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Saving energy is not only important for the environment, but also vital to save money on the electric bill. These quick tips are easy to implement and do not require extra “energy” from homeowners. Save the planet and increase your pocket book with any of these 20 easy-to-implement tips for saving energy in the home.
Unplug Electronic Devices
When the device is not in use, be sure to unplug it, or at least turn it off. Phone chargers, coffee pots, and lamps are easy to unplug and re-plug. When left in the socket, electronic devices pull passive power from the socket, in preparation for it turning back on.
Change or Clean AC Filters
Around once per month, be sure to check your air filters. This keeps the system running optimally without fighting through dust and dirt.
Turn the Thermostat Off…
…or on auto when you’re not home. Leaving your machine in the on position uses energy nonstop, whereas putting it on auto will keep the house cool, without upping the bill.
Tune-up the AC Device
Many companies will also give a rebate for making sure the device is running smoothly as inefficient systems lead to costly electric bills.
Add a Rug
If you have wood flooring, consider adding a rug. Carpets and rugs insulate a room’s heat, thus keeping a room’s temperature a little more regulated.
Don’t Block Air Vents
Unfortunately, the best place for your couch sometimes just so happens to be on top of the air vent. For the most cost effective and efficient air flow, allow the air to flow unconstricted instead of fight, against couches, furniture and dressers.
Gradually Increase the Thermostat
In the summer, keeping the temperature a little warmer makes it work less, resulting in cheaper bills. If you like it cooler, when you get home keep it cold, but slowly increase the temperature a few degrees before bed. In winter, you can try just reversing this, decreasing the temperature a bit over a few hours to conserve energy.
Keep the Thermostat Consistent
When heading on vacation, it’s best to keep the thermostat at the same temperature. During the winter months, keep it lower, around 60 degrees. This keeps the system working, although not hard, and avoids the risk of damage due to the frigid temperatures. In the summer, keep it a little warmer than normal, that way you’re not wasting air conditioning on an empty house.
Use Motion Detector Lights
For all outdoor lighting, at least. Instead of leaving lights on all night when there’s no movement, put them on a motion detector. Plus it helps to scare away potential intruders.
Dust the Fridge Coils
In the back of the fridge, there are some coils sticking out. This ensures the refrigerator is working more efficient without dust blocking the energy and airflow.
Keep Refrigerators at 32 to 38 degrees
If you keep it under 32 degrees, you might as well just get a big freezer. If you keep it over 40 degrees, most things will spoil (especially dairy).
Cook with Copper Pans
Copper has a very high thermal and electrical conductivity rate. Therefore, it makes for an extremely effective cooking implement. You can use lower temperatures and it’ll cook as well as a higher temperature steel pan.
Use Cold Water
While washing your clothes, be sure to use the cold setting. Not only does this avoid shrinking, but it’s cheaper than heating up all that washing water.
Turn Down the Water
While brushing teeth and soaping up hands and bodies, either turn off or decrease the pressure of the water. This drastically reduces the use of water and energy, especially with hot water.
Let Your Computer Sleep
Go into your computer’s power settings (for Windows go to the Control Panel, and it’s either under the Screen Saver options, System Security, or Performance and Maintenance), and change the display sleep and computer sleep settings. What you change it to depends on personal preference, but the defaults are rarely the best option. For all personal electronics, be sure to completely shut them down frequently; keeping them on 24/7/365 wears them down faster than they could be.
Look for the Energy Star Label
Most electronics and devices such as televisions and microwaves, even rooftops, can be Energy Star certified. These certified models are at least 30% more efficient than non-certified labels.
Use Burner-Sized Pots and Pans
Using a small pot on a larger burner drastically loses heat. Using a large pot on a smaller burner requires much more energy to heat the pan.
Hang Dry Clothes
Not only does this completely bypass the dryer, and energy, it’s also easier on your clothes.
Turn Off Your Water Heater
In addition to changing the thermostat, while away on vacation or for several days try turning off the water heater. This saves energy while away—plus water generally reheats within one hour of turning the on switch.
Clean Full Loads
This includes dishwashers and washing machines. If you fill up the dishwasher only a quarter of the way, most models still use the same amount of water as a full load. So fill them up all the way and save some energy.
