Texas electricity bills rank among the highest in the nation due to long, hot summers, increasing demand, and fluctuating energy rates that strain household budgets throughout the year. Fortunately, small but strategic changes can significantly reduce monthly costs without sacrificing comfort. Simple steps such as upgrading to a smart thermostat, maintaining your air conditioner, sealing air leaks, and investing in energy-efficient appliances can all help lower your electric bill.
At Lex Air Conditioning and Heating, our Carrollton HVAC, plumbing, and electrical team is proud to help Texas homeowners and businesses save on energy bills through expert home comfort services, system tune-ups, and energy efficiency upgrades. Our licensed technicians provide reliable, local support to ensure your heating and cooling systems operate efficiently year-round.
To get started on saving right away, call Lex Air at (972) 217-8955 today!
Why Texans Struggle with High Electric Bills
Texas homeowners face several challenges that contribute to higher electricity costs compared to other states. The state’s deregulated energy market means prices vary depending on supply, demand, and provider competition, which can make monthly billing unpredictable. Seasonal demand spikes, especially during extreme summer heat waves or unexpected winter freezes, further drive up rates as millions of residents use their HVAC systems at once, placing stress on the power grid.
Everyday habits also play a significant role. Leaving lights or electronics on, running older or inefficient appliances, and poor thermostat management can all increase energy usage. Combined with Texas’s extreme weather conditions, these factors often lead to elevated utility bills that could otherwise be reduced with proactive maintenance and smarter energy practices.
Everyday Tips on How To Save on Electricity Bills in Texas
Consistent daily habits form the foundation of long-term energy savings. Even modest adjustments at home can help Texans lower their electricity bills month after month without major upgrades or sacrifices. By adopting a few mindful practices like learning to automatically turn lights off when you leave a room or optimizing your thermostat during the winter months, you can make energy efficiency part of your daily routine.
Small Habit Changes That Lower Electric Bills
Simple behavioral changes can make a noticeable difference in your monthly electricity costs. Turning off lights whenever you leave a room prevents unnecessary energy waste, especially since lighting accounts for a significant portion of household electricity use. Unplugging electronic devices and appliances when they’re not in use also helps eliminate phantom power (aka the electricity consumed by items left in standby mode), which can quietly add up over time.
You can also lower your energy bills by setting your thermostat a few degrees higher or lower than normal, which can further reduce energy use without compromising comfort. During Texas summers, setting your thermostat closer to 78°F when you’re home and higher when you’re away can yield substantial savings, especially when combined with ceiling fans to circulate cool air more efficiently. The best winter thermostat setting is generally between 68°F and 72°F.
Using Technology Wisely
Leveraging modern technology offers even greater control over your energy consumption. Deciding between a smart thermostat and a programmable thermostat is an important step for Texas homeowners. Smart thermostats provide remote access, energy reports, and automatic learning features that adjust to your habits, ensuring efficient heating and cooling throughout the day. Programmable thermostats, while more basic, allow you to create temperature schedules at a lower upfront cost.
Additional tools such as smart plugs, timers, and home energy monitoring apps can help you track electricity use, set automatic shut-off times, and manage devices remotely. Together, these technologies make it easier to maintain an energy-efficient home—reducing strain on your HVAC system and lowering your monthly electric bill.
Seasonal Energy Saving Strategies for Texans
Energy use in Texas shifts dramatically with the seasons, making it essential to adjust your habits year-round. Whether you’re facing the scorching summer heat or a brief winter chill, seasonal energy-saving strategies can help you control your electric bills, reduce strain on your HVAC system, and maintain consistent indoor comfort.
By planning ahead for changing weather, you can avoid the energy spikes that drive costs to their highest levels during periods of extreme heat or cold.
