Top 5 Energy Saving Tips For 2019

Top 5 Energy Saving Tips For 2019

 

There are many reasons to save on your household energy consumption in 2019 but perhaps the greatest factor is simply to keep more cash in your pocket at the end of the day.

 

1. Lighting

It is a misconception that the lighting in your home consumes a low amount of energy and therefore leaving your lights turned on won’t save you that much on your monthly power bill. Although your lights don’t use as much energy as say your air conditioning or heating in your home, simply turning the lights off when they aren’t needed can help you save. A good rule is to turn a light off every time you leave a room.

 

Open the drapes and let natural light in during the daylight hours and turn out the lights. It is also a good idea to swap out all your existing light bulbs for those that are more energy efficient. You may be surprised at how these two steps will immediately make a difference to your household power consumption.

 

2. Turn Off Your Electronics

Another huge myth is that electronics are not using that much electricity when they are in standby mode. The truth is that they are continuously consuming energy even though they are not in use and this can accumulate, especially if you have numerous electronics on standby constantly.

 

Turning off your television, DVD player, Blu-ray, game consoles, etc. with the remote control will only set it to standby mode. And it may be surprising to learn that most electronics do not have an off switch. In this case, it is best to turn the power off at the outlet. Even if you just do this before going to bed at night, it will result in huge savings.

 

Smart Power Strips are a great tool to use to prevent electronics from constantly consuming energy. These strips can detect when electronics are not in use and will automatically shut off the electronic device. These are great to save you the trouble of remembering to turn your electronics off when they are not in use.

 

3. Heating and Cooling

Your air conditioning units, central heating, HVAC system, etc. is probably responsible for the greatest consumption of energy in your household. It is always a good idea to turn these systems off when you are away from home whether this is on a daily basis, when you are at work or if you are going away on a short trip or extended holiday.

 

Alternatively, you can invest in a programmable thermostat. These devices allow you to control the temperature in your home automatically according to how you have programmed the thermostat. It can also be programmed to turn off the heating and/or cooling system in your home at certain times of day or for an extended period of time.

Another great investment would be to purchase heating radiators from  Best Electric Radiator, which will save you money and time. You can turn your radiator on and off whenever necessary, without  additional hustle.

For example, you can set the thermostat to turn the system off when you are at work or on the day that you are leaving for a getaway. Of course, the device can also be programmed to turn the systems back on at a specified time so that you never have to return to a cold or warm and stuffy environment.

 

According to Bluon Energy good insulation is also key to saving on household energy consumption. Preventing warm air from escaping during winter and cold air in summer, will lower the output of your aircon, heating system or HVAC unit significantly. Insulation also prevents the outside temperature affecting your indoor environment and requiring greater energy consumption from your heating and cooling units.

 

4. Household Appliance Purchase and Maintenance

Few homeowners take the trouble to ensure that their appliances are well maintained and in good running order. Appliances that are not operating optimally consume more power than necessary. Make sure that your clothes washer, dryer, refrigerator, dishwasher, air conditioner, HVAC system and any other appliances are serviced on a regular basis.

 

If any of these appliances are in need of repair, it is best to have repairs done sooner rather than later. The longer the problem is left unattended, the more power the malfunctioning unit will consume. Alternatively, you can opt to replace appliances that are in need of repair with newer models that are far more energy efficient.

This does not mean that you have to run out and replace an appliance that is only a few months old and malfunctioning. However, it is advisable to have appliances that are older and are not energy efficient replaced even if they are operating effectively.

 

Be sure to purchase appliances that are certified as energy efficient. Also be aware that different energy efficient appliances will provide different savings. For example, a refrigerator may only save you as little as 9% on your energy consumption whereas replacing your washer can save you up to 25%.

 

5. Cooking

Any appliance that has a heating element consumes a large amount of energy like your electric stove, oven, toaster, kettle, coffee maker, etc. It is therefore best to reduce cooking time or eat more raw food to save on energy. Alternatively, cook at a lower temperature where possible. When boiling the kettle, use only as much water as is necessary.

 

You can also opt to change out any electrical cooking appliances for gas. Gas provides instant heat and gas appliances are considered to be more energy efficient than electrical appliances. Cooking on the barbecue or using your smoker during the summer months is another great way to save on power used for cooking. Your microwave oven provides a great alternative for cooking, baking and heating food. Contrary to popular belief, it consumes less power relative to the cooking time than an electric stove top or oven would.

 

It is an unfortunate fact that many Americans take their supply of electricity for granted and do not even know that there is a need to reduce their household energy consumption. Simply being aware of the fact that saving energy is becoming increasingly necessary, can help attain some good energy saving habits.