume a small amount of energy called “phantom energy” even when they are not being used? If you want to reduce your electricity bill, you should unplug your appliances when you are not using them. 

You should especially unplug electronics that you rarely use such as an extra TV in your guest bedroom, a video game console that you use during the weekends only or even your air conditioner when the weather is cold already. Consider using smart power strips where you can plug in multiple devices that you can turn off with one switch. 

4. Consider Energy-Efficient Appliances

Another way to reduce your energy costs is to minimise your energy consumption. Technology has come a long way and there are more offerings of energy-efficient appliances today which come at more affordable prices compared to their prices in the past. 

You should invest in appliances that are energy-efficient and will last for a long time. Although these may be a bit pricier than regular products, you will reap the benefits when you see that your electric bill is not as high as you were afraid of. In the long run, you will be able to save money as well. 

5. Install smart meters

There are some smart meters in the market that display your electricity and gas usage in real time enabling you to actively observe your usage and hence modify your usage depending on your needs. By doing so, you will always be aware of your bills and will always be careful of your energy expenditure. Smart meters are the best way to keep a close eye on exactly how much you’re using – so you can make modifications if you’re using too much.

6. Switch your electricity, broadband and water providers

Some businesses set up their foundation using expensive broadband providers who often come to haunt them when they try to change them. Despite its time consuming and expensive shift, it is best advised that you stop postponing the much-needed migration to a cheaper and more effective provider.

7. Insulate your building

Buildings that are located in cold areas or are prone to extreme temperature fluctuations should be built with preinstalled insulations to cope with the menace of gas usage for heating the building. Even if you have been in your premise for some time or you know it is already insulated, go ahead to confirm the quality of the insulation used. Changing your roof insulations, for example, is an easy fix that will ensure that no heat is going to waste.?