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Every home will, at some point or another, have to make an effort to find ways to save money.
While a lot of this boils down to your discretionary spending, reducing your energy costs is a crucial part of any effort to save money. After all, heating, cooling, and general energy usage are a gigantic part of your total power bill.
Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce your energy bills by making changes to your home. What are they? Read on to find out the answer.
Reduce Your Home’s Temperature
During the summer months, set your thermostat at a higher temperature and wear clothing appropriate to the season. During the winter months, resist the temptation to overly increase the temperature.
Instead, keep a sweater or a blanket nearby and keep the temperature a few degrees lower.
Unplug Unused Electronics
Unused electronics consume energy even when they are not being used, wasting money and resources.
So keep a power strip near your entertainment center and plug your components into it and keep it switched off when you are not using them. This will prevent them from using energy when not in use.
Other areas to consider are battery chargers, computers and printers, and set-top boxes. Unplugging each individually when not in use will make a significant difference in your energy costs.
It can even reduce the risk of damage to your electronic device during power surges or power outages.
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Upgrade Your Home Insulation
To start, check your attic for obvious signs of inadequate insulation. If you find any, you should add additional insulation to maintain the desired temperature in your home throughout the year.
Be sure that doors or windows are insulated with thick, quality curtains or weatherstripping to help seal any potential air leaks. When done properly with a green insulation company, improved insulation is sure to reduce your energy costs.
Use a Fan Instead of an Air Conditioner
A fan is a much more energy-efficient alternative and can save you a considerable amount on energy costs compared to air conditioners. To maximize its efficiency, make sure the fan is properly sized and use window coverings to keep the space cool.
Additionally, use ceiling fans to keep the air circulating and maintain a comfortable room temperature.
Clean the fan regularly as well since dust particles can reduce airflow efficiency. Then, set a timer to only turn the fan on during the coolest parts of the day and stick to breezy summer fabrics to keep your body temperature down.
Change Air Filters Regularly
Each filter should be changed a minimum of every ninety days for best energy efficiency. When people neglect to change their filters, their energy costs will increase.
As debris builds up in a filter, the unit works harder to pull air through the filter, which uses more energy, resulting in higher energy costs.
Replace Old Appliances
Many older household appliances use outdated technology that tends to be less energy efficient than newer models. By replacing old appliances with new energy-efficient models, you’ll automatically see a decrease in your energy costs.
So when shopping for new appliances, choose the ones that are ENERGY STAR-certified appliances. These are the models that have gone through specific tests and have proven to consume less energy.
Keep Your Oven Closed
Ovens use a lot of energy. So when you open it, all of the hot air quickly escapes, and it has to use more energy to reheat to the designated temperature.
If you need to check on the food while it is cooking, try to keep the door open for less time than is necessary and keep a mental timer.
If it’s necessary to open the door, try to turn off the oven for a few seconds and then resume cooking when you’re done. Whenever possible, try to wait until the last few moments of cooking to check on the food.
Use a Smart Plug
Smart plugs work by allowing you to automate the scheduling of when home appliances turn on or off. This allows you to ensure that electrical items in your home are only functioning when they truly need to be.
Additionally, you can save even more money by setting different schedules depending on the day or time of the week. This can be a great means of conserving energy when no one is home.
Install a Dimmer
A dimmer switch adjusts the amount of electricity used to power a light. By adjusting the light intensity, you can reduce the amount of electricity used, thereby reducing your electric bills.
When purchasing a dimmer switch, make sure it is compatible with the type of light bulb you will use. Look for LED bulbs, as these use less energy than incandescent bulbs.
Air Dry Your Clothes
Air drying your clothes is an easy and cost-effective way to save money on energy costs. This method is simple, cost-free, and great for the environment.
When possible, instead of using a clothes dryer, take advantage of natural drying methods. On a sunny day, hang up wet clothes on a clothesline. You need to do this outside in the sun, as the sun will help speed up the drying process in addition to providing a fresh scent.
Alternatively, if a clothesline is unavailable, hang-dry clothes in a laundry room or even on a drying rack in an unoccupied room. When the weather is not cooperating, you can use a folding drying for drying indoors.
Switch to Solar Energy
Solar energy is a completely renewable source of energy, meaning that the sun’s energy is abundant and free. The initial cost of solar panels and a solar system may be significant, but over time the cost savings can be considerable.
You can also take advantage of incentives such as federal tax credits and new state legislation to help offset the initial costs. Switching to solar energy can represent a large saving on energy costs over time and quite likely will pay for itself over its lifetime.
Keep Your Energy Costs Down With These Tips
Saving money on energy costs doesn’t have to be complex or expensive. By following the tips above, you’ll be well on your way to reducing your energy bills and becoming more energy efficient.
What are you waiting for? Be savvy and save money. Start implementing changes in your home today!
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