How To Save on Electric Bill in Summer
Summer is the most demanding season for Texas electricity usage, as air conditioners run almost continuously to combat high temperatures. To reduce costs, raise your thermostat a few degrees during peak hours—typically mid-afternoon—when energy demand and rates are at their highest. Installing ceiling fans and closing blinds or curtains helps maintain cooler indoor temperatures by reducing solar heat gain and creating a natural breeze effect that makes rooms feel several degrees cooler.
Scheduling a professional AC tune-up before the hottest months also ensures your system runs efficiently and avoids costly breakdowns. Dirty air filters, low refrigerant, or worn components can force your air conditioner to work harder, consuming more energy. Preventative HVAC maintenance from trusted professionals like Lex Air keeps your cooling system operating at peak performance and helps extend its lifespan.
How To Save Money on Electric Bill in Winter
Although winters in Texas are relatively mild, heating costs can still rise quickly when temperatures drop. Proper home and attic insulation and sealing leaks around doors, windows, and ducts prevent warm air from escaping and cold drafts from entering. This reduces how often your heating system must run, improving efficiency and comfort.
And remember, lowering your thermostat setting by even a few degrees can lead to measurable savings. With a programmable or smart thermostat, you can automatically reduce heating during the night or when you’re away, then warm your home before you return.
For additional comfort, use energy-efficient space heaters in occupied rooms instead of heating the entire house, allowing you to keep your central thermostat lower while staying warm where it matters most.
How To Save on Electric Bill When You’re Away
Preparing your home before you leave is one of the simplest ways to reduce unnecessary energy use and avoid paying for electricity you don’t actually need. Adjusting thermostat settings, turning off fans, unplugging electronics, and managing appliance power all help lower your energy bill while maintaining the safety and efficiency of your home. These steps are especially important for Texans who may travel during peak summer heat or colder winter months when HVAC systems naturally consume more energy.
Adjusting the Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat offers powerful tools for energy management while you’re away. Program energy-saving temperatures by setting the thermostat several degrees higher in summer or lower in winter than your normal comfort setting. This prevents wasted electricity from cooling or heating an empty house.
Most smart thermostats connect to smartphone apps, allowing remote access so you can monitor and adjust your system from anywhere. This feature ensures you can respond to unexpected weather changes or modify schedules during longer trips. Before returning home, simply set the system to resume normal temperatures so your space is comfortable upon arrival—without running the HVAC system continuously during your absence.
If you’re interested in smart thermostat installation in Dallas or the surrounding DFW Metro area, our experienced team of HVAC pros at Lex is happy to assist with everything you need.
Using a Programmable Thermostat
If you don’t have Wi-Fi-enabled devices, a programmable thermostat still provides a dependable way to control temperatures automatically. Set higher temperatures during summer and lower ones in winter while the house is empty to prevent your HVAC system from maintaining unnecessary comfort levels.
Weekly scheduling options allow you to program settings around your daily or travel routines, helping you save energy consistently without manual adjustments. Programmable thermostats are ideal for those seeking reliability, affordability, and straightforward operation without dependence on internet connectivity.
Unplug Devices and Appliances
Even when turned off, many electronics and small appliances continue to draw electricity in standby mode, contributing to phantom energy costs. Before leaving for an extended period, unplug unnecessary devices such as TVs, game consoles, computers, kitchen appliances, and chargers.
For added convenience, use smart power strips that allow you to shut off multiple devices with a single switch. This simple step can prevent a surprising amount of wasted energy, especially during weeklong or seasonal absences.
Water Heater Adjustments
Your water heater quietly consumes energy around the clock to maintain hot water, even when you’re not home to use it. Lowering the temperature before leaving or switching to “vacation mode” can significantly reduce energy waste.
Vacation mode minimizes standby heating while keeping the tank warm enough to prevent freezing or bacterial growth. For multi-day or multi-week absences, this adjustment provides meaningful savings and reduces strain on your home’s electrical system.
