How to save energy? It’s a question many people have been asking as the cost of electricity keeps rising. Many people have learned to become more aware of their household electrical usage. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can save energy so that you can reduce your monthly bills. Some of these methods will drastically reduce your household electrical usage, while others may take some time to take effect.
Every household has electrical appliances and devices that guzzle up energy like crazy. The ones mostly used are washers, driers, air conditioners, and electric water heaters. There is also more refined equipment that doesn’t use as much energy, but it does add up. You wouldn’t know you’re paying too much on electricity unless you change some habits or appliances that contribute to high electric bills and then compare the difference. Let’s introduce you to some hacks and ways to help reduce your consumption, and in turn, save energy and reduce your utility bills.
Service Your HAVC System Regularly
How often do you change the filters of your AC or furnace? Mild use of either needs to be serviced at least twice a year, while heavy usage needs servicing every 3 months. When filters get dirty, it forces the machine to work harder. The dust accumulates on the fan motor and blocks the cool or warm air from passing through, reducing the efficiency of the AC or furnace. Also, when you’re out of the house, keep the AC off.
Do Multiple Laundry Loads
Throwing only a few garments into a washing machine and running it would be the opposite action of trying to save energy. Instead of doing a bunch of small loads, run your machine with full loads — but don’t overload it. Overloading can overwork the washer, meaning it will consume more energy. Additionally, use cold water to wash clothes. You might also want to consider investing in a front-load machine, as these tend to consume less energy than top loaders because they use less water and electricity.
Turn Off Unused Appliances And Electronics
There are several ways that you can conserve energy, and many of them are pretty easy to implement. For example, turn off the television when no one’s watching. Also, instead of using an air conditioner to cool down the room, use an electric fan.
Dry Towels in the Drier
If you want to save on energy costs, you can reach out to companies such as TriEagle Energy for discounted rates. Also, remember that the simplest actions can make a difference when done regularly.
Toss a dry towel into the dryer; this helps to absorb moisture, which reduces the drying time. For this to work efficiently, you need to remove that towel after fifteen minutes of drying; otherwise, it’s still contributing to the moisture of wet items in the drier.
Take Advantage of the Sun
The sun belongs to everyone, and everyone can use it for solar energy. Solar panels collect the heat from the sunlight and turn it into electricity. They can be used to power all your home appliances or office machinery in an eco-friendly manner. For household use, there are three main types of panels to consider; monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film. Each of the different types has its own traits and specs, so be sure to do some research to find the one that will suit your needs best. With solar energy, you are, in a nutshell, getting free electricity for nearly up to twenty years, which makes the initial cost of buying and installing the panels totally worth it. Speaking of the sun, use natural lighting whenever possible, as it illuminates any area for free.
Take Notice of Phantom Power
Phantom power goes by different names: standby power, phantom energy, and vampire power. Some of these names shouldn’t be a surprise since standby power sucks up energy sneakily. When devices are in ready mode to use, like laptops or TVs, they use up power even when you’re not online or when in standby mode. This easy availability of power usage can bump up your electric bill by about 10% every month, depending on how many items you have. The average American home has an average of eleven connected devices. Unplug devices that aren’t in use.
Set Water Heaters to the Desired Temperature
Hot water is a must in any home. But, very hot water, on the other hand, isn’t saving you any money, plus it’s hazardous and can scald you. Even when you cool it down with cold water, it’s still a loss of energy when your water heater is at the maximum. Ideally, the water temperature should be at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. With most heaters, you can adjust the temperature yourself. Also consider an under sink instant hot water heater as well for targeted hot water.
Insulate Your Home
Insulated doors and windows are better for your home than uninsulated ones. This is because they are less likely to allow heat to escape and can maintain your desired temperature at home. In some cases, these can be enough to help you save a lot on your electricity bills.
Take Short Showers
A long, hot shower is relaxing, but it isn’t free. Every extra minute you spend in the shower adds more to your electric bills, so cut the time you spend in the shower.
Change Your Bulbs
If you haven’t changed to LED bulbs from regular bulbs, you would be missing out on saving a lot of money on electric bills. When a 60-Watt bulb is replaced with a 9-Watt LED bulb, it provides an equivalent amount of lighting without all the extra costs.
To save money on electric bills, you have to make some changes and turn them into a habit. Alongside saving money, the changes you make will also make you an environment-conscious person. Changing the way you do some everyday tasks, investing in energy-efficient appliances, and using what is naturally available to you are all great ways of saving both money and energy.
By being aware of how much energy you’re using daily and setting an energy saving plan, plus choosing cheap electricity fort worth, you can reduce your utility expenses. By reviewing your energy usage each month, you can see where you’re wasting energy, as well as where you can make changes in your lifestyle. This kind of awareness and personal change will help you achieve a more energy-efficient living in the future.