Let’s face it; in the current economy, anything that saves you money is a great thing. The biggest consistent drain on your wallet, as it turns out, is the energy you use throughout the day – especially inside your house. This includes everything from the constantly running refrigerator, television and electronic equipment.
We understand the pinch better than most, which is why we’ve compiled a list of ways you can save energy in your home without too much compromise.
Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
This is one of the first things you can do to decrease the amount of energy you use inside. There are, after all, light bulbs in every room in the house, and they tend to stay on for perhaps one-third of the day at least. By getting rid of all your fluorescent bulbs in favor of LEDs, you ramp up the efficiency tremendously. This means lower direct costs, as well as a smaller carbon footprint. Specifically, LED bulbs use up to 80% less power than other types, and last decades longer.
Get a Programmable Thermostat
If you don’t already have one, it’s worth the modest investment. During the cold or warm seasons, you usually have to turn up the air full-blast when coming in from the weather. This is lot more costly than having a machine regulate the temperature while you’re away. No matter what city you’re in, having a thermostat can save hundreds of dollars per year in heating/cooling costs.
You can control many smart thermostats right from your smartphone. Nest and Ecobee both have apps for Android and Apple devices, including the iPhone 7.
Install Power Strips with Smart Technology
Take a moment and think about all the appliances in your home that are connected to an outlet or a power strip. These things are constantly drawing energy; and although it’s very little for each one, it starts to add up in the average home. There are doubtless dozens of appliances plugged in even now – from your iPhone to your tablet. The power strip can help you solve the problem, though.
Basically, then, power strips automatically shut down the power receptivity to a load that isn’t being used. It usually takes just a minute or less to power down and it can be brought out of its electronic slumber in mere seconds. You can also set them to turn on and off for extended vacations.
Use Solar Panels
This is the big one. If you live in a sunny area such as Southern California, then solar panels will go a long way in reducing your carbon footprint and saving you a lot of money on your energy bill. In fact, in many states, there are federal initiatives that can be of great benefit to homeowners who purchase solar panels and have them installed by a certified energy professional. They’re worth looking into, as the panels can last more than a quarter of a century in most cases. Thus, the initial investment is recouped many times over.
Improve Your Home Comfort System
Whether you have an HVAC or heat pump, advances made over the years have rendered the new units a lot more energy-efficient than ones made even 5 years ago. You may think you don’t need a new one; but chances are you would save a lot of money after the first year of making up the difference.
One easy way to tell is to look for ENERGY STAR-designated appliances. These save double-digit percentages on energy usage. Additionally, you can more easily pair your new programmable thermostat with such an appliance.
Lastly, this is very general: get into better habits about what you do around the house. Turn the lights off when you leave a room, watch your water usage and replace your water heater with a more efficient one if necessary. By insulating your home, you can reduce the function of your HVAC system too; the fiber will help the house retain heat better when the weather gets cold, and keep in the cold, conditioned air when it gets warm.
Article Submitted By Community Writer