Energy bills can cost you a lot of money, which may rise constantly if not mitigated. Here are some simple ways in which you can reduce your energy bills, a good financial move that will also be a positive for the environment.
Fix Leaks in Ductwork
The very first thing you need to do is to perform an inspection of your ductwork and ensure that it’s not leaking valuable energy. With 70% of Americans saying that they can’t afford to pay for a new unit outright and most of them saying they feel that financing is their only option, it’s clear that replacing units in the home can be a costly affair. Don’t throw out and replace items that could work well with a simple repair, but save yourself the extra cost by making sure that your units are all in good shape physically.
Change Your Toilet and Showerhead
Your toilet and shower head are another place your home may be losing money, so have a look at these next. Getting a low-flow toilet will save the water you use, while getting an energy-efficient showerhead will save you both water and energy. If the shower you get is a modern one that can heat up the water you use smartly, you won’t watch your energy go flowing down the drains.
Seal Your Home
Sealing your home is another efficient way to conserve energy around your home. This is based on the fact that you can lose between 25% and 30% of the air you warm in your home through a drafty window, according to the Department of Energy. To save yourself from this extra expenditure, take time to seal gaps in your windows and doors with caulk and weather stripping as necessary. This is a tip that you can work on all by yourself, saving money in this way as a bonus. If you have the money to spare, you could replace drafty, single-pane windows with double-pane ones to improve your energy savings even more.
Minimize Your Usage of Hot Water
Heating water in the home, as mentioned in the case of showers, can have you using up a lot of energy. Another way to improve your home’s energy-efficiency is by minimizing the amount of hot water you use further by doing your laundry with cold water. Most detergents are designed to work perfectly well with cold water, so you can get clean clothes without having to use the extra heat. Your washer generally needs a minimal amount of energy to run, but this amount is notably increased by adding heating to the equation. Start to run your loads in cold water and watch how much energy you will save.
Service Your Appliances Regularly
Since appliances that are functioning optimally will need less energy to run as they were made to, you can enjoy energy efficiency by servicing your home’s appliances on a regular basis. For instance, air conditioners use approximately 6% of the total amount of electricity that’s produced in America. This adds up to an annual cost of roughly $29 billion to homeowners. The good news is that you can minimize the amount you pay by following the manufacturer’s servicing instructions for the appliances you have. Doing this will also help you stay within the manufacturer’s windows of warranty, saving you even more by making sure you’re covered in case of a malfunction.
Follow these tips to reduce your energy bills and you will enjoy the financial benefits as well as a smaller carbon footprint you leave on the environment. You will also teach your family how to live efficiently and help them make good choices for their future.
