Energy prices have been skyrocketing for quite some time now. This has propelled homeowners to try out different measures to cut down on their home energy costs. However, there are a lot of ways in which we tend to waste electricity around the house without even realizing it. Can’t believe it? Well here are 5 of those ways in which you tend to waste electricity in your home and not even realize it.
- Having electronics plugged in even after use
A lot of us tend to leave the electronics plugged into the socket even after using them. Unknown to us, these items tend to suck up energy even when they are not in use, just like a vampire. This vampire energy alone can cause a spike in about 10% of your monthly energy bill.
What you can do: You can get rid of this vampire energy by plugging out all electronic devices from their sockets after use. Another alternative is to use an electricity usage monitor to calculate the amount of energy each plugged in appliance in your home uses.
The device will use this information to calculate your monthly energy bill. All you need to do is plug in the device and then plug your electronic device into it. This will allow you to find out how much energy you waste and put an end to it once and for all.
- Overcharging electronic devices
This is another area where most of us tend to waste a lot of energy. A lot of us tend to keep the devices charging forever and ever until we finally remember to pull them out. This can lead to a lot of electricity being wasted around the house, considering the fact that nearly every other electronic device we own today is rechargeable. In addition to wasting electricity, keeping the devices plugged in even after they are fully charged can lead to a reduction in their battery life.
What you can do: Make a note of how long it takes for certain devices to get charged and ensure to remove them as soon as they reach their full charge. You can also choose to use a charging station that will automatically cut power to the devices plugged into it as soon as they hit ‘fully charged’.
- Washing clothes in hot water
True, washing your clothes in hot water does make the latter clean and spotless. However, it takes a tremendous load on your washing machine, not to mention your electricity bill. Heating the water needed for washing alone can account for over 90% of the entire power you will use for washing the clothes itself. That is a tremendous waste of power and will add a lot to your monthly electricity bills.
What you can do: Reserve the hot water for heavily stained clothes while using cold –warm water for regular loads. This will definitely reduce your energy bill to a great extent.
- Keeping vents blocked
Most of us use central heating and air conditioning systems in their homes. However, the only way to ensure that these systems work properly is to keep the vents around the home clean and clear. With time, the vents may get blocked and get closed down inadvertently. This will force these systems to work harder to heat and cool the home efficiently. And that is a massive load that will show up on your energy bills for sure.
What you can do: Make it a point to clean the vents on a regular basis. If you are not able to do it, get a professional cleaning service to get the ducts cleaned regularly. This will help the heating and cooling systems work efficiently without much effort.
- Drying dishes in heat
While washing your dishes in hot water may be ok, drying them with heat will add extra load to the dishwasher and cause your energy bills to spike up.
What you can do: Simply choose to avoid heat drying the dishes. You can use a good rinsing agent to ensure that the spots on the dishes are cleaned off properly instead.
There are numerous ways in which we tend to waste electricity around the house without even realizing it. These wastages can lead to a spike in your monthly electricity bills to a great extent.
