How To Smartly Save Energy in the Home

Energy and energy poverty are two hot topics at the moment for home owners. Cutting down on your energy usage will save you money and also help you to be greener. So, how do you do so?

1. Placing TVs or lamps near the air-conditioning thermostat in your room can make the conditioner run longer than needed since the thermostat senses heat that the appliances radiate. Save energy by setting them apart.

2. Lighting comprises about 10% of the energy costs in a home. You can save as much as 75 percent of this energy by using compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) instead of incandescent bulbs. CFLs also last longer, which saves money on replacements.

3. If the point above isn’t strong enough to convince you to switch over to CFLs, only about 10 to 15 percent of the electricity consumed by incandescent lights results in light since the rest is converted into heat.

4. You can enjoy savings of between 6 and 18 percent on your cooling bill if you run the air conditioning at 78°F as opposed to 72°F. The lower the difference between the outdoor and indoor temperatures, the lower the average cooling bill will be. During the summer months, set your thermostat as high as possible.

5. Tankless hot water heaters can provide a great way of saving money in the home. These heaters improve efficiency and are far more efficient than traditional heaters as they only warm up the exact amount of water required, not a full tank. This helps you save money and is also a greener option. The best tankless hot water heater is compact, offers great value and has a far smaller footprint than traditional offerings.

6. Households lose an average of 20 percent of their cooled and heated air through the duct system to the outside. Ensure that your ducts are inspected so that they are insulated and sealed properly to avoid energy wastage.

During the summer months, close the blinds on the sunny side to keep the hot sun out and open your blinds during the winter months to bring in warm rays.
If you have air conditioning in your home, a ceiling fan can allow you to raise the setting of your thermostat by about 4°F without a reduction in comfort. Don’t forget to turn it off when you leave the room.

8. Water heating accounts for between 14 and 25 percent of the energy that your household consumes. Turn down the temperature of the water heater to the warm setting to save energy.

9. You will use less energy if you use a toaster, microwave, or counter-top grill as compared to using an oven and will avoid the excess heat that can increase the room temperature.

10. Leaving your computer on all day long costs as much as 21 cents daily, which is about $75 annually. Unplug all appliances and electronics when not in use, which can be made easier if you use multiple-outlet strips that turn everything off by simply flipping a switch.

11. If used properly, you can save as much as $150 annually using programmable thermostats. Use a programmable thermostat that turns the cooling system off automatically when you are not at home and turns the system on in time for you to arrive home to a cooled house.

Change or clean your filters regularly. Dirty A/C for furnace filters can slow down air flow and force the system to work harder to ensure that your home is cool or warm.
To save money and energy, reduce the temperature of the water heater to 130°F and use a specially designed “blanket” to wrap the water storage tank to retain the heat.