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If you are staying warm by wearing more clothes indoors, your heating system does not have to work as hard. Lighting accounts for a significant amount of energy costs and using light from the sun is an intuitive way to reduce your energy consumption. If you can, it is better to have north and south-facing windows instead of east and west. This allows for more glancing light that produces heat and limits harsh light in the winter.
Do you really need to take a steaming hot shower every day? Try reducing the temperature just a bit every time until you get used to a lukewarm temperature. Your fridge is likely one of your largest energy users because it’s pulling energy 24/7. A lot of fridges are pretty empty and if that’s the case with you perhaps a smaller one won’t be an issue at all. If you do have a full fridge an option is to grocery shop more often and for fresh ingredients so that you don’t need as large of a cold storage space. Another option is to purchase more items that don’t need to be refrigerated which will likely result in you eating more whole foods and less processed foods.
Clean or replace air filters
A huge chunk of this money goes to unnecessary use of energy. The more you try to get used to conserving energy, and get rid of wasteful practices, the more money you can save on your electricity bill. Read more about the many benefits of energy efficiency and energy conservation. Windows are significant source of energy waste - they can add up to 10-25% of your total heating bill. To prevent heat loss through your windows, you can replace single-pane windows with double-pane products instead.
I’m going to throw you a curveball right off the top and say use less water. That may confuse some people, but the fact is that it takes electricity to pump our water to us. And for many of us our hot water is made hot by an electric water heater. According to the EPA letting a faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 22 hours. For more on this and for some tips, see my guide on how to use less water. Replacing old, inefficient bathroom faucets and aerators with WaterSense labeled models can save the average family $250 in water and electricity costs over the faucets' lifetime.
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The programs pass on the savings to you, the customer, through rebates or reduced electricity rates. If your home has a smart meter and you can see your hourly consumption, then examine your consumption at 3AM. Look for electronics that you don’t use (like VCRs!) or can switch off, or perhaps get rid of that extra refrigerator.
Essentially every aspect of energy production—from mining to refining to processing and generation—requires water. That’s why cutting back on electricity won’t just lower your electric bill, it’ll help save the earth’s water supply, too. Who knew automatic car washes could also be eco-friendly? National Geographic estimates that tap water comes out of the average faucet at a rate of two-and-a-half gallons per minute. Switch off all the necessary lights when you are not using them.
Dry your clothes and dishes naturally
Most bulbs produce today are all energy efficient and although they do cost a little bit more money they tend to last longer than regular bulbs. Energy vampires are sneaky power-suckers that utilize energy even when you think they’re not. Examples are things like plugged in cords that aren’t currently charging anything and even the coffee pot you leave plugged in when you only make coffee once a day. And their energy use adds up, accounting for as much as 20 percent of your monthly electricity bill.Garlic won’t help you eliminate these vampires, but smart thinking will. Plug your cords into power strips, which can be easily switched off when not in use. And if it’s an item you don’t use frequently—say, that once-a-day coffee maker—keep it unplugged except when you actually need to use it.
Leave the air conditioner off for most of the day, and use it to cool down rooms only when the heat becomes uncomfortable. Use alternative strategies to cool yourself down whenever possible.Take a cool shower during the heat of the afternoon. Leaving a porch light or path lights burning all night long can waste a lot of electricity. That way everyone can read, work on art projects, use computers, and so on without relying on artificial lighting. Saving electricity at home has become increasingly important in recent years, as excess use can contribute to global warming and leads to massive electricity bills. However, with a few simple steps, you can begin conserving electricity to save money on your monthly bill.
There are many reasons why each one of us should learn how to save energy. But first, we need to understand what energy conservation is for us to give it the attention it deserves. Installing a smart thermometer, insulating your home and upgrading your HVAC system are all ways to save energy while you’re at work.
Shutting doors between rooms will also ensure that your cooling costs don’t end up paying for more rooms than necessary. Becoming energy efficient at home can save money and also helps do your bit to cut down on emissions. All those appliances and lightbulbs may seem relatively insignificant, but they all add up. Saving electricity at home helps reduce your household need for energy, and in turn, helps reduce demand for polluting fossil fuel. What’s more, you’ll also save cash on your electric bills. Many devices across your home use filters, including your HVAC system.
For example, when your air conditioner air filters clog up, you might choose to turn it up higher because the regular temperature doesn’t do so much anymore, using more energy. Whenever you want to defrost, simply unplug the freezer and remove all food items. Leave the door open for a faster melting process, and then dry out the freezer. Turn it back on, and once cool, repack your food items. Ensure that you place items correctly to allow easy flow of cooling air and improved energy saving (so your freezer’s system doesn’t work too much!).
Air conditioners and heaters use the most energy in your home and make up a large part of you electricity bill. They use even more energy when the air filters are dirty for them to work efficiently. Make an effort to clean and replace filters as recommended. Install energy-saving CFL or LED bulbs for all your lighting and reduce your energy use by around per cent. Learning how to conserve energy won’t make your life uncomfortable. In fact, by just making small changes here and there and creating new habits, you can make a big difference to the environment and sustainability.
The aerator -- the screw-on tip of the faucet -- ultimately determines the maximum flow rate of a faucet. Typically, new kitchen faucets come equipped with aerators that restrict flow rates to 2.2 gpm, while new bathroom faucets have ones that restrict flow rates from 1.5 to 0.5 gpm. So, the careful use of it makes sense – financially and environmentally. Happily, some modern products can do the water-saving for you.
Our homes are running smarter than ever, but they’re not always running in the most efficient way possible. Of course, electrical appliances are modern-day essentials but the newer models, rated AA+ or higher, are very energy efficient. And, if you want to think big, alternative energy like home solar can help to reduce your electricity payments, as well as your carbon emissions. \nOf course, electrical appliances are modern-day essentials but the newer models, rated AA+ or higher, are very energy efficient. This eco-friendly product will save you up to 10% on electricity costs.
Use energy-efficient light bulbs
Switching to energy-efficient bulbs is one way to save electricity. The traditional types – known as incandescent bulbs – only convert 10% of the energy used to power them into light. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency , the average person uses up to 40 gallons of water in the shower everyday. If you have to use the dryer, use a lower setting even if drying takes longer.
Typically, you use about 20 liters of water per minute as you shower. Reducing your shower time will save water and energy as well. Speaking of laundry and dishes, let your dishes air-dry Instead of using your dishwasher’s drying feature.
