There are several changes that you can make to save energy and money in your house. For instance, you can take shorter showers to reduce the amount of energy consumed by the water heater. Here are some other things you can do.
Replace Your Old Lights with LEDs
Did you know that incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy by turning it into heat? This is why you must ditch them for more energy-efficient LED lights. After all, what you want from your lights is light and not heat. Even after you switch to LEDs, you must remember to switch off lights when they are not in use. This will help you to save significantly.
Take Shorter Showers
The water heater in your home consumes a lot of energy. According to the Electrical Classroom, the water heater consumes 18% of an average household's energy. If you are looking to save some money and energy, you should consider taking shorter showers. If two individuals in your home reduce their shower time by a minute each, you can save as much as $30 per year. You should also turn off the water when shaving, brushing your teeth, and washing your hands.
Get Rid of Phantom Electricity
Have you ever heard about phantom electricity? This could be the reason for your high energy bills. Some of your appliances tend to consume electricity even when they are switched off. This is because a lot of appliances don't switch off all the way. Instead, they get into standby mode, waiting for you to switch them on again. Some even run updates while in standby mode. The bad thing about standby power is that it might actually be responsible for 10% of your household's annual electricity use. Instead of just switching your appliances off, unplug them as well.
Turn Off the AC When You Are Not Home
Running the air conditioner when you are not home will increase your energy bill unnecessarily. This is why it's a great idea to turn off the AC when you are leaving home. If you can manage to do that for five hours per day, you will be able to save a significant amount of energy.
Manage Your Thermostat
Heating and cooling are among the top consumers of energy in your home. This is why it makes sense to find ways to save energy on heating and cooling. One of the things you can do is to lower your thermostat by about two degrees. This can help you save five percent on your heating bill. If you can manage to lower it by four to five degrees, you can save as much as 10%.
These are some changes you should make if you want to save energy and money. You can also order a home energy audit if you want to see where the energy is going in your home.