Energy Efficiency in Different Living Spaces
Opportunities to save on electricity vary depending on your living situation. Whether you rent or own, there are effective ways to reduce energy waste and lower monthly bills. Texas renters can make simple, low-cost improvements that fit within lease restrictions, while homeowners can invest in larger upgrades that deliver long-term savings and increase property value.
How To Save Money on Electric Bill in Apartments
Apartment residents can still achieve meaningful savings even with limited control over major systems. Start with LED lighting, which uses a fraction of the energy of traditional bulbs and lasts significantly longer. Using advanced power strips helps eliminate phantom power draw from electronics and appliances—simply flip one switch before leaving or going to bed.
When it comes to appliances, choose ENERGY STAR-rated models when your lease allows, especially for refrigerators, microwaves, or laundry units. As always, setting your thermostat a few degrees higher in summer and lower in winter, combined with closing blinds during the day, can make a noticeable difference in electricity costs without affecting comfort.
For Homeowners in Texas
Owning your home opens the door to more substantial energy-efficiency improvements with long-term payoffs. Adding attic insulation, sealing air leaks, and upgrading to energy-efficient windows further minimizes heating and cooling loss by preventing conditioned air from escaping.
Homeowners can also explore solar panel installation, which can offset grid electricity usage and potentially reduce monthly bills to near zero during peak production months. Over time, these upgrades not only save money but also enhance your home’s comfort and resale value.
Air Conditioner and HVAC Efficiency
Your air conditioner has the greatest influence on summer electricity bills. Keeping filters clean, sealing ducts, and scheduling annual cooling and heating system tune-ups help your system operate efficiently and prevent energy waste. A professional technician can check refrigerant levels, inspect coils, and identify worn components before they reduce performance or increase energy use.
If your unit is over 10–15 years old, upgrading to a high-efficiency HVAC system can significantly cut your cooling costs while improving comfort and reliability. Modern systems are designed to use less electricity while maintaining more consistent indoor temperatures.
How To Save Money on Electric Bill with a Thermostat
Your thermostat provides one of the easiest ways to control HVAC-related energy costs. For most Texas homes, keeping the temperature near 78°F in summer and 68°F in winter strikes a balance between comfort and efficiency.
A smart thermostat takes energy management even further with features like remote access, learning algorithms, and geofencing that automatically adjust temperatures based on your routine. For those seeking simplicity, a programmable thermostat still provides reliable scheduling without requiring Wi-Fi connectivity. Both options help reduce unnecessary energy use while ensuring your home remains comfortable year-round.
Energy Efficient Appliances and Lighting
Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and lighting is one of the most effective ways to lower long-term electricity costs. Modern technologies such as ENERGY STAR® appliances and LED lighting reduce power consumption without compromising performance. By using less electricity for the same daily tasks, homeowners can enjoy reliable comfort, lower utility bills, and a smaller environmental footprint year after year.
Choosing Energy Efficient Appliances
Selecting the right appliances is another incredibly important way to save energy. The ENERGY STAR® label is a government-backed certification that identifies products that meet strict energy-efficiency standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Appliances with this rating consume significantly less energy than standard models while maintaining the same performance, durability, and functionality.
While energy-efficient appliances may cost more upfront, their long-term savings typically outweigh the initial expense. Over the lifespan of a refrigerator, washer, or dishwasher, the reduced energy use often offsets the price difference and continues generating savings well into the future.
For the best results, focus on upgrading major electricity users such as HVAC systems, refrigerators, washing machines, and water heaters. Each improvement helps reduce your home’s overall energy demand while improving comfort and reliability.
Lighting Choices That Save Money
Lighting upgrades offer quick, visible results for lowering electricity bills. LED bulbs use only a fraction of the energy required by traditional incandescent bulbs, last up to 25 times longer, and emit less heat—helping your air conditioner work more efficiently during Texas summers.
Installing dimmer switches and timers gives you even more control by letting you reduce brightness when the full load of lighting isn’t necessary or automatically switch lights off according to your schedule. For outdoor applications, solar-powered pathway and landscape lights eliminate electricity costs altogether by storing sunlight during the day and providing illumination at night.
