SAVE ENERGY AT HOME

SAVE ENERGY AT HOME

Saving energy around the house is good for your wallet, good for you and the family, and good for the environment. But energy conservation around the house is more complex than just using less electricity, because anything you do at home that requires water or fossil fuels is also energy intensive.

• There's also the point of caring for our planet and it's environment—but if everyone does their part and saves energy, then that problem would be significantly reduced.
• Cutting energy use around the house involves reducing electricity and water use, being smart about when and how you use energy, preventing energy loss, and choosing appliances and fixtures that will help you save energy.

Ways to save energy in your home:

Replace incandescent bulbs:

Incandescent light bulbs create lots of heat as well as light, and this makes them very inefficient. Replacing old incandescent bulbs in your house with compact fluorescent or LED ones will reduce the amount of energy you use on lighting by up to 75 percent.

Turn down your water heater:

Older tank-style water heaters use a lot of energy keeping the water in the tank hot. In fact, your water heater may account for up to a quarter of your energy use. To reduce the amount of energy your water heater uses, set the temperature of the water to 120 F (49 C).

Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances:

Older appliances tend to use a lot more energy than modern ones, and energy-efficient appliances will use the least energy possible. When it comes time to replace old appliances, look for the Energy Star rating or another energy-efficiency seal of approval. Energy Star appliances use up to 50 percent less energy and water than their traditional counterparts.

Install solar panels:

Solar panels convert the heat from the sun into energy, as it is a renewable source of energy it’s better for you and the environment. Solar heaters are also easily available and easy to install, you’ll also save on your electricity bill.

Phone charging:

Most of us like to plug in our phones at night and wake up to a full battery, this is actually a waste of energy. Phones need only a few hours to charge, so unplug it before bed to save some precious energy.

Use smart power strips:

Any appliance still plugged in but not in use, still utilizes power. This is known as a ‘phantom load’ to avoid this massive waste of energy, especially when the appliance is not in use, try a smart power strip. These have special circuitry that is designed to monitor and control power to each electrical outlet in the strip. It improves overall energy efficiency and stops wasting power.

Wash your clothes consciously:

When using your washing machine, see to it that it’s filled adequately, if your washing just a few garments, then you’ll end up wasting water and energy as the machine does not alter its usage based on the load in the machine. During the warmer seasons, hang your clothes out to dry and skip using the dryer.