Tips On Saving Energy At Home in 2015
The price of energy can be expensive. Consumers are always looking for ways to use less and save more. Saving money on energy doesn’t mean you have to live in the dark, nor does it mean you have to freeze in the winter or melt in the summer. There are some very simple tricks and tips that can start saving you money on your energy bills right now.
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Unplug
Electric “vampires” are any appliances or gadgets which are plugged in but not in use. Many devices will slowly drain energy even while not in use. Unplugging electrical devices can save you around $100 dollars a year.
The best strategy is to plug everything into a power strip that can easily be flipped off when the devices are not in use. Consumers can even turn off their t.v.s and entertainment systems with no worries. Most contemporary devices are equipped with internal memory which saves settings even when not powered. Some estimates state that 75% of your devices power consumption occurs while the devices are turn off but still plugged in. Simply unplugging can save you money right now.
Buy New Light Bulbs
This might be the one of the cheapest and easiest ways to save money on your electric bill. New energy efficient bulbs save money. New regulations have already been put in place to phase out the old incandescent bulbs. Not only are new bulbs better for the environment they last longer, are cheaper to run, and will save you money over the life of the bulb.
New energy efficient bulbs use almost 80% less energy to run. They also last ten times as long as the old traditional bulbs. Most homes can expect to see saving around $35 over the lifetime of the bulb. Just replacing five frequently used lights can save a home around $60 a year.
Switch Energy Providers
The best way to save money on your energy bill is to pay less for energy. Most consumers are enjoying the benefits of a deregulated energy market. Because of deregulation energy providers compete for market share and that competition can save consumers money every month.
Changing providers is a easy way to save money. A leading voice in Texas energy provision, Reliant writes that deregulation has allowed consumers the “opportunity to find similarities and differences between many electricity providers.” Rates can vary greatly so shop around. They advise that before switching consumers, it is recommended to use online resources like http://www.localelectricitycompanies.com/texas/reliant-energy/ to “read up on many providers without switching from site to site for intensive research.”
Consider Blue Star Appliances
Blue star approved appliances are proving themselves worthy. The blue star is only given to appliances which meet very strict standards of energy consumption. Cleaner and more energy efficient, blue star is earning it’s “green” star. Saving the planet and saving consumers money.
Replacing your major appliances to blue star certified appliances can save a household around $600 a year. Just replacing your refrigerator can save you over $100 dollars a year. That’s a lot of money a year, making this upgrade worth the investment.
Install light timers and motion sensors
This is a very easy and cheap tip to help consumers save money on energy. In-house light timers are cheap, most run around $10. These timers will ensure that all the lights are turned off when not in use. They can be set to turn lights off when people are sleeping or not at home.
Motion sensors are great for outside lighting. They can act as a early warning system helping to secure your home by turning the light on if an unwanted person on the property, and turn themselves off when all motion stops. Having the light remain off until needed helps keep unwanted light out of your windows and saves you money on the electric bill. Depending on the extent of your outside lighting, homes with motion sensors, on average, saved around $100 a