Despite the government’s disclosure of the declining inflation in the US, the cost of living is still a burden to many Americans’ pockets, especially those living so close to the poverty line or below. This is why saving money must be the number one priority when it comes to regular expenses. One way to do that is through the efficient use of energy at home.
People tend to pay their monthly bills without inquiring whether they could be lower than the usual setting. Lowering your energy bill can be done by improving the energy efficiency in your home. Take a look at these three ways of improving efficiency in using energy at home to achieve lower utility bills in these pandemic times.
Setting Your House at the Right Temperature
Even slight differences in temperature by adjusting the thermostat can significantly affect energy efficiency. With that, changing at the right and average temperature can positively affect saving energy at home. Therefore, you need to learn how to minimize the use of thermostats rightfully.
There is a recommended thermostat operation to help you. By adjusting it back seven to ten degrees Fahrenheit from its standard-setting for eight hours every day, you can save up to ten percent of energy per year.
Temperature also depends on what the current season is. In Pennsylvania, for example, during the winter period, you can set your thermostat to 68°F when you’re awake and set it lower when you are going to bed or going out of your house. While during the summer season, make your home warmer when you are not at home. Then, set the thermostat to 78°F for cooling once you have arrived.
Meanwhile, natural sunlight can be an essential factor in contributing to your home’s energy efficiency. Every winter, you can open the blinds, curtains, or even your windows for the sunlight to warm up your place. During summer, you close the windows and curtains to cool the temperature of your home. Doing this can lessen the use of air conditioners, thus less use of energy.
You can adjust it to achieve the normal temperature with a minimized energy use for the water heater. Having a 120°F temperature would be enough for most of the residents. This temperature can keep away accidental scalding and reduces minerals building up around the water heater tank.
Do Not Forget to Unplug Electronics and Appliances When They are Not in Use
Different households use numerous electronics and appliances, but most people tend to forget to unplug them when not in use. This can heavily contribute to energy usage. So, don’t come out ranting regarding your bills that the electric price is not decreasing.
To have efficient energy use, always keep in mind to unplug the unnecessary electronics and appliances, especially those rarely-used. Moreover, this includes unplugging fully-charged phones, tablets, laptops, digital cameras, and other electronics.
Another recommendation to improve your home’s energy efficiency is through using a power strip. This can prevent vampire loads, which will keep on eating up energy even if the devices are turned off. A power strip’s on/off switch makes it convenient for you to reduce the use of electricity and energy by turning off multiple devices at one switch.
Efficiently Minimizing the Use of Appliances
In a general sense, home appliances make up 13 percent of the overall electrical billings. That is still a whole lot of usage in energy and electricity. This might be the reason why some residents are investing in energy-efficient appliances. However, there are still other possible means of saving energy for your current appliances at home.
For most householders, the refrigerator is the top energy user among the other frequently used appliances. Most of them might not be aware of this, but there are ways to operate it more efficiently.
One is to make sure to close the refrigerator’s door properly as often as possible. You may double-check the door’s seal if it is secured or not. To test this, you place a dollar bill between its door gaskets and remove it. If the bill easily slips out, then its seal is not as tight as it should be. Replacing it immediately will be your best choice.
Adjusting your refrigerator’s temperature will be a great help, too. It is recommended to set it from the range of 35° to 36°F. For the freezer, lower it down to 0°F.
For other appliances, do not forget to close the oven door when you are cooking. You must also clean the clothes dryer’s lint filter now and then. Make use of your washing machine and dishwasher only if you have a ton of clothes to wash.
Takeaway
Expenses during these pandemic days just keep on getting higher. These strategies are insightful and relevant to employ now that saving money is everyone’s top priority. Other than that, these will allow your whole family to live in a more energy-efficient home without being anxious about the monthly billings and more expenses.
