When I bought my first home, I couldn't believe how much money I was sinking into power each and every month. I was spending a lot on heating, air conditioning, and lighting. I started going through my home, and I realized that there was a lot that I could do in order to cut down on my spending. I was able to dramatically reduce my energy consumption by making a few changes around the house, and it was amazing. Within no time, I actually felt like I was doing my part to save energy and make the world a better place.
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Saving Energy To Save The Earth
Worried About Rising Utility Bills? Use These Simple Changes To Cut Them Down To Size
Harold Lawson
Concerns about rising energy bills have been hot topics in the news lately due to both higher than normal summer temperatures and the impact of tightened regulations on the production of American coal, a major source of fuel for the generation of electrical power. If your family is feeling the pinch and dreading even higher utility bills in the future, you should know that there are some inexpensive changes you can make in the way you use energy in your home that can help you keep your power bills under control.
Establish better habits to reduce consumption
One of the first and most important ways in which you can work to reduce your home's electricity bills is to pay attention to how your family currently uses electricity and then work to reduce any areas of waste. Start by looking for instances of hidden or unnecessary power consumption, such as:
- phone and device chargers that are left plugged in when not in use
- battery powered tools and toys that are continuously plugged in when not is use
- lights and fans that are running in rooms that are seldom used
- decorative features that use electricity, such as fountains and electronic photo displays
Once you have found and eliminated areas of inefficient power usage around your home it is time to work on establishing some new, more efficient habits to help reduce energy use and the cost associated with it. These include:
- manually turning off electrical water heaters when the family is sleeping, at work or at school
- raising the interior temperature of your home a few degrees by adjusting the thermostat when the home is not occupied or when your family is sleeping
- teaching family members to reduce shower times to three or five minutes
- running appliances like the dish washer, washing machine and clothes dryer less often by waiting until you have full loads
- using smaller cooking appliances or non-electric methods when possible for meal preparation, such as baking in a toaster oven or cooking on the outdoor grill or in a slow cooker
- use lamps, task lighting or light from a window when possible, instead of lighting entire rooms
Make inexpensive upgrades to reap even bigger savings
There are also some simple, inexpensive upgrades you can make in your home that will help you reduce your long-term electrical use and your utility bills. These include:
- adding a clothesline or portable drying rack to reduce clothes dryer usage
- installing a programmable thermostat and setting it to reduce the demand for heating and cooling during hours when the home is unoccupied
- switching to LED light bulbs in lamps, ceiling and wall lighting fixtures from a company like Pacific Lamp Wholesale Inc
- installing insulating draperies or window coverings to help keep heat out in summer and prevent heat loss in winter
- adding additional insulation, if necessary
Small changes in usage habits and simple, inexpensive upgrades are the best way to help your family combat rising electrical costs with out putting undue strain on your family budget.
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