No matter what the season is, the energy consumption which we consume in our homes doesn’t stop. When it’s not heating system; it’s the cooling system, various home appliances or special events by which we fill your home with people. It’s why in this post, we provide you with a few tips for saving energy at home which are helpful for any time of the year.
1. Open your windows
Get natural ventilation by allowing some fresh air. Opening up your windows brings about a cross-breeze which flows throughout the house to get a natural cooling effect. If you reside in a climate in which it cools off during the night, switch off your air conditioning unit and open up your windows. Whenever you get up each morning, close the windows and blinds in order to get the cool air. Spring is the ideal time to do this tip, considering that the temperatures are very mild.
2. Boost natural light on your home
Allow the sun shine in by simply turning off any artificial lights throughout hours of daylight. Rather, make use of windows and skylights to lighten up your house. Apart from minimizing electricity expenses, boosting natural light in your house provides various other advantages.
3. Save Water
Utilizing less water reduces both your water bill as well as your electric or gas bill. Based on DOE, water heating is the 3rd most energy extensive work in the house. In order to cut down your water consumption take showers rather than baths and fill up the sink whenever washing the dishes instead of leaving the water flowing while you rinse. A different way to save is through turning down the temperature of the water heater to the warm setting or even to 120° F and you’ll save energy and prevent burning your own self!
4. Think about Buying Energy-efficient Appliances
In case you’re taking the next phase to make your house efficient and are looking for brand new appliances, make sure to buy ones having the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label. Such devices make use of between 10 and 50 percent much less power and water compared to their traditional alternatives. Such home appliances would be more expensive, however will save you every month in your utility bills and will also probably be eligible for a a tax credit to make the purchase!
5. Insulate Your House Well
Greater than 50 % of a home’s energy consumption goes toward cooling and heating. Contributing to the insulation on your house’s attic, floors, walls and ceilings will slow down the movement of air around the outside and inside of your house and can help you sustain your home’s temperature. Lower levels of insulation and gaps on the insulation materials will give paths for heat and air to very easily circulate into or out of a house.
6. Set up a Programmable Thermostat
Programming thermostats could be complex however an unprogrammed thermostat could waste 20% in your cooling and heating bill. Simply by automatically adjusting the home’s temperature in your schedule, you keep your house comfortable only if you want it to be and reduce costs. In case you don’t already adjust the thermostat during the day, a programmable thermostat can save you approximately 20 % in cooling and heating expenses.
7. Try To Make Windows More Efficient
Although sealing the windows well is actually a must, window glass is still a thin filter to help keep temperatures outside. Brand new storm windows have become the defacto standard for energy efficiency in the house. They minimize temperature loss through sealing leakages and developing a dead airspace in between window panes. Installation could be very costly however according to the number of windows you’ve got, they’ve got a fairly short, 10 year return on your investment.
8. Minimize Phantom Loads
A “phantom load” is considered the energy that the appliance or electronic device utilizes when it’s not actually switched on. Based on the U.S. Department of Energy, “In the typical home, 75 percent of the electricity utilized to power home electronics is consumed while the items are switched off.” To simply eradicate phantom loads, plug the appliances and electronics right into a power strip and just turn the strip off if they’re not being used.