These upgrades not only cut utility costs but also contribute to a more comfortable, efficient, and sustainable home environment. If this is something you’re interested in, our Dallas lighting installers at Lex are ready to help.
Managing Electric Bills for Businesses in Texas
Commercial energy use in Texas can significantly impact operating budgets, as businesses consume far more electricity than residential properties. Without proper management, high energy usage during peak hours and inefficient building systems can quickly drive up monthly costs by a substantial amount.
By adopting smart scheduling, upgrading to energy-efficient equipment, and encouraging employee awareness, Texas businesses can control expenses while maintaining comfortable and productive work environments.
How To Save Money on Business Electric Bill
Businesses have distinct opportunities to lower electricity costs through targeted strategies and professional energy management. Reviewing commercial energy plans and negotiating contracts allows companies to secure better rates that align with their specific usage patterns. Many Texas utility providers offer flexible plans that enable businesses to lock in lower rates or benefit from off-peak pricing, helping stabilize energy costs throughout the year.
Optimizing HVAC systems is one of the most effective ways to cut overhead expenses. Implementing smart HVAC scheduling and zoning prevents unnecessary heating or cooling in unoccupied areas and allows temperature settings to vary based on occupancy and function. These controls ensure comfort during work hours while minimizing waste during evenings, weekends, or slow business periods.
Creating an energy-conscious workplace culture also plays a major role in reducing costs. Employee training can promote efficient practices such as turning off unused equipment, managing lighting appropriately, and reporting maintenance issues that may affect system performance. Over time, these small actions compound into meaningful energy savings for your business.
Partnering with an experienced commercial electrical contractor like those at Lex Air provides additional advantages. Our team offers system tune-ups, duct inspections, and energy efficiency upgrades designed to reduce energy waste while improving comfort and reliability in your commercial space.
Specialized Areas of Savings
Some parts of the home consume more electricity than many homeowners realize, creating hidden opportunities for meaningful savings. By focusing on high-energy areas such as water heating and outdoor electrical systems, Texans can uncover additional ways to lower monthly electric bills and improve overall energy efficiency.
Water Heating and Electric Bills
Water heating ranks among the top three sources of energy consumption in most Texas homes. Lowering your water heater temperature from the default factory setting (usually around 140°F) to approximately 120°F can reduce standby heat loss and the energy required for each heating cycle—without compromising comfort during showers or dishwashing.
Upgrading to a tankless water heater offers even greater efficiency. Tankless systems heat water on demand, eliminating the constant energy draw of keeping a full tank hot. These models not only reduce electricity use but also provide an endless supply of hot water, making them ideal for larger households or properties with high daily demand.
Additional steps such as insulating hot water pipes and hot water tanks can further improve performance by minimizing heat loss during the winter and heat gain during the summer. This helps your system maintain temperature more efficiently and reduces the workload on your heating elements.
Outdoor Energy Savings
Electricity use outside the home often goes unnoticed but can add substantially to summer utility bills. Pool pumps, for instance, are among the most energy-intensive outdoor devices. Running them during off-peak hours (typically early morning or late evening) can lower costs, especially if you’re on a variable-rate energy plan. For long-term savings, consider switching to a variable-speed pool pump, which adjusts flow rates automatically to use only the energy needed for filtration and circulation.
Landscaping can also play a surprising role in energy efficiency. Strategic shade landscaping—using trees, shrubs, or pergolas to block direct sunlight—helps reduce solar heat gain, keeping your home naturally cooler. This, in turn, lessens the strain on your air conditioner and lowers overall energy use throughout the hottest months of the year.
Utility Programs and Incentives
Energy-efficient home upgrades don’t have to strain your budget. Utility and government incentive programs make these improvements more affordable by helping offset upfront costs. Texans can take advantage of rebates, tax credits, and time-of-use rate plans that reward smart energy choices and reduce monthly electricity bills year-round.
