There’s a common misconception that improving your home’s energy efficiency involves a large amount of time and money. Making these small changes around your house can drastically decrease your utility bill. Best of all, most of the tasks can be done in less than 5 minutes!
Appliances
Constantly operating large appliances can put a strain on your energy bill. To avoid your energy bill heating up, here are some tips to help keep your kitchen cool:
- Keep the oven door closed while cooking. Each time you open the door the temperature can drop up to 25degrees, increasing cooking time and making your oven work harder.
- Match your pan to the size of the burner on the stove you are using. Using a smaller pan on a large burner will result in heat loss. For example, a 6” pot on an 8” burner loses 40% of the heat that it generates. Bonus points for using copper-bottomed pans because they conduct heat more efficiently.
- Remember to clean behind and underneath your refrigerator to keep it running efficiently. A regular cleaning will help keep costs down.
- Fill your dishwasher to capacity in order to save up to $200 a year. Save even more by letting your dishes air dry.
Electronics
In the 21st century, we have electronic devices in every corner of our home. Although they may appear harmless, electronics can be energy vampires, even when switched “off”. Here are some solutions to prevent them from draining your pockets:
- Always unplug electronics and chargers when they’re not in use, even if they’re switched “off” because some continue to use electricity. If they are plugged into a power strip, switch off the power strip after use.
- Use a laptop instead of a desktop computer. Laptops use less energy than their bulkier counterpart.
- Don’t place electronics near your AC’s thermostat. Sensors on the AC pick up the heat that electronics give off and will cause the AC to run more frequently.
- Garage doors are major energy killers. Consider using a sliding, barn-style door instead to decrease your energy usage.
Water
Did you know that heating water is the second largest energy hog in your home? It accounts for 14-18% of your total annual energy bill. Here are some ways to prevent your wallet from getting burned:
- Decrease your water heater’s temperature from the factory setting of 140 degrees to 120 degrees to save money and reduce the risk of scalding. This is hot enough for your needs around the house and reduces mineral buildup in your tank.
- Install a timer on your hot water heater that will turn it off when you’re not home.
- Although long, hot showers can ease the stress after a long day, shorten your showers to cut down on your water usage. Also, consider installing a low-flow showerhead to decrease the demand for hot water.
Lighting
Did you know that 90% of the energy produced by a traditional light bulb is heat? Don’t throw away your money! Lighten your energy usage by making these simple changes around the house:
- Replace your incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs. LED bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy and last 20 times longer than traditional light bulbs.
- Install an automatic timer to help avoid accidentally leaving your lights on and running up your electric bill.
- Planning on redecorating? Paint your walls light colors to help reflect light. Even small changes such as light colored lamp shades and places lamps in corners helps. Light will reflect from the two walls.
These tips will set you on the path to energy efficiency. Get your home to reach its full energy efficiency potential by scheduling an energy assessment with Wattson Home Solutions today!