Why Save Energy And Electricity?
Becoming more renewable and reducing your carbon footprint is critical for our planet’s survival and your pocket. The best way to do this is through conserving electricity which is also a cleaner, more efficient energy source. You can save energy with your electrical appliances, your heating and hot water, through insulation and by investing in solar power to generate and store your own electricity..
With this in mind, here’s a quick overview of 15 ways to start conserving energy and electricity today and help save you money on your utility bills.
15 Ways On How To Save Energy And Electricity?
- Use Smart Power Strips
- Replace Light Bulbs With LED’s
- Cut Down The Use Of Appliances
- Buy Energy Efficient Appliances
- Run Appliances Off Peak
- Install Smart Thermostats
- Install Energy Efficient HVAC Systems
- Use Less Hot Water
- Invest In Solar Power
- Invest In Solar Batteries
- Turn Lights Off
- Correctly Insulate
- Install Double Or Triple-Glazed Windows
- Weatherproof Your House
- Change The Way You Do Things
Let’s look at this in a little more detail.
How To Save Energy With Your Electrical Appliances?
Use Smart Power Strips To Switch Off Appliances When Not In Use
Having appliances such as your TV on standby all the time is a massive drain on your electricity. If you’re like me, going around every night and turning things off standby is too much of a hassle. This is where Smart Power Strips come into play.
They are cheap and easy to install and work by detecting when a device is on standby then they simply turn it off, saving you time and ultimately money.
Replace Out Dated Light Bulbs With LED’s
You have probably already seen the phasing out of traditional light bulbs. It’s been happening for some time. However, because incandescent bulbs are still more expensive they are still widely used.
This is absolutely a false economy as LED’s last up to 30% longer, are up to 80% more efficient and run at a fraction of the cost of conventional bulbs.
Cut Down On The Use Of Appliances
Have you ever run your dishwasher with only a few cups and a side plate in? I know I have. To wash by hand is not only faster it’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly, as it uses less water and electricity.
Try to get into the habit of asking yourself, do I need to run this appliance? Will it be faster and cheaper to do things by hand? Am I maximizing my use of it?
Buy Energy Efficient Appliances
When upgrading or buying a new appliance make sure that it has a high energy efficiency rating, like the Energy Star badge. Why? Well, if they have a good rating they are meeting the standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency or the US Department of Energy.
This means they use less energy and cause fewer dangerous emissions. Even more, you are helping the environment while making long-term savings on your electricity bill
Run Appliances Together During Off Peak Electricity Generating Times
Depending on your utility company, the cost of electricity will vary throughout the day. So late at night is cheaper to run things, than say at dinner time, when there’s more people using the electricity grid.
Where possible use timers and run appliances off peak.
Here’s an interesting article by The US Energy Information Administration that shows peak times times across all US regions.
How To Save Energy With Your Heating And Hot Water?
Install Smart Programmable Thermostats On All Your Radiators
Thermostats not only improve energy efficiency but also help to make your house more comfortable to live in. Basically, you set the temperature by room and the device will keep that temperature at the level you want. This one thing can make a dramatic impact on your utility bill and they are relatively cheap and easy to install.
Install Energy Efficient HVAC Systems
Whether you are heating, ventilating or cooling your house not all systems are born equal. Older less energy efficient equipment uses tremendous amounts of energy. This alone could be the single biggest cost of energy in your home.
Again, like with appliances, check the energy rating and see how it performs across similar models rated by, for example, the Energy Star Standards. If you have poor efficiency then it’s worth considering changing to a more cost-effective model.
Use Less Hot Water
Do you really need to turn the hot water on to rinse that plate? Using cold water for a lot of things is perfectly healthy, and cheap. When you have to use hot water, think about turning the temperature down by a few degrees. This can make significant savings and is where having a good thermostat really pays off.
Invest In Solar Power And Generate Your Own Electricity
This alone would make the biggest difference in your energy saving. It’s one of the most renewable forms of energy, it’s harnessed by collecting sunlight through photovoltaic (PV) panels or concentrated through mirrors. It’s then turned into electrical energy via solar inverters and stored in solar batteries to be used to power a home and its appliances such as light, heating, AC, or water systems.
Even more there are financial incentives to install solar systems and through Net Merage and SRECS you can reduce and earn money from your own solar panel system.
Invest In Solar Batteries And Have Free Electricity On Tap
What are solar panel batteries? If you have invested in a solar panel system, this technology enables you to get the most out of your solar panel installation and have electricity throughout the day, particularly when there’s limited sunlight, or at night where there’s no light. The batteries store any surplus energy your solar panels produce so you can use it later to power your home.
How To Save Energy With Your Property?
Use More Natural Light And Turn Lights Off
Having lightbulbs blazing away is not the best use of electricity if they are not really necessary. If you’re moving from room to room, turn the lights off if you are not using them.
Also, it sounds obvious, but open up your house, uncover your windows and use more daylight, if possible. Let the light pour in. During the times we spent in lockdown, bringing in more sunshine to our homes was shown to bring health benefits by increasing vitamin D, which helps release serotonin, the chemical that makes us happier more relaxed people.
Make Sure Your Home Is Correctly Insulated
Having great insulation works wonders in conserving energy. Investing in cavity wall insulation, loft or attic insulation, basement and floor insulation is critical in conserving energy.
The insulation metric you are looking for here is the “R-value,” which depends on where you live.
The US Department Of Energy defined it as,
“An insulating material’s resistance to conductive heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or R-value — the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The R-value depends on the type of insulation, its thickness, and its density. The R-value of most insulations also depends on temperature, aging, and moisture accumulation.”
Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy discusses this in a lot more detail in the linked article. Check it out to see the R Value for your area by type of insulation such as cavity wall insulation.
Remember though, just like us, a house needs to breathe. So make sure you have adequate ventilation otherwise your health as well as your properties well-bring will suffer.
Install Energy Efficient Windows And Ensure They’re Double Or Triple Glazed
The difference between heat loss between a single and a double-glazed window is tremendous. If you have the opportunity just stand next to a single glazed window in the winter and feel the draft.
Energy efficient windows and doors, again according to the US Department Of Energy, could reduce heat loss by up to 20%.
Lag Your Pipes And Weatherproof Your House
Insulating your pipes, known as lagging, helps to stop them from overheating in the summer and from freezing in the winter. One of the other main benefits is that properly insulated pipes that have an R Value adequate for your location will contribute significantly to saving energy throughout your property.
Change Your Habits
I put this in because this is probably one of the biggest challenges to saving energy. We are all driven by our habits accumulated over many years. Having a mindset of wanting to save energy is the first step in creating the motivation to do it.
Changing our attitudes and way of doing things takes time, so start with something small and build from there. Maybe get into the habit of rinsing a plate with cold water and research fitting a new sustainable solar panel system before buying one.
Summary
Like compound interest, small savings build cumulatively and this will absolutely add up to dramatic savings.
As we have seen becoming more renewable and reducing your carbon footprint is critical for our planet’s survival and your pocket. The best way to do this is through using electricity more, as it’s a cleaner more efficient energy source, and then conserving it where possible. You can do this by saving energy with your electrical appliances, your heating and hot water, your properties insulation and by investing in solar power to generate and store your own electricity and save money.