Rebates and Tax Credits
Financial incentives are among the most effective ways to lower the cost of energy-efficiency upgrades. Many Texas electricity providers offer rebate programs for customers who purchase qualifying energy-efficient appliances, HVAC systems, or home improvements such as insulation and smart thermostats. Homeowners upgrading to energy-efficient systems may also qualify for federal IRA rebates. These rebates reduce the net cost of upgrades while encouraging households to adopt more sustainable solutions.
In addition, federal tax credits are available for certain home energy improvements, helping accelerate the return on investment. Homeowners may qualify for credits on heat pumps, solar panels, water heaters, and insulation, among other upgrades. These incentives make it easier to invest in long-term efficiency improvements that deliver ongoing utility savings while increasing home comfort and value.
Time-of-Use Rates and Off-Peak Savings
Electricity pricing plans in Texas can also help homeowners save when used strategically. Time-of-use (TOU) rate plans charge different prices for electricity depending on the time of day. By shifting high-consumption activities—such as running laundry, dishwashers, or charging electric vehicles—to off-peak hours, you can take advantage of significantly lower rates per kilowatt-hour.
Peak hours typically occur during the afternoon and early evening when demand across the grid is highest, while off-peak hours fall overnight or during midday periods when fewer people are using electricity. Reviewing your plan details or contacting your electricity provider can help you identify the best times to schedule energy-intensive tasks for maximum savings.
Building Long-Term Energy Habits
Achieving sustainable energy savings requires more than one-time upgrades. It depends on consistent habits that become part of your daily routine. Tracking your electric bills each month helps identify usage patterns and measure the results of efficiency improvements. Seeing measurable progress keeps you motivated and highlights which strategies make the biggest difference in your home.
Teaching family members energy-efficient routines is equally important. Encourage everyone to turn off unused lights, adjust thermostats responsibly, and unplug devices when not in use. When each household member participates, energy savings compound over time, turning temporary adjustments into lasting lifestyle changes that deliver reliable, long-term results.
Making energy efficiency a household value ensures lower bills, greater comfort, and a more sustainable future—all without requiring constant effort once these practices become second nature.
When To Call the Professionals at Lex Air
While small daily changes go a long way, professional attention to your HVAC system is essential for maintaining maximum efficiency. Signs that your air conditioner may be wasting energy include higher electricity bills without increased usage, weak or inconsistent airflow, unusual noises, or constant system cycling that fails to reach your desired temperature.
Scheduling regular HVAC maintenance with a trusted contractor like Lex Air helps catch minor issues before they become costly problems. Routine tune-ups ensure clean filters, proper refrigerant levels, and optimal system performance, all of which reduce runtime, prevent breakdowns, and lower your monthly energy costs.
Homeowners who enroll in Lex Air’s maintenance plan, The Cool Club, enjoy added benefits such as priority service, seasonal inspections, and the peace of mind that comes from professional oversight of their home’s most energy-demanding equipment. Whether you need an AC tune-up, duct cleaning or inspection, or smart thermostat installation, Lex provides expert HVAC service designed to help Texas families save energy and stay comfortable year-round.
Choose Lex Air for Smart Ways to Reduce Your Electricity Bills
Lowering your electricity bills starts with simple, consistent actions and continues with long-term improvements such as energy-efficient appliances, proper insulation, and professional HVAC maintenance. Combining these strategies creates meaningful and lasting savings while keeping your home comfortable year-round.
At Lex Air Conditioning and Heating, our licensed technicians help Texas homeowners and businesses maximize energy efficiency through expert HVAC service, system upgrades, and preventative maintenance. We ensure your heating and cooling systems operate at peak performance, reducing unnecessary energy waste and extending equipment lifespan.
Take control of your energy costs today. Contact Lex Air online or call (972) 217-8955 to schedule a service appointment and discover smart, affordable ways to save on your Texas electric bill.
