You might be thinking of what’s the need to conserve energy if you are just the only house that’s practicing it. You may not be aware yet, but you have a significant impact on the environment. Living an energy-efficient lifestyle isn’t as hard as it seems anyway. And not only are you helping reduce the impact on the environment, but you’re also saving money by cutting your utility bill.
As we have stated, it is easy to conserve energy, and it’s not just all about limiting and restricting your usage of electrical appliances. You can do easy things like being mindful of how much energy is used for each task at home and how you can compromise with a more efficient alternative.
You might be discouraged when you see the word “compromise” because you think it’s synonymous with sacrifice. However, that’s not the case. In this buyer’s guide, you’ll see that it’s convenient for the user to have a hot water dispenser instead of heating water traditionally. But at the same time, the appliance will also help you cut your electricity bill because you don’t have to heat water from time to time. Convenience and conservation can go hand-in-hand.
Change and Compromise Some Habits
One of the ways that you can conserve energy at home is by simply adjusting your day-to-day behaviors. For example, maybe you can cut on the duration that you leave your light bulbs on. Some tasks like drying your clothes can be done without the need for a dryer, especially in the summer months. And if you don’t have a lot of clothes to wash, you can wash them by hand.
This change in day-to-day tasks has a significant effect on decreasing your energy consumption and utility bill. If it’s not too hot in the summer, you can switch to using a fan instead of the air conditioner. If you can iron your clothes in one day, why not do it instead of ironing a set on each day?
Check Your Appliances
Besides the habits themselves, you might also want to replace some of your appliances at home. Most people think that in order to be energy-efficient, they have to completely get rid of some electrical units in their house.
Before you buy a unit, check its operating cost. However, you might end up choosing another model that has a lower purchase price. If you think about it, in the long run, you’ll save more in the energy-efficient appliance because it has a lower operating cost. Sure it has a higher price tag, but if you add the costs of operation of something cheaper, you’ll save more with the energy-efficient unit.
For example, the best bottom loading water dispenser in the market is not as cheap as a model that consumes more power. However, you’ll save more in the operation at home with the costly dispenser over time. Water heating doesn’t seem like a huge contributor to energy consumption, but having hot water in demand will save you more. Invest wisely on appliances.
Another tip that you can apply when shopping for an appliance is to look for the Energy Star label. What this certification means is that the unit that you’re buying will require less energy compared to the other models of conventional appliances without the label. Not to mention, these labeled appliances also have less harmful effects on the environment, so it’s a win-win for your family and mother nature.
The Energy Star label is especially useful when you’re looking for your HVAC system. HVAC or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment is a significant contributor to your energy consumption at home. You can also reduce your expenses by investing in a good quality ventilation system with properly sealed and insulated ducts.
Lastly, always be up to date with the maintenance of your appliances. Your refrigerator and freezer need regular defrosting, and your air conditioner needs regular cleaning. Keep the manuals of your devices at hand so that you can apply the settings recommended by the manufacturer to conserve energy. Overall, if there’s less work for the appliance, it will also require less amount of energy.
Switch to LED
Another home paraphernalia that seems “harmless” in energy consumption is the light bulbs. You might want to replace your halogen incandescent and compact fluorescent lights with light-emitting diode bulbs or LEDs. Not only are they safer because they don’t get too hot, but they consume less electricity than the two. At the same time, they will last you longer as opposed to the cheaper alternatives that will eventually need replacement.
Go with an Automatic Thermostat
The thermostat is probably a necessity in any household. It is essential for comfort, but they can also increase your energy consumption. You can solve this problem by using a smart or automatic thermostat.
What this device does is that it will automatically reduce the heating or cooling if you’re away or sleeping. It’s preventing wasteful energy consumption without the need for you to manually intervene. You can set the thermostat to your ideal schedule. And to help improve its efficiency, some come with indicators as well when there are replacements that needed to be addressed.
Use Power Strips
Another nifty addition that you can get for your home is smart power strips. What these devices do is that they can turn off automatically when idle or according to your assigned time. You can also use a remote switch or a master device to control them. This way, you can shut off the power consumed by electronics when they are in standby mode or if they are turned off.
Improve Your Home
To make an energy-efficient home, you should also check if it is conducive and helpful for the appliances as well. To give you an idea, your windows can raise your heating and cooling bills because they contribute to temperature loss. Opt to use double-pane windows and shades to provide insulation and protection from the external temperature.
This fact is also applicable to your vents and doors because they contribute to leaking air. Weather stripping and caulking are some of the techniques that you can do to seal the air leaks, which can contribute to energy waste.
Your home will be able to retain heat and coldness much efficiently if it is well-insulated. Be mindful of your walls, floors, attic, and basement to reduce the energy required to keep the house comfortable.