Ways to Reduce Electricity | Conserve Energy

Smart Ways To Reduce Electricity Bills

Smart-Ways-to-reduce-electricity-billIf you are interested in learning ways to reduce electricity bills, this article can help. We all ask, ways to reduce electricity bills-piggy bank“Why is my electric bill so high?” Other than your electricity provider raising your rates &/or charging you for peak hours, it’s good to look at your usage. To read more on kwh and understanding your power bill, click the links within this article.

 

Here’s Some EASY Ways To Reduce Electricity Costs!

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were some easy and effective ways to reduce electricity costs? And how about if they were inexpensive/free to implement?

And what if they were so good at lowering electric bills that you wouldn’t have to make any major changes in the way you use electricity? Well, there are! And almost anyone can take advantage of them, no matter what their living situation is.

OK, so what are they? Alright. Let’s get into the tips themselves.

Here’s Some Top Ways to Conserve Energy:

Heating And Cooling:

According to energystar.gov for heating and cooling, your electricity costs account for 40-60% of your power bill. This is the biggest energy hog in your home. Because of this, tackling this monster is where you will get the biggest bang for your buck…

heating-and-cooling1- When you close vents in unused rooms, ensure that you don’t close any vents in the room containing the thermostat or your a/c is likely to run longer than necessary.

A programmable thermostat can be installed but needs to be well programmed to be of any use. Set it to turn off around the time everyone leaves the home for the day and turn back on just before they return. Also, set it to turn the temperature up a little bit just before everyone starts getting up and ready to go.

3- Although it doesn’t sound like much, 2° of temperature can really make a difference in how hard your cooling or heating system needs to work. So if it’s not completely intolerable, go a little higher in the summer and a little cooler in the winter.

4- A power saver (a.k.a. electric saver) works to reduce the amount of electricity that a typical a/c system wastes (it’s quite a lot). Installing one is a pretty effective way to reduce electricity bills.

Using just this one can literally shave 10% to 20% off of your electric bill. Go here to buy it now!

5- A clean air filter means not only cleaner air, but also air that flows through the vents easier. Thus, less energy spent on circulating the air. Be sure to clean your air vents every month. Creating a monthly reminder on your calendar to clean air vents helps to keep your HVAC system operating at top energy efficiency.

How much electricity does a computer use (& other electronics)?

According to energystar.gov computers and other electronic devices in your home account for 10-20% of your electricity costs on your power bill (depending on your family’s usage of course).

“How much electricity does a TV use?” Gamers and tv/movie lovers use the electronics in their home many more hours throughout the day compared to an older couple who only turns on the tv for an hour a day. So your electricity usage will be on the higher end of that range. The amount of electricity also depends on how old your tv & other electronics are. The older it is, the more energy it uses usually.

save-energy-on-electronics1- Unplug your devices when you’re not using them. Especially things like TV sets and disc players as many modern one never really turn off but rather go into a standby mode.

2- Computers can be programmed to turn off automatically after inactivity. Setting this up once will assist you with energy saving from then on out. Just go into your computer’s control panel and adjust the settings to turn off or switch to sleep/energy saving mode. This one simple tweak will not only help you conserve electricity but also prolong the life of your computer.

3- Even though the phone or tablet says it’s fully charged, it’s still using power from the wall until you unplug it. It’s also bad for the battery to leave it plugged in too long.

4- If you don’t like plugging/unplugging your devices, get a smart power strip which will do this for you.

smart-lcg4-energy-saving-power-strip

How to Lower Electricity Bills On Water Heaters

water-heater-insulationHeating Water in your home, this energy cost to you is about 20-30% of your power bills on average. So, making your water heater as energy efficient as possible is a great idea!

1- Heating water is quite costly, especially if you use a lot of hot water to wash clothes and dishes. If your clothes permit, use cold water and only hot water when dealing with really greasy dishes.

2- Heat will escape through any means available. So proper insulation will help keep the water hotter for longer. This way the water heater doesn’t need to perform heating cycles as frequently. Use insulation around all hot water heater piping.

3- Showers use less water than baths, so you’ll save on both water and electricity by switching to showers.

What Are the Best Energy Efficient Appliances & How Much Power Do They Use?

How much electricity does my refrigerator, washer, or dryer use? For Appliances in the average home in the USA, your electricity costs are about 10-15% of your utility bill, depending on how old/new your appliances are.

energy-star-labels1- Energy Star certified appliances use less electricity and cost about the same as standard appliances. You can save loads in the long run with Energy Star models. The Newer the Appliance, the more energy efficient it probably is.

Now you’re not going to go out and replace everything in your kitchen all at once, but when buying new appliances, keep this in mind.

2- This one is simple. Only wash clothes when you have a full load. Fewer loads = less electricity spent. Even though you’re washing more clothes per load, the amount of electricity used is roughly the same.

3- Some Kitchen Appliances will consume some current even when they are turned off, so unplugging them is the only real way to cut that waste out (you could alternatively use smart power strips if the idea of unplugging and plugging in appliances sounds to laborious or inconvenient for you).

4- Most people have their fridge running too cold. See what setting works well for your food and family’s needs. Having the correct temperature setting will help save energy and keep your food fresh and veggies crisp.

To read more on what appliances impact your power bill the most: Click Here!

How to Save Energy on Lighting

Lighting: This costs you roughly 10-25% of average power bills across the USA (depending on usage in the home/business). Using lighting in your home efficiently and wisely is always a great idea.

save-on-lighting1- LED and CFL bulbs are WAY more efficient than the light bulbs you grew up with. They use only a fraction of the electricity (25% or less). Out with the old and in with the new!

2- Dimmer switches are easy to install and allow you to control how much light you’re using. Any time you have the lights dimmed as opposed to full power, you’re saving energy.

3- Again, only use as much light as you need. Where you have multiple bulbs, see just how many are actually necessary.

4- This one is just common sense. Why pay for lighting if the sun can light your home for free? Open those blinds/curtains and let the sun shine in!

Looking for more ways to save on energy bills without breaking the bank? Read more articles on:

How Much Does Electricity Cost?- A talk on KWH and more…

Alternatives to Solar, what’s more affordable and still effective? Read On…

Power Factor Correction Equipment & What is it doing for property owners all over the world? Read on…

Whole House Surge Protection- Don’t come home to a burnt out fridge or freezer. See simple tips on how to safeguard against this…

That’s 19 great ways to reduce electricity bills! You’ll be well on your way to having a much lower bill once you get them into action. Share this post to help others do the same!

Next Article: Where We Get Our Energy- The Dirty Truth… >>

Our Infographic on Saving Electricity At Home:

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