Energy is bigger than the monthly bill you pay. Energy is the basic foundation to everything that affects your life indoors and outdoors. Only mankind could find a way to reduce energy to watts, kilowatts, and monthly bills. Every member of the human race must accept the responsibility of limiting energy consumption for the sake of everyone else.
In a typical American household the breakdown of the monthly electric bill goes something like this:
-44% goes to the HVAC systems (heating and cooling)
-33% goes to lighting and other appliances
-14% goes to water heating
-9% goes to refrigerator and freezer
Now, with that breakdown, lets see exactly where you can trim your energy usage and save more money for your home budget.
Responsible Heating and Cooling:
These two climate control considerations amount to at least half the total electric bill. Tackle these and save.
Every sixty days clean the air filters.
Check to see that baseboard heaters, air registers, and radiators are functioning correctly and that carpeting, furniture or drapes do not block their access.
Arrange the thermostat to as warm as possible when it is hot outside and as cool as possible when it is cold outside.
Dont let any exhaust fans (kitchen, bath, others) run longer than 20 minutes after bathing or cooking. These really affect the room temperature and can throw off the functionality of your air control systems.
Manage Lighting and Appliances:
Natural light has medical and health benefits that artificial light cannot substitute. As often as possible, work and function closer to the light from the window or doorway and avoid using electricity.
Dont leave lights on when you are no longer in the area. It doesnt cost more electricity to turn it off and there is no benefit to leave it on.
Reflective backing can bring greater illumination to your lighted areas, particularly when using four-foot fluorescent lights.
Replace 60 watt incandescent light bulbs with much lower wattage mini-fluorescent bulbs and get the same illumination for much less wattage.
Unplug all those charging devices that have a block-shape transformer. Even though they are not attached and charging another device they consume small amounts of electricity when plugged in whether turned on or not. all lights and appliances when not in use. Even standby mode does not completely shut off their energy consumption.
Shop for Energy Star label:
Energy Star is the indicator that electrical appliances and fixtures (including light bulbs) have been tested and do indeed conserve more energy than their counterparts.
Task lighting is the strategic use of light only where the task is being conducted and not throughout the entire area you are occupying. For instance, use a reading lamp rather than the overhead room light when enjoying a good book.
Use the cold wash cycle and reduce the consumption of energy by as much as ninety percent. Take it to one hundred percent savings by air drying rather than machine drying altogether.
Save up your laundry and wash full loads each time. The electricity is expended for a greater amount of clothes and savings mount up over time.
Maintain the optimum temperature for your freezer and refrigerator. The motor is constantly adjusting to the exposure of the open door and it has to work harder to maintain the temperature you set. Avoid this unneeded consumption by closing the door as often as possible.
Keep an eye on how tightly the door gasket closes against the door. Cracks, creases, and indentions can cause leakage.
Insulate, Insulate, Insulate:
Heat loss happens if there is not a constant and continuous seal barrier to the home. Check all windows and doors for proper weather stripping or caulking. You can get more information at
homewindowsreplaced.com.
Verify that air leaks are not happening around the pipes, doors, walls, floors and ceilings. Just closing down these drafty places can save as much as ten percent in electric bills.
