Sometimes, there are unexpected little things that can make your electricity consumption go up. This is usually a result of ignorance. You are not aware that peeking in the oven while baking cookies can make it consume more power than usual.
To save you from making these mistakes again, read on to find out the little ways you can save on electricity. In the following, you will find out the biggest consumers of electricity in most households. And then, you can pick up little tricks on energy saving when you use these systems at home.
Cooling and Heating Systems
Your heating and air conditioning contribute the most to your electricity bill. Even if you want to save on your following bills, you can’t possibly let go of using these two systems at home. They are the primary source of comfort from the intense weather conditions outside.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, 17 percent of residential electricity consumption is from air conditioning. Almost 15 percent of your electricity bill goes to space heating, and 24 percent goes to water heating.
If you brush up on your science knowledge, this will not be surprising. Heating and cooling spaces and objects take a lot of energy. Following another lesson taught in science classes, one way you can conserve the temperature of an object is to keep it in a sealed container. This is why you have to cover your soup if you don’t want it to get cold quickly.
The same principle applies to your cooling and heating systems at home. To make sure you are not wasting energy, you need to have your windows inspected for air leaks or cracks or if they need replacing. These cracks are notorious for kicking your energy bill up. Pay attention to your doors as well. They might need sealing with weatherstripping and caulk. If there are no problems with your windows and doors, the following are the small things you can do to save on heating and cooling expenses:
- When it’s hot outside, draw your curtains to block some heat from coming in. In winter, open them to let some heat in.
- During cold days, make your ceiling fan rotate clockwise. This can help pull cool air upward. When it turns counter-clockwise, it pushes cool air down, perfect for warm weather.
- You might have to wrap an old water heater with an insulation jacket to make it consume less electricity.
- Make sure your hot water pipes are adequately insulated.
Appliances
Appliances that you frequently use will, of course, contribute a lot to your bill. To find out which ones consume the most energy, you can use electricity usage monitors. However, they can only read appliances that use lower voltage. If you want, you can manually compute the consumption of every appliance using the US Department of Energy’s guide.
First, you need to estimate how many hours you use the appliance per day. Then, multiply this by the appliance’s wattage. You can see this written on the back or bottom of a device. You need to divide the number you get by 1,000 to get how much it consumes every day in kilowatt per hour.
To save on appliance energy consumption, here are a few things you can do:
- Pull the plug when a device is not in use.
- Do not overload your refrigerator.
- Clean appliances regularly to keep them in optimal condition.
- Refrain from using your oven during hot hours of the day.
Lighting
You use your lights every day, so typically, you will pay for the power they consume. However, the kind of light you use will directly affect how much you pay. There are energy-saving bulbs in the market. They are pricier compared to regular light bulbs, but they will save you more money in the long run. LED bulbs consume way less energy than incandescent ones.
Aside from switching to a different kind of lighting, you can also do the following:
- For outdoor light, use those with motion-detecting sensors so they are not continuously on.
- Use enough light. Except for the kitchen and study areas, you only need 20 lumens of light for every square foot.
- Use times for your lights so you don’t have to worry when you forget to turn them off on your way out.
- Install dimmers so you only use the light you need for certain activities.
By being conscious of your energy expenditure, you don’t only help yourself. When you actively try to reduce your consumption, you also help the environment.