If you ever wonder why your electricity bill is so high, it could have to do with your lighting, heating, and your major appliances. There are different ways to reduce your household energy, from simple behavioral adjustments to some home improvement purchases all that will save you money in the end!
Lightbulbs
Lightbulbs take up about 5% of the energy bill. Switching to energy-efficient lighting is one of the fastest and easiest ways to cut the energy bill down. Lightbulbs such as halogen incandescent, CFL and LED are also money-saving options.
LED bulbs, in general, don’t require a lot of electricity compared to other types of lights. Smart bulbs can also help save money since you can set them to turn on and off automatically. Easier on energy, it will be easier on your wallet.
Thermostat
Smart thermostats help you save energy and money by setting the temperature back when you’re not home. You can control the thermostat from your smartphone. While you are at work for 8 hours a day set back the temperature of about 10 degrees to help save about 10% overall in the bill. Smart thermostats can also be set automatically to be turned off while you are sleeping or away.
Make sure when your air or heat is on your windows are fully shut, and there aren’t any open cracks in the down. What are you trying to do, warm up the neighborhood?
Refrigerators–Freezers
Refrigerators are typically in the top three energy-sucking appliances, next to your laundry machines and the air conditioner. Since refrigerators are a must-have appliance for any home and they run 24-hours, it’s important to get the right one suitable for your needs and your wallet. Having a larger refrigerator will mean you will have a larger electricity bill. The lower the number is in kilowatt-hours (kWh) the less energy the refrigerator will use and cost to operate.
Where you position your refrigerator makes a big impact. Placing it in a hot or tight space can make the fridge work harder to maintain the right temperature. Make sure that your refrigerator has a few inches of space behind it so air can circulate around the coils. Over crowing the fridge with food can also make a difference because it needs to circulate the food at an even temperature.
Adjust temperatures accordingly to keep a balance between keeping food fresh as well as bacteria-free. Recommended temperatures are 35°-38°F for the fresh food compartment and 0° F for separate freezers for long-term storage.
Also, a huge tip when it comes to saving energy with your refrigerator is to make sure the door is shut.
Dishwasher
Dishwashers purchased before 1994 use up to or more 10 gallons of water per cycle. Dishwashers that are ENERGY STAR require 4.25 gallons or less of water per cycle. Less water used, less energy required to heat the water. To make your dishwasher more efficient, run a full load. When loading up your dishwasher don’t overdo it! Pre-rinsing your dishes is not necessary especially when it can take up to 20 gallons of water! Just scrape leftover foods and scraps into the trash before loading up the dishwasher. If your dishwasher has a heat-dry option, try skipping it, instead let your dishes air dry.
Laundry
Much like your refrigerator your washer and dryer take up a good chunk of the energy bill. However, there are easy ways to help save money in the laundry room! For starters, if you are in the market for a new washer or dryer, be on the hunt for energy-efficient options. When washing clothes wash with cold to warm water because it will cut a load’s energy use in half! Make sure your laundry loads are full because your washer will use the about the same amount of energy no matter what size the load is. It would be ideal to air dry clothes by hanging your laundry outside or on a drying rack to avoid using the dryer although but it’s not always realistic! To help with airflow in the dryer use wool or rubber balls to help separate clothes while drying, it cuts the time down. For safety and efficiently clean the dang clint filter on the dryer!