Best Ways Conserve At H e More Energy
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Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home The Alternative Daily
Copyright © Splash Campaign, LLC DBA TheAlternativeDaily.com First Edition: May, 2016
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means: Electronic, photocopy, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system. Disclaimer: All material on TheAlternativeDaily.com and in this book are provided for your information only. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate professionals. The content of this book (text, graphics and images) is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or diagnosis. The information and opinions expressed here are believed to be accurate, based on the best judgment available to the authors. Readers who fail to consult with appropriate authorities assume any risk of any injuries. Reliance on any information and content provided by TheAlternativeDaily.com and this book is solely at your own risk. In addition, the information and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of every contributor to TheAlternativeDaily. com. TheAlternativeDaily.com acknowledges occasional differences in opinion and welcomes the exchange of different viewpoints. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home Bills: Like taxes, they’re a virtually unavoidable part of modern life. As we all know, paying bills can bring financial stress to many a household. This is especially true with fluctuating bills, such as your energy bill. One month, it’s reasonable, and the next, it’s sky-high. The good news is, there’s a lot you can do to conserve energy in your home, thus lowering your energy bill. The ways that you use energy at home, including heating, cooling, lights, and washing, all affect the dollar amount on your monthly statement. The following 27 practical tips can help you to avoid those surprise spikes on your energy bill, and keep your energy costs reasonable all year round.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
1. Set up your home for maximum efficiency The way that you organize and decorate your home can affect how much energy you use. For example, if you are in a cold climate, and have south-facing windows, you may want to keep the floors bare near these windows (free of carpet), particularly in the winter, since harder surfaces, like wood and particularly concrete, represent excellent places to soak up the sun (called a heat sink), radiating this heat into your room well into the evening hours. Conversely, if you are trying to prevent floors from radiating the heat from the sun, consider blocking the sun out by having reflective or light-colored curtains on these windows (see #14 for more details). The way that you paint your home can also make a difference. Light colors reflect heat, while dark colors absorb it. Keep this in mind when coming up with a color scheme for your rooms. When organizing a room, place lamps in the corners of a room, so that light can reflect off two walls. This could reduce the amount of electricity you need to provide adequate lighting. Also, keep televisions, lamps, and other electronics away from your thermostat. When heat-emitting appliances are placed too close to a thermostat, it may put your air conditioning into overdrive. Perhaps most importantly, leave plenty of space around your HVAC unit. If you pile things next to it, or over it, it may not work as it should.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
2. Turn off the lights When you leave a room, turn off the lights. It seems obvious, but we often forget! Sometimes, we have to leave a room but intend to come right back, so we leave the lights on. As we all know, we’re often gone from that room for longer than we intended, and the lights keep shining, and eating away at the energy bill. Even if you’re just gone for a few moments, those moments add up. So, when you leave a room, flick the switch off. It’s not hard to turn back on! Also, make sure you’re not using more lights than you need. Sometimes, in the evening or nighttime, we need an overhead light and a desk lamp. However, when we walk away from our desks, that light is no longer needed. Be sure you’re only using the lights you need, and turn off the ones you’re not using — even if it’s for a short time.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
3. Switch to energy-saving light bulbs Lighting your home accounts for a major chunk of your energy bill. The light bulbs that you choose can greatly affect your energy consumption. One easy way to conserve energy is to replace all of the light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs, also known as CFLs. Using these bulbs can save you up to 75 percent of the energy that incandescent bulbs use. Plus, they last longer, so you won’t have to replace them as often. Another problem with incandescent bulbs is that they generate heat. This can actually make your house warmer, negating some of the efforts of your air conditioner, and forcing it to work a bit harder. Plus, they can be a fire hazard. CFL bulbs don’t get as hot, reducing this worry, as well.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
4. Unplug those chargers This is one that many of us are guilty of: leaving our cell phones and other chargeable items on the charger for too long — or even all day or night. The problem is, if they remain plugged into the wall, many of these devices keep sucking up energy even after they are charged. This leads to a totally unnecessary waste of energy. The simple solution is to unplug your cell phone, electric shaver, and other devices as soon as they’re done charging. Listen for the little beep, or watch for the light to go on or off indicating that charging is finished. Of course, some of these devices won’t tell you when charging is complete — choosing ones that do can lead to energy savings over time.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
5. Turn off your power strips Power strips are a safe and efficient way to keep all of your essentials plugged in — as long as you don’t overcrowd them. It also makes it easy to turn off all of your electronics, which may be sucking energy when they’re not in use. Simply flip the switch on your power strip. This can be especially useful with electronics that have a “standby” setting, such as a digital clock or other type of display. These “standby” settings can use energy even when the main power setting is not on. Therefore, they should be turned off completely when not in use. Plugging them into a power strip and turning off the power strip is an easy and efficient way to take care of this — that way, you don’t have to keep track of all those individual plugs.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
