If you are not careful, your utility bills can rise quickly and occupy a significant part of your budget. Well, this does not need to be the case as you have the power to control how much of your income goes to paying electricity bills.
Increasing energy efficiency means you will use less energy for the same job and save money. This means you should be very keen on how energy is used in your home and how you can use it more efficiently.
Here are tips that will improve your daily home energy consumption.
1. Install tinted windows
Tinted windows can help you reduce energy bills by a third. In addition, they ensure that the summer sunlight does not affect the temperatures inside your home. Less heat is allowed, meaning; you will not have to use your HVAC system to regulate the temperatures in your house.
During winter and cold weather, they maintain the heat within the house by preventing it from escaping through conduction. This means you will not have to use the heating system to achieve comfortable temperatures within.
You can therefore cut electricity costs through residential home window tinting.
2. Unplug chargers if not in use
What most people don’t know is that chargers left plugged in are energy vampires. They consume power even when phones are not connected. So while one charger may not consume much energy, leaving it for days or having several chargers plugged in will undoubtedly build up to many watts of power, which will cost you.
Encourage your family members always to unplug their chargers if not in use to conserve energy.
3. Seal your windows
Utility bills in homes with sealed windows are lower than in houses with no weatherstripping. Air leaks in your home will allow draft and cold air into your home. Such elements can result in high electricity consumption, which can put a dent in your pockets.
Sealing your windows and even doors will go a long way in trapping the warm air inside the house and preventing the wind from entering your home. Temperatures will thus be comfortable, which will eliminate the need to keep your heater on.
You can also replace your current windows with double-pane or insulated windows to increase energy efficiency. During summer, the windows trap the heat between the two panes, while cold air is trapped in winter, keeping the house warm.
4. Don’t use hot water in the washer
Use cold water instead of hot water in the washer. Note that about 90% of energy is used to heat the water in the washer. The other 10% is used to run the machine. This means using cold water will save you 90% of energy every time you do laundry.
Conclusion
Cutting utility or energy costs in your home takes a few changes in daily energy consumption. For instance, you should avoid living chargers and other electrical appliances running when not in use.
Sealing or using tinted windows will ensure the house maintains comfortable temperatures, eliminating the need to use the HVAC system.