Save money on your energy bills
Sometimes energy bills can take a lot out of your finances. Many other householders and property owners face the same struggle, paying more in utilities and finding a way to lower the cost. Fortunately there are a few ways to help you save money on your utility bills, it just takes some simple changes around your property. This blogs gives you tips and tricks to reduce your energy consumption and with that your energy bill every month.
Know what items in your home use the most energy
Knowing what utilities and items in your home use the most energy is important, by knowing what they are it helps narrow down where the most energy consumption is happening. Some examples are increased use of air conditioning in hot temperatures or increased heating in cold weather. According to google some of these items can be plug in power meters or even smart meters or an energy consumption monitor. These tools can help determine what utilities in the home are responsible for your high energy consumption.
Unplug all high energy suckers
Some devices like phone chargers, consoles, and even microwaves can even use electricity when not even turned off. I know that reaching behind some furniture to unplug your console or charger can be a pain, although if you group all most of your devices to power strip and then switch the power strip off when your not using any devices it saves on energy.
Switch to energy conserving lights
Lighting in your house can be significant factor of a high energy bill. To reduce this you can switch to LED bulbs or even use candles can reduce your energy bill, it’s recommended to use LED lights there is less of a fire hazard. LED lights not only shine brighter but also last longer and can come in different colors, you can buy any LED light bulbs at any hardware store.
Make sure to fix any leaks in the home
Air can escape your home through cracks or gaps anywhere in your home like in a window or door can, when this happens your HVAC system will have to kick it into high gear costing you a few pretty pennies. Also any leaking water, think about every time you hear water droplet fall from a faucet or shower head is just money falling down the drain. To prevent these leaks find any place where air could be escaping and lug it with some caulk or weather-stripping. To ensure the faucets aren’t leaking tighten the pipes to ensure no water leakage. Make sure you have good insulation in your home in order to keep a good indoor temperature.
To learn how to more about air leaks in your home head to the U.S Department of Energy.
Switch to energy conserving appliances
While your current appliances are able to complete the task they were designed for, they may use a lot of energy to perform that task than energy efficient items and utilities. Check your current fridge, HVAC system, and microwave(s), if any of these items are more that 10 years old odds are they use a lot of energy and with that an upgrade to an energy efficient unit is in order.
There is chance that switching out your utilities for something lean and green can be costly but in the long run it can save you money and in some circumstances can even save you money on your taxes.
To learn more about energy efficient appliances and products head to Department of Energy.
Be smart with your washing
While you might not think about, washing your clothes and dishes can cost a lot in energy, now we’re not saying don’t wash your clothes and dishes it’s important to have clean dishes as well as clean clothes, what we’re implying is that you can save on energy costs by doing a few things:
- Maximize the space in your laundry washer and dishwasher to clean more and save water
- Run your clothes in cold water
- If able air dry clothes and dishes.
If possible switch to high energy efficient washers to save money.
Your thermostats could be a problem
What most people might or might not know is that almost half of energy consumption in a home are from heating and cooling. To save money try adjusting your thermostats to certain degrees.
- In the Winter time set your thermostats to 68 degrees
- In the Summer time set your thermostats to 78 degrees
A good thing to do is to get a smart thermostat so that it can change the temperature based on the current temperature in the home.
Think about switching to renewable energy sources
There are ways to power your home energy efficient ways to be precise. Installing solar panels can reduce energy consumption costs by a lot or even completely, make sure you know your location and what your energy needs are like is there a lot of sun where you are located or do you use a lot energy in your current household, you can also lease solar panels. Some of these utilities offer great incentives like for instance you can save money on taxes by going green.
To learn more about other renewable energy costs that can be made to your house head to EonEnergy.
Use Natural light and air to save energy
Turn off all lights in your home during the day and instead open the blinds in your home let the light from outside light up your home. Use a cross ventilation system which is the use of letting wind and air from outside in warmer temperatures or in the morning. Examples of cross ventilation are when you open doors and windows on the opposite side of the room to allow the air flow in.
Instead of relying heavily on air conditioning, fans can achieve the same the effect by making the room feel 4 degrees cooler. But when you leave the home make sure you turn off the fans they are designed to cool off living creatures not spaces and like every other utility in the house it does use electricity and leaving it on when not in use can cost some money.
Have a good running HVAC System
A HVAC System that is running bad and is dirty can cause some problems. To have a proper running HVAC you will need to change the air filters every 1 to 3 months, and as a safety measure clean all the ducts and vents to ensure a good airflow there could be random debris in the ducts, dust bunnies, or maybe even some infestation it could happen, also go outside and remove any obstructions or debris away from the outside HVAC units. Consistent maintenance on a regular basis can ensure energy efficiency but it also ensures the lifespan of HVAC system.
Review your current Utility Plan
Sometimes utility plans have some weird guidelines. Some utility providers may bill you at larger rate depending on time of the day. If use any utility or device that consumes a lot of energy to off hours you can cut down your overall energy costs. To learn more about your current utility plan call your current utility company to learn about billing plan, discounts, or savings programs you may qualify for.
To learn how to shop for a utility plan head to Electricity Plans.
Make sure the whole family or group is onboard
The best way ensure conservation of energy is to get everyone in the household onboard. Have everyone shut off the lights when ever they leave a room, shutting doors as to not let any cold air in, unplug any device that is not being used. The more you encourage this kind of behavior the more likely you will be able to save on utility costs.
Conclusion
The changes you make around the home to save on energy costs aren’t that extreme. All you really need is some smart electronics, make some small tweaks around the house, and some well informed decisions. This can apply to either a renter or homeowner. These tips and tricks offer a means to reduce electrical use, allow you to save money, and contribute to making the planet green. If it does seem intense and you still want to save money just do one or two changes a day, once then you will be seeing less expensive utility bill.
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