6. Opt for a laptop Laptops use less energy than desktop computers. Whenever possible, opt to boot up a laptop instead of a desktop model. If you’re shopping for a new computer, choosing a laptop may be great not only for portability and convenience, but also for energy savings. Whether you’re using a laptop or desktop computer, use sleep mode instead of a screen saver. Running that screen saver, although it may show pretty pictures, takes up more energy. When possible, shut your computer down, but if you need it on but aren’t using it for a few minutes, let it sleep. 7. Invest in insulation Proper insulation not only keeps your home warm, it also keeps it cool. It is worthwhile to consider an insulation update for your attic and walls. For the attic, go for R-30 insulation, and for walls, injected foam insulation can do the trick. A building supply company in your area can provide all of the materials that you need. Insulation can help to keep hot air from seeping into your home in the summer. This can save you a lot on your energy bill, as it may reduce your need for air conditioning.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
8. Program your thermostat If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, it may be time to invest in one, potentially resulting in significant energy savings over time. You can set up a programmable thermostat to switch to varying temperatures for different times of day. For example, in the colder months, set it five to 10 degrees lower when you are away from the house in the middle of the day, and you’ll have one less thing to remember during the morning rush to get to work. You can also set it to raise the temperature a few degrees in the hour before you come home, so your house is a comfortable temperature for your return. In the summer, you can do the same thing in reverse: set the AC temperature a few degrees higher when you are away, and cool it to your comfort only when you need to. Some programmable thermostat systems even let you set a different temperature for different floors, or for individual rooms. If all bedrooms are upstairs, for example, you can lower (or raise, in the case of warm weather) the downstairs temperature at night, and upstairs when you are not using the bedrooms. One more thing: use the “auto” setting on your thermostat, instead of the “on” setting. When you use auto, the air automatically shuts off when the room has reached the desired temperature, instead of running continuously and wasting your hard-earned dollars.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
9. Don’t turn the heat or AC off While it may seem to make sense to turn off the heat or air conditioning completely when you’re not home, or not on a particular floor of the house, this can actually lead to a spike in your energy bill. This is because it takes a lot of energy to bring the temperature in your home back up or down. For example, if you turn the heat in your home off in the winter, and the temperature drops to 45 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re not home, it takes a lot of energy to heat it back up to 70 degrees when you return. Conversely, if you turn off your air conditioner, it takes a lot of energy to cool your home down to 70 degrees from 85 degrees if you leave your air conditioning off on a hot summer day. As a general rule, in the cooler months, keep your heat set to about 60 degrees when you’re not using it. In the warmer months, keep the air conditioner set to about 78 degrees. The closer the temperature in your home is to the outside temperature, the less energy it will take to heat or cool it.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
10. Pay attention to your vents If your vents get dirty or dusty, it may inhibit the amount of air that is able to flow through them. Make sure to clean these on a regular basis. Some of the vents in your home may be hidden — take a good look around to ensure that there aren’t any that you’ve overlooked. If your ventilation system is old or dirty, it may help to vacuum inside the vents, as well. When running the heat or air conditioning, limit the amount of air going into unused rooms by adjusting the vents. While you probably don’t want to close the vents completely, since that may result in significant temperature variation in that room, which may cause condensation on your walls and result in mould growth, you also don’t want to waste energy by sending a large amount of heating or cooling into a room you do not use.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
11. Use fans in tandem with AC To save on air conditioning costs, harness the power of fans. According to Duke Energy, a ceiling fan uses about the same amount of electricity as a standard light bulb, and can lower the temperature of a room by about three or four degrees. On days when the temperature is moderate, you may need only the fan. When it’s very hot, the fan along with the air conditioning can make your home the perfect temperature, without the need to blast the AC excessively. Just be sure to turn off the fan when you leave a room; just like the lights, there is no reason to leave these on when no one is using them. All of those minutes add up.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
12. Turn down the heat at night Most people sleep better in a cooler room. So, why is your thermostat set to the same temperature as it is during the day? During the cold season, try turning your thermostat down a couple of degrees at night. Between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit works well for most people. Feel chilly? You can always wear those warm winter pajamas, or grab an extra blanket. In the warmer months, don’t set your AC too low. If you use fans, as mentioned above, you can keep your AC at a reasonable temperature, and still feel nice and cool at night. Keep one pointed at your bed, and you’ll feel the cool breeze all night long. 13. Don’t overuse space heaters While space heaters may seem like an attractive heating option, they may rack up your bill significantly if you use them all over the house. If you only want to keep a very small space warm, it’s not a bad idea to turn down the heat and use a space heater. However, using a lot of these is bad news for your wallet. The Department of Energy states that using a central heating system is less expensive for heating your home than using individual space heaters. In fact, the Department of Energy estimates that using a gas furnace only racks up about 43 percent of the cost of using space heaters to heat the same area. Additionally, space heaters can be dangerous, especially if left unattended. If you do decide to use them, always turn them off and unplug them when you’re not in the room.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
