While there’s plenty of discussion regarding the environment and the economy, it seems as though consumers have twice as many reasons to be worried about how to conserve energy. Although some may think it difficult to make the necessary changes to save energy at home, the truth is that to conserve energy, all that’s required is a willingness to make some very minimal changes around the home.
While there’s plenty of discussion regarding the environment and the economy, it seems as though consumers have twice as many reasons to be worried about how to conserve energy. Although some may think it difficult to make the necessary changes to save energy at home, the truth is that to conserve energy, all that’s required is a willingness to make some very minimal changes around the house.
Top 10 Ways to Conserve Energy
Table of Contents
- 1. Take advantage of a home energy audit
- 2. Repair any electrical issues in the home.
- 3. Invest in energy-efficient appliances for the home.
- 4. Use power strips wherever possible
- 5. Switch to LED light bulbs
- 6. Set the water heater to the lowest comfortable setting.
- 7. Do laundry efficiently.
- 8. Turn off televisions, radios and computer monitors when not in use.
- 9. Program the thermostat
- 10. Check that the home is insulated properly.
What is Energy conservation?
Energy conservation is the process of identifying and taking steps to reduce overall energy usage. With so many devices and opportunities every day to expend energy, there are also a large number of ways to minimize output. Strategies vary from person to person as some are able to simply do with less when it comes to electricity, heating, or cooling. Others have taken a more modern approach with the help of energy-saving technology such as smart thermostats, efficient light bulbs, and even smart power strips.
In this day and age, there are plenty of ways to reduce the energy you use and they come with a number of benefits. In addition to enabling energy saving, conservation strategies can help you be more efficient at home and spend less money every month on your bills. And the best part about energy conservation is that it only takes minor adjustments to everyday behavior to realize big savings.
1. Take advantage of a home energy audit
A home energy audit is an assessment that allows you to identify the best ways to improve the energy efficiency within your home. This audit easily identifies which areas of the house require the most electricity and cooling and is important for reducing waste. Audits are best left to professional companies but can be done tentatively by homeowners.
By identifying the areas that have leaks, would benefit from insulation and are rooms/spaces that demand high amounts of electricity, you will be able to more effectively reduce your energy output, which should help in saving you money. A home energy audit also helps to promote a more controlled environment, both for temperature and energy, within your home.
2. Repair any electrical issues in the home.
Whether it’s electrical surges, bulbs burning out, or constant flickering, it’s important to make sure that you handle the electrical issues within your home. Due to the nature of the task, this requires the help of a licensed electrical professional who can inspect the circuitry in the home and repair old wiring, as well as swap out circuit boxes, electrical outlets, or any other items that may need to be replaced.
Repairing your electrical issues is important for a number of reasons, most notably the danger involved with faulty electronic devices. If you are unaware of how a device is malfunctioning, it is likely that you also do not know of the possible dangers associated with leaving it as it is. Always make sure to have a professional inspect the situation. Fixing the problem should also allow the electrical equipment to run more efficiently, providing you with more reliable equipment and also optimizing energy output, which should save you money.
3. Invest in energy-efficient appliances for the home.
There comes a time when the old appliances in your home must eventually be replaced with new ones. At that moment, you have the opportunity to make subtle changes that can help you improve the energy conservation within your home. One easy way to do that is to begin replacing old appliances with new ones that have energy-efficient labels.
In doing so, be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR ratings and the logo on appliances, which indicate that the appliance uses up less energy. Especially for things like your washer, dryer, or even refrigerator, which is an appliance that runs 24/7, this is important because finding a new one that uses up even a bit less will have a consistent and long-term benefit.
4. Use power strips wherever possible
Power strips are the devices that plug into your wall and offer a number of sockets to plug in your other electronics. In addition to allowing you to optimize the number of things that can be plugged into any given outlet, Power strips also allow for one succinct power down.
Power strips are particularly useful due to the fact that they help users to avoid overloading electrical outlets and prevent them from draining unnecessary energy. Power strips also help to efficiently distribute energy to appliances. With efficiency comes shorter wait time for devices to charge and also less wasted energy, which is quite beneficial financially.
5. Switch to LED light bulbs
Energy-efficient bulbs, which have been growing in popularity lately, are variations on the traditional incandescent variety that offer a number of money-saving and energy-saving benefits. Though there are a few types, the bulb that has emerged as the front-runner in energy-efficient technology is LEDs.
LED bulbs have greater overall efficiency, overcoming flaws in incandescent bulbs like their poor ability to function in cold temperatures. LEDs also have a much longer life than incandescent bulbs, making up for their greater upfront cost. LEDs have a more durable bust than other bulbs and do not burn out as traditional lights do, but rather dim into darkness.
6. Set the water heater to the lowest comfortable setting.
While manufacturers recommend a water heater temperature of 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit, as a general rule, hot water at 115 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for a home with more than two people. At this temperature, water is still able to be heated to a warm level but it is not a scalding temperature.
This is good for saving, as the amount you normally have to shelve out for hot water will be reduced considerably. In addition, a lower water heater temperature is better for your piping. If 115 degrees is not to your liking, you still have the ability to adjust the heater to an acceptable level without overdoing it and incurring unnecessary costs.
7. Do laundry efficiently.
Doing laundry may seem like just another chore, but there is a lot of energy usage that goes into it. In order to cut back on the amount of energy that is used when doing laundry, there are a number of things that can be done.
Use the cold water setting for washing clothes, and use the dry sensor feature on the dryer to conserve energy. Cleaning the lint trap between dry cycles will also help your machine to run more efficiently. This will help to optimize the machine’s output and also help you to save. If you want to realize even more savings, consider hanging your clothes on a line to air dry.
8. Turn off televisions, radios and computer monitors when not in use.
Leaving a computer monitor on may seem like a minuscule drain on energy consumption, but it adds up. Combining this with the numerous times we have multiple devices running at once means that tiny drain may actually be a bit larger than we realize.
The best means of combatting this unnecessary energy use is to simply power down devices when you are not using them. The time it takes to load back up may not be a fun wait, but it beats having to constantly charge your devices and pay for the time you were not using them.
9. Program the thermostat
Smart thermostats are devices that can be used in your home to heat and cool your rooms. They vary from traditional thermostats in that they can be programmed remotely with the help of other devices, like our phones. Some thermostats can even learn our behavior and adjust to our preferences without requiring us to do anything.
These are great tools for saving money as they can be programmed to heat or cool to more spending-friendly temperatures when we ourselves may not be able to adjust them. Whether while we’re sleeping or out of our homes, programmable thermostats are an easy .
10. Check that the home is insulated properly.
The process of checking your home simply requires you to give it a walkthrough inspection and search for any damage that may have been done by the elements over time. During this walkthrough, you should look out for air leaks in windows and doors and also check other areas that may need weather stripping. In addition, be sure to check the insulation in the walls, attic, and plumbing.
Identifying areas that need to be fixed or sealed will help to keep unwanted air out and will enable a controlled temperature within your home. Because of this, you will not need to adjust your thermostat to compensate for leaking air and will save yourself money.
There are many other ways to conserve energy, but one of the best ways to save energy is to choose prepaid electricity. Offering low-cost energy plans to suit both personal and business needs, Payless Power is a company committed to providing people not only with some of the best no deposit electricity plans but also with helpful customer service.
