12 ways to save on your electricity
Your home is the largest investment of your life. Apart from buying a house, you have to maintain the house which involves cost on a regular basis.
Besides the initial cost, a home is a series of operating systems that use energy and by taking care of those systems in a proper manner you can save much of the cost. Your cost gets multiplied if the systems aren’t efficient, or if your home is over 10 years old, then perhaps you should think of updating those systems. New generations of Energy Star appliances, heating and air/systems, and environmentally friendly insulation can bring your cost down to a great extent.
Most of the energy savings can be initiated with simple upgradation of appliances. The initial cost of upgrading may be on the high side but you can save a lot once you own an energy efficient home.
- Heating and cooling appliances consume most of your energy budget at home. You should upgrade to energy efficient appliances in place of old ones.
- Upgrade to CFL bulbs. They generate significantly less heat than incandescent bulbs. Also, turn off lights when not in use.
- Minimize the use of your oven. Microwaves and toaster ovens are great warm-weather stand-ins.
- Wait until after the sun goes down to run your dishwasher, dryer and other heat-producing appliances.
- Keep your fridge and freezer full. Food acts as insulation, and lessens the amount of time that the fridge has to run to stay cool.
- Get positions of your windows and doors right so that maximum light can enter into the rooms.
- Get your home insulated. Once you have insulated your home, it should last forever. This means that it is a one-time investment that keeps paying you by saving energy and lowering your cost.
- Lower the temperature on your hot water heater.
- As dishwashers and washing machines consume a lot of energy, wash a full load, thus maximizing the usage of the appliances.
- Clean the coils of your fridge so that it does not have to work harder to cool your foods.
- Replace the regular night lights with LEDs.
- Avoid pre-heating your oven unless you have to. Use microwaves rather than ovens as the latter consumes more energy.
