There are a lot of things we can do to save energy and consequently save money on our electric bill including buying energy efficient appliances and upgrading our electrical systems.
But you don’t always have to go big to save money.
Here’s a look at simple and inexpensive ways to save electricity around the home from the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Keep anything that creates heat away from your thermostat. Items like lamps and TVs create heat, which make their way up to the thermostat, causing it register that heat. In the summer, it can cause your air conditioning stay on longer, and in the winter, kick it off sooner before the house is fully heated.
- Lighting makes up about 10 percent of home energy costs, but those figures still reflect widespread use of incandescent bulbs. You can save up to 75 percent of that energy by replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). They also last longer, saving money on replacements.
- Run your air conditioner at a higher temperature. Cooling your house to 78 degrees instead of 72 can save you six to 18 percent on your cooling bill.
- Most households lose about 20 percent of their heated and cooled air through the duct system that vents the house to the outdoors. To help stop that, a duct inspection can find broken seals, which can be fixed and even insulated.
- Heating water can account for up to 25 percent of the energy consumed in your home. By turning own the temperature of your water heater, you can save energy. A warm setting of about 120°F is recommended.
- We love our ovens, but they can use up a lot of energy. Try using a microwave, toaster, or counter-top grill instead. By using these smaller appliances, they won’t heat up the kitchen and help keep it cooler.
- We all do this. It’s an energy vampire—an appliance that sucks up energy by being plugged in all day and not being used. Heading out to work? Turn off and unplug your computer. Leaving a computer on all day can cost about 21 cents per day, or about $75 per year. By getting in the habit of doing this, it will save you money. But computers aren’t the only thing that should be unplugged. Any electronics or appliances should be unplugged when not in use.
- This last tip is not only a money-saver, but a time-saver as well. By purchasing a programmable thermostats, according to Energy.gov, you can save up to $150 a year on energy costs when used properly. If you get a thermostat that can turn off your heating and cooling systems when you are not home, and then turn it back on when you are, you’ll save both energy and time.
Do you live in Salem County, Cumberland County, or Gloucester County and need help with saving home or business energy costs? Give us a call at 856.769.3932.