14. Block out the hot sun in summer On hot, sunny days, the sun can be oppressive, and raise the heat in your home rapidly. One way to cool it down without blasting the AC is to utilize drapes, shades, and blinds. Hang lightly-colored curtains over windows so that you can still enjoy the sun’s light while keeping out some of the heat. If there are one or two windows in particular that seem to let more sun in than the others, consider a lightly-colored shade to mitigate the heat coming in. You could even hang an awning outside to shade your home. If you’ve got a green thumb, planting some shrubs near windows can help to increase the amount of shade around your home. If you’re a really avid gardener, plant some saplings, and watch them grow into shade-producing trees!
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
15. Change your air filters often One big cause of an inefficient heating and cooling system is a dirty air filter. Think about it: when air filters get clogged with dirt, dust and hair, air cannot flow through them freely. This can make your home’s system work much harder than it needs to. Change the air filters in your home at least once a month. If you run the heat or AC a lot, or if you live in an older home with an especially dusty vent system, you may want to check the filters more often, and change them when they are dirty. Make sure you know where all the air filters in your home are located so that you can change them all as often as necessary. This keeps the air in your home flowing, and avoids putting unnecessary strain on your home heating and cooling system. 16. Maximize your use of fresh air While this may be less practical in the winter, especially in cold climates, open windows are your best friend in the spring and summer, and even in the early fall. In spring, open windows throughout your home during the warmest part of the day. Then, close them when it starts to get chilly — the heat will likely carry you through for at least a few hours. In summer, even if you have to run the air conditioning during the day, and through the night, open the windows during the cooler part of the evening, and let the fresh outside air cool your home for free.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
17. Keep inside doors open When cooling your home, open up as many inside doors as you can. This allows cool air to flow through your home unencumbered. Your home will cool down faster this way. If you have an air conditioning unit only in one room, open up all the doors, and strategically place fans to blow the cool air throughout your home. 18. Check your home for “energy leaks” Inspect your home for any places that air may be getting in, or out. Make sure doors leading to the outside are properly sealed. The same goes for windows. While typical residential doors are not completely airtight, they shouldn’t be letting too much air get through, either. Another place that leaks can cause spikes in your energy bill is your refrigerator. If you see moisture accumulating in your fridge, or feel cool air around the door when it is closed, you may have a problem. Make sure that the door seals are in good condition, and replace them if necessary. If replacing the door seals doesn’t do the trick, it may be time for a new fridge. Consider an energy-efficient model for maximum savings.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
19. Focus on your fridge and freezer Speaking of refrigerators, when is the last time you cleaned behind it? Keeping your refrigerator coils dustfree can help lower your energy costs. Using a duster or a coil vacuum can do the trick. Clean this area as often as you dust other areas of your home. For maximum fridge efficiency, set the inside temperature to between 30 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re in the market for a new fridge, you may want to consider one with a power save switch — this can lower costs even further. Oh, and as far as the freezer, it’s best to keep it stocked. It takes more energy to keep an empty freezer cool than a full one. Even if you have to keep it full of ice or water jugs, it’s better than leaving it empty.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
20. When the situation permits, use candles As long as you follow proper fire safety measures, and never leave them unattended, candles can be a great option when you only need dim lighting. Examples include a low-lit dinner, hanging out in the living room watching a movie, or sitting in the backyard in the evening and enjoying some conversation. Candles are obviously not the best option when you need more light, when reading for example, or if there are small children running rampant nearby. However, if a little light is all you need and the kids aren’t in danger of running into them, using candles now and then can save you a lot of money over time. For an added benefit, if you place beeswax candles infused with citronella essential oil on stakes in your backyard, it can help keep those pesky summer mosquitoes away.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
21. Don’t let your water heater drain your cash Water heaters account for quite a bit of your energy costs. We all need them, but there are things you can do to make yours more efficient. First of all, lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will ensure that you’ll have water hot enough for your needs, without heating it hotter than it needs to be. Many water heaters are set to 140. Not only is this inefficient, it can also lead to burns. Secondly, you may want to install a timer on your water heater so that it is not running when you are not home. If you are going on vacation or aren’t going to be home for a few days, turn it off. Most water heaters only take about an hour to heat up plenty of water, so you won’t have to wait long when you get back. Lastly, Duke Energy recommends insulating the first six feet of water pipes connected to your water heater. This helps to lower energy bills. Additionally, check your hot water pipes for leaks occasionally: if they’re leaking, they’re draining energy as well.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
22. Rethink the way you wash your clothes A washing machine is a significant energy expense, and especially if you’ve got a lot of people in your family, you’re likely doing laundry pretty often. Hand-washing clothing probably isn’t a practical option for most people, but there are ways to use less energy when using the washing machine. One of the most significant changes you can make is to always wash your clothes in cold water. Unless you’ve got an especially greasy or muddy mess to clean off your clothes, cold water works just as well as hot. Also, be sure that you wash a full load every time you do laundry, so that you are not wasting space and running extra loads for no reason. Separate your laundry not only into lights and darks, but also into light and heavy fabrics. Dry fabrics of similar weight together to cut down on drying time. We’ve all had the experience of the light clothes in the dryer drying first, and the heavy ones remaining wet, and re-wetting the light clothes. Lastly, doing your loads of laundry back to back is more energy-efficient than spreading them out, because the dryer uses more energy heating up. If you don’t allow it to cool down all the way between loads, it will use less energy.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
23. Line-dry your clothing Whenever possible, air-dry your laundry instead of throwing it in the dryer. While this may not be practical in the winter for those living in cold climates, during the other seasons, hang a line in your backyard, and let the wind and sun do the work! Line-drying works particularly well for lighter clothes and sheets — they’ll dry quickly, and they’ll be wrinkle-free. Plus, you’ll add an amazing outdoor freshness to your sheets and dress shirts that no dryer can replicate! If you don’t have room outdoors, you can still dry your lighter clothes on hangers around the house. It may take a bit longer, but it will save you money.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
24. Cook in bulk Choosing one or two nights a week to cook large amounts of food to eat throughout the week can be more energy-efficient than cooking a smaller meal every night. Plus, bulk cooking saves you time. Simply cook as large a meal as your oven or stovetop will allow, portion into containers, and refrigerate or freeze for use throughout the week. Bonus points for using a toaster oven or countertop grill; these use less energy than the oven. 25. Apply a reflective coating to your roof This, of course, comes with an initial cost. However, once you apply a reflective coating to your roof, it can decrease the amount of heat that comes into your house. Since your home will be cooler in the summertime, your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to cool your home to a comfortable temperature. If you’re ready for a roof upgrade, there are energy-efficient roofs available. Talk to your local roofing company about these options, and how much they can save you.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
26. Consider a solar upgrade Using solar power to replace or supplement your main source of power may save you a lot of money. Not only is it a much greener choice, but some energy companies are even willing to buy energy from you if you get your home equipped with photovoltaic panels. Check with your power company to see what your options are. 27. Schedule a home energy consultation To see what energy-wasting traps your home may have, it is wise to schedule a home energy consultation with an expert. These consultations can determine how energy efficient your home is, and what areas need improvement. For example, you’ll find out the rating on your air conditioning system, discover any household leaks, and get to know the energy consumption of your appliances. Equipped with this knowledge, you can choose what to repair, and what to replace, for maximum energy conservation. A home energy consultant can also inform you on the renewable energy options in your area, and how much they can save your household on energy bills. There you have it! By following these 27 practical steps, you may soon find energy bill worries are a thing of the past! As an added bonus, you will reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a greener planet… it is a win, win! © TheAlternativeDaily.com
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The Alternative Daily
Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home The Alternative Daily
Copyright © Splash Campaign, LLC DBA TheAlternativeDaily.com First Edition: May, 2016
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means: Electronic, photocopy, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system. Disclaimer: All material on TheAlternativeDaily.com and in this book are provided for your information only. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate professionals. The content of this book (text, graphics and images) is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or diagnosis. The information and opinions expressed here are believed to be accurate, based on the best judgment available to the authors. Readers who fail to consult with appropriate authorities assume any risk of any injuries. Reliance on any information and content provided by TheAlternativeDaily.com and this book is solely at your own risk. In addition, the information and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of every contributor to TheAlternativeDaily. com. TheAlternativeDaily.com acknowledges occasional differences in opinion and welcomes the exchange of different viewpoints. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home Bills: Like taxes, they’re a virtually unavoidable part of modern life. As we all know, paying bills can bring financial stress to many a household. This is especially true with fluctuating bills, such as your energy bill. One month, it’s reasonable, and the next, it’s sky-high. The good news is, there’s a lot you can do to conserve energy in your home, thus lowering your energy bill. The ways that you use energy at home, including heating, cooling, lights, and washing, all affect the dollar amount on your monthly statement. The following 27 practical tips can help you to avoid those surprise spikes on your energy bill, and keep your energy costs reasonable all year round.
© TheAlternativeDaily.com
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
1. Set up your home for maximum efficiency The way that you organize and decorate your home can affect how much energy you use. For example, if you are in a cold climate, and have south-facing windows, you may want to keep the floors bare near these windows (free of carpet), particularly in the winter, since harder surfaces, like wood and particularly concrete, represent excellent places to soak up the sun (called a heat sink), radiating this heat into your room well into the evening hours. Conversely, if you are trying to prevent floors from radiating the heat from the sun, consider blocking the sun out by having reflective or light-colored curtains on these windows (see #14 for more details). The way that you paint your home can also make a difference. Light colors reflect heat, while dark colors absorb it. Keep this in mind when coming up with a color scheme for your rooms. When organizing a room, place lamps in the corners of a room, so that light can reflect off two walls. This could reduce the amount of electricity you need to provide adequate lighting. Also, keep televisions, lamps, and other electronics away from your thermostat. When heat-emitting appliances are placed too close to a thermostat, it may put your air conditioning into overdrive. Perhaps most importantly, leave plenty of space around your HVAC unit. If you pile things next to it, or over it, it may not work as it should.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
2. Turn off the lights When you leave a room, turn off the lights. It seems obvious, but we often forget! Sometimes, we have to leave a room but intend to come right back, so we leave the lights on. As we all know, we’re often gone from that room for longer than we intended, and the lights keep shining, and eating away at the energy bill. Even if you’re just gone for a few moments, those moments add up. So, when you leave a room, flick the switch off. It’s not hard to turn back on! Also, make sure you’re not using more lights than you need. Sometimes, in the evening or nighttime, we need an overhead light and a desk lamp. However, when we walk away from our desks, that light is no longer needed. Be sure you’re only using the lights you need, and turn off the ones you’re not using — even if it’s for a short time.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
3. Switch to energy-saving light bulbs Lighting your home accounts for a major chunk of your energy bill. The light bulbs that you choose can greatly affect your energy consumption. One easy way to conserve energy is to replace all of the light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs, also known as CFLs. Using these bulbs can save you up to 75 percent of the energy that incandescent bulbs use. Plus, they last longer, so you won’t have to replace them as often. Another problem with incandescent bulbs is that they generate heat. This can actually make your house warmer, negating some of the efforts of your air conditioner, and forcing it to work a bit harder. Plus, they can be a fire hazard. CFL bulbs don’t get as hot, reducing this worry, as well.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
4. Unplug those chargers This is one that many of us are guilty of: leaving our cell phones and other chargeable items on the charger for too long — or even all day or night. The problem is, if they remain plugged into the wall, many of these devices keep sucking up energy even after they are charged. This leads to a totally unnecessary waste of energy. The simple solution is to unplug your cell phone, electric shaver, and other devices as soon as they’re done charging. Listen for the little beep, or watch for the light to go on or off indicating that charging is finished. Of course, some of these devices won’t tell you when charging is complete — choosing ones that do can lead to energy savings over time.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
5. Turn off your power strips Power strips are a safe and efficient way to keep all of your essentials plugged in — as long as you don’t overcrowd them. It also makes it easy to turn off all of your electronics, which may be sucking energy when they’re not in use. Simply flip the switch on your power strip. This can be especially useful with electronics that have a “standby” setting, such as a digital clock or other type of display. These “standby” settings can use energy even when the main power setting is not on. Therefore, they should be turned off completely when not in use. Plugging them into a power strip and turning off the power strip is an easy and efficient way to take care of this — that way, you don’t have to keep track of all those individual plugs.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
6. Opt for a laptop Laptops use less energy than desktop computers. Whenever possible, opt to boot up a laptop instead of a desktop model. If you’re shopping for a new computer, choosing a laptop may be great not only for portability and convenience, but also for energy savings. Whether you’re using a laptop or desktop computer, use sleep mode instead of a screen saver. Running that screen saver, although it may show pretty pictures, takes up more energy. When possible, shut your computer down, but if you need it on but aren’t using it for a few minutes, let it sleep. 7. Invest in insulation Proper insulation not only keeps your home warm, it also keeps it cool. It is worthwhile to consider an insulation update for your attic and walls. For the attic, go for R-30 insulation, and for walls, injected foam insulation can do the trick. A building supply company in your area can provide all of the materials that you need. Insulation can help to keep hot air from seeping into your home in the summer. This can save you a lot on your energy bill, as it may reduce your need for air conditioning.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
8. Program your thermostat If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, it may be time to invest in one, potentially resulting in significant energy savings over time. You can set up a programmable thermostat to switch to varying temperatures for different times of day. For example, in the colder months, set it five to 10 degrees lower when you are away from the house in the middle of the day, and you’ll have one less thing to remember during the morning rush to get to work. You can also set it to raise the temperature a few degrees in the hour before you come home, so your house is a comfortable temperature for your return. In the summer, you can do the same thing in reverse: set the AC temperature a few degrees higher when you are away, and cool it to your comfort only when you need to. Some programmable thermostat systems even let you set a different temperature for different floors, or for individual rooms. If all bedrooms are upstairs, for example, you can lower (or raise, in the case of warm weather) the downstairs temperature at night, and upstairs when you are not using the bedrooms. One more thing: use the “auto” setting on your thermostat, instead of the “on” setting. When you use auto, the air automatically shuts off when the room has reached the desired temperature, instead of running continuously and wasting your hard-earned dollars.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
9. Don’t turn the heat or AC off While it may seem to make sense to turn off the heat or air conditioning completely when you’re not home, or not on a particular floor of the house, this can actually lead to a spike in your energy bill. This is because it takes a lot of energy to bring the temperature in your home back up or down. For example, if you turn the heat in your home off in the winter, and the temperature drops to 45 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re not home, it takes a lot of energy to heat it back up to 70 degrees when you return. Conversely, if you turn off your air conditioner, it takes a lot of energy to cool your home down to 70 degrees from 85 degrees if you leave your air conditioning off on a hot summer day. As a general rule, in the cooler months, keep your heat set to about 60 degrees when you’re not using it. In the warmer months, keep the air conditioner set to about 78 degrees. The closer the temperature in your home is to the outside temperature, the less energy it will take to heat or cool it.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
10. Pay attention to your vents If your vents get dirty or dusty, it may inhibit the amount of air that is able to flow through them. Make sure to clean these on a regular basis. Some of the vents in your home may be hidden — take a good look around to ensure that there aren’t any that you’ve overlooked. If your ventilation system is old or dirty, it may help to vacuum inside the vents, as well. When running the heat or air conditioning, limit the amount of air going into unused rooms by adjusting the vents. While you probably don’t want to close the vents completely, since that may result in significant temperature variation in that room, which may cause condensation on your walls and result in mould growth, you also don’t want to waste energy by sending a large amount of heating or cooling into a room you do not use.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
11. Use fans in tandem with AC To save on air conditioning costs, harness the power of fans. According to Duke Energy, a ceiling fan uses about the same amount of electricity as a standard light bulb, and can lower the temperature of a room by about three or four degrees. On days when the temperature is moderate, you may need only the fan. When it’s very hot, the fan along with the air conditioning can make your home the perfect temperature, without the need to blast the AC excessively. Just be sure to turn off the fan when you leave a room; just like the lights, there is no reason to leave these on when no one is using them. All of those minutes add up.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
12. Turn down the heat at night Most people sleep better in a cooler room. So, why is your thermostat set to the same temperature as it is during the day? During the cold season, try turning your thermostat down a couple of degrees at night. Between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit works well for most people. Feel chilly? You can always wear those warm winter pajamas, or grab an extra blanket. In the warmer months, don’t set your AC too low. If you use fans, as mentioned above, you can keep your AC at a reasonable temperature, and still feel nice and cool at night. Keep one pointed at your bed, and you’ll feel the cool breeze all night long. 13. Don’t overuse space heaters While space heaters may seem like an attractive heating option, they may rack up your bill significantly if you use them all over the house. If you only want to keep a very small space warm, it’s not a bad idea to turn down the heat and use a space heater. However, using a lot of these is bad news for your wallet. The Department of Energy states that using a central heating system is less expensive for heating your home than using individual space heaters. In fact, the Department of Energy estimates that using a gas furnace only racks up about 43 percent of the cost of using space heaters to heat the same area. Additionally, space heaters can be dangerous, especially if left unattended. If you do decide to use them, always turn them off and unplug them when you’re not in the room.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
14. Block out the hot sun in summer On hot, sunny days, the sun can be oppressive, and raise the heat in your home rapidly. One way to cool it down without blasting the AC is to utilize drapes, shades, and blinds. Hang lightly-colored curtains over windows so that you can still enjoy the sun’s light while keeping out some of the heat. If there are one or two windows in particular that seem to let more sun in than the others, consider a lightly-colored shade to mitigate the heat coming in. You could even hang an awning outside to shade your home. If you’ve got a green thumb, planting some shrubs near windows can help to increase the amount of shade around your home. If you’re a really avid gardener, plant some saplings, and watch them grow into shade-producing trees!
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
15. Change your air filters often One big cause of an inefficient heating and cooling system is a dirty air filter. Think about it: when air filters get clogged with dirt, dust and hair, air cannot flow through them freely. This can make your home’s system work much harder than it needs to. Change the air filters in your home at least once a month. If you run the heat or AC a lot, or if you live in an older home with an especially dusty vent system, you may want to check the filters more often, and change them when they are dirty. Make sure you know where all the air filters in your home are located so that you can change them all as often as necessary. This keeps the air in your home flowing, and avoids putting unnecessary strain on your home heating and cooling system. 16. Maximize your use of fresh air While this may be less practical in the winter, especially in cold climates, open windows are your best friend in the spring and summer, and even in the early fall. In spring, open windows throughout your home during the warmest part of the day. Then, close them when it starts to get chilly — the heat will likely carry you through for at least a few hours. In summer, even if you have to run the air conditioning during the day, and through the night, open the windows during the cooler part of the evening, and let the fresh outside air cool your home for free.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
17. Keep inside doors open When cooling your home, open up as many inside doors as you can. This allows cool air to flow through your home unencumbered. Your home will cool down faster this way. If you have an air conditioning unit only in one room, open up all the doors, and strategically place fans to blow the cool air throughout your home. 18. Check your home for “energy leaks” Inspect your home for any places that air may be getting in, or out. Make sure doors leading to the outside are properly sealed. The same goes for windows. While typical residential doors are not completely airtight, they shouldn’t be letting too much air get through, either. Another place that leaks can cause spikes in your energy bill is your refrigerator. If you see moisture accumulating in your fridge, or feel cool air around the door when it is closed, you may have a problem. Make sure that the door seals are in good condition, and replace them if necessary. If replacing the door seals doesn’t do the trick, it may be time for a new fridge. Consider an energy-efficient model for maximum savings.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
19. Focus on your fridge and freezer Speaking of refrigerators, when is the last time you cleaned behind it? Keeping your refrigerator coils dustfree can help lower your energy costs. Using a duster or a coil vacuum can do the trick. Clean this area as often as you dust other areas of your home. For maximum fridge efficiency, set the inside temperature to between 30 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re in the market for a new fridge, you may want to consider one with a power save switch — this can lower costs even further. Oh, and as far as the freezer, it’s best to keep it stocked. It takes more energy to keep an empty freezer cool than a full one. Even if you have to keep it full of ice or water jugs, it’s better than leaving it empty.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
20. When the situation permits, use candles As long as you follow proper fire safety measures, and never leave them unattended, candles can be a great option when you only need dim lighting. Examples include a low-lit dinner, hanging out in the living room watching a movie, or sitting in the backyard in the evening and enjoying some conversation. Candles are obviously not the best option when you need more light, when reading for example, or if there are small children running rampant nearby. However, if a little light is all you need and the kids aren’t in danger of running into them, using candles now and then can save you a lot of money over time. For an added benefit, if you place beeswax candles infused with citronella essential oil on stakes in your backyard, it can help keep those pesky summer mosquitoes away.
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27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
21. Don’t let your water heater drain your cash Water heaters account for quite a bit of your energy costs. We all need them, but there are things you can do to make yours more efficient. First of all, lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will ensure that you’ll have water hot enough for your needs, without heating it hotter than it needs to be. Many water heaters are set to 140. Not only is this inefficient, it can also lead to burns. Secondly, you may want to install a timer on your water heater so that it is not running when you are not home. If you are going on vacation or aren’t going to be home for a few days, turn it off. Most water heaters only take about an hour to heat up plenty of water, so you won’t have to wait long when you get back. Lastly, Duke Energy recommends insulating the first six feet of water pipes connected to your water heater. This helps to lower energy bills. Additionally, check your hot water pipes for leaks occasionally: if they’re leaking, they’re draining energy as well.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
22. Rethink the way you wash your clothes A washing machine is a significant energy expense, and especially if you’ve got a lot of people in your family, you’re likely doing laundry pretty often. Hand-washing clothing probably isn’t a practical option for most people, but there are ways to use less energy when using the washing machine. One of the most significant changes you can make is to always wash your clothes in cold water. Unless you’ve got an especially greasy or muddy mess to clean off your clothes, cold water works just as well as hot. Also, be sure that you wash a full load every time you do laundry, so that you are not wasting space and running extra loads for no reason. Separate your laundry not only into lights and darks, but also into light and heavy fabrics. Dry fabrics of similar weight together to cut down on drying time. We’ve all had the experience of the light clothes in the dryer drying first, and the heavy ones remaining wet, and re-wetting the light clothes. Lastly, doing your loads of laundry back to back is more energy-efficient than spreading them out, because the dryer uses more energy heating up. If you don’t allow it to cool down all the way between loads, it will use less energy.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
23. Line-dry your clothing Whenever possible, air-dry your laundry instead of throwing it in the dryer. While this may not be practical in the winter for those living in cold climates, during the other seasons, hang a line in your backyard, and let the wind and sun do the work! Line-drying works particularly well for lighter clothes and sheets — they’ll dry quickly, and they’ll be wrinkle-free. Plus, you’ll add an amazing outdoor freshness to your sheets and dress shirts that no dryer can replicate! If you don’t have room outdoors, you can still dry your lighter clothes on hangers around the house. It may take a bit longer, but it will save you money.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
24. Cook in bulk Choosing one or two nights a week to cook large amounts of food to eat throughout the week can be more energy-efficient than cooking a smaller meal every night. Plus, bulk cooking saves you time. Simply cook as large a meal as your oven or stovetop will allow, portion into containers, and refrigerate or freeze for use throughout the week. Bonus points for using a toaster oven or countertop grill; these use less energy than the oven. 25. Apply a reflective coating to your roof This, of course, comes with an initial cost. However, once you apply a reflective coating to your roof, it can decrease the amount of heat that comes into your house. Since your home will be cooler in the summertime, your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to cool your home to a comfortable temperature. If you’re ready for a roof upgrade, there are energy-efficient roofs available. Talk to your local roofing company about these options, and how much they can save you.
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The Alternative Daily
27 Best Ways To Conserve More Energy (And Save Money) At Home
26. Consider a solar upgrade Using solar power to replace or supplement your main source of power may save you a lot of money. Not only is it a much greener choice, but some energy companies are even willing to buy energy from you if you get your home equipped with photovoltaic panels. Check with your power company to see what your options are. 27. Schedule a home energy consultation To see what energy-wasting traps your home may have, it is wise to schedule a home energy consultation with an expert. These consultations can determine how energy efficient your home is, and what areas need improvement. For example, you’ll find out the rating on your air conditioning system, discover any household leaks, and get to know the energy consumption of your appliances. Equipped with this knowledge, you can choose what to repair, and what to replace, for maximum energy conservation. A home energy consultant can also inform you on the renewable energy options in your area, and how much they can save your household on energy bills. There you have it! By following these 27 practical steps, you may soon find energy bill worries are a thing of the past! As an added bonus, you will reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a greener planet… it is a win, win! © TheAlternativeDaily.com
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