With electricity prices being so high, it is imperative that we all find a way to lower our usage, which in turn will reduce our bills. There are many ways to achieve this goal, but it all starts with you, your family, your friends, and everyone else that comes to your home to hang out, sleep, or whatever it is that they do.
The point is that unless everyone follows the lifestyle needed to conserve
energy, it will be nothing but a pointless, irritating endeavor. Let's
take a quick look at 23 tips to help you save on your electricity bills, so you
can start conserving and saving today.
- Turn Off The Lights – When leaving the room, turn
off the lights. If that seems like too much of a chore, install some light
switches with movement sensors. They will turn the lights on and off as needed.
- Solar Power Outdoor Lighting – Outdoor security lights
take up a substantial amount of power, especially if they always come on. It is
a simple process to switch them out for solar-powered ones.
- Use Lamps – If you are sitting in a
room watching the TV or playing on your tablet or iPad, there is no reason to
have all the lights on. If the devices are not bright enough for you, turn on a
lamp above your head with a low-wattage bulb in it.
- LED Lighting – Switch all your old light
bulbs for ones designed to conserve energy. LEDs are a great choice, as are
smart bulbs. Avoid using incandescent bulbs because they are the worst when it
comes to using excessive amounts of power.
- Hot Water Heater – Hot water heaters are
almost always set at an unnecessarily high maximum temperature. It means that
the unit will kick on more often to keep the heat high, so turn it down. The
recommended temperature is only 120 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to the default
setting of 140 degrees.
- Showers – Turn the temperature on
the water you use in the shower down, and reduce the length of time that you
usually spend under the hot water. If you need a good hot water soaking, take a
trip to a facility with hot tubs.
- Dishes – Get yourself a good
quality energy efficient dishwasher to do the dishes. One that you do not need
to prewash everything because that is what you are trying to avoid. It takes
less hot water to run a load of dishes inside a dishwasher than washing them by
hand.
- Laundry Temperature – Turn the temperature dial
on the washer to cold. Most detergents today can work in cold water, but to
make sure, simply buy one designed for washing clothes in cold water.
- Laundry Amount – Washing 10 loads of
laundry that are only half full takes more energy than washing one full load.
That is why you should never wash a load of laundry unless the washer is all
the way full.
- Compare Suppliers – One of the best ways to
save money on your power bills is to take the time to use the iSelect compare electricity site and find
the best fit for your needs. Never assume that the lowest cost is always the
best. Take the time to read through the entire offer, compare the service with
the price, and then pick the best one.
- Adjust The Thermostat – It has been shown that
turning the heat down and the air conditioning up by one degree makes a huge
difference in your power bill. The savings will immediately become apparent if
you adjust it by two or three degrees.
- Standby Mode – Most of the new technology
that has been pushed out into the world considers the comfort and convenience
of the consumer over the amount of power being used. The standby modes must be
manually turned off in devices, especially TVs, because they continue to use
energy in standby mode.
- Doors – Keep the outer doors closed
when not in use, and take the time to change the weatherstripping every year or
so, depending upon how much the doors are being used. Ensure that the gaps have
been filled in under the trim around the door with spray foam insulation to
seal around the outer edges.
- Windows – Switch the old windows out
for newer, energy-efficient ones and fill the gaps around the edges with spray
foam insulation.
- Curtains And Blinds – If the window has curtains
or blinds, close them when you want to trap the heat or cold in a room. If the
windows do not have any, now is the time to install some.
- Insulation – If you have fixed the
doors and windows but still feel drafts from outside, it is time to check the
quality of your insulation. Have the attic sprayed full of insulation, tack
some up under the floor, and if you need to remove some siding to fill around
the outer walls, you can consider it an excellent time to remodel.
- Appliances – Update all of your
appliances to energy-saving versions designed to reduce your power bill.
- Hot Tubs – If you have a hot tub or
heated pool, one sure way to save money on the power is to remove them.
- Fans – Overhead fans may seem
like taking a step backward, but they help circulate the air, saving on the
time the heater or air conditioner needs to be on.
- Furniture Placement – You need to ensure that
your furniture is placed in ways that do not restrict airflow from a vent or
fireplace.
- Unnecessary Appliances – If you have two or three
refrigerators that are not needed, go down to one. It might make things
convenient, but it increases the power needed throughout the day.
- Use Nature – If a cool breeze is
blowing in the summer, open everything up, turn off the air conditioner, and
use nature. If the sun is shining during the winter, open the curtains and use
what nature provides.
- Vampires – Every little mobile phone charger or laptop cord plugged in when not used takes a little bit of power. If nothing else, hook them into smart electrical plugs that turn them off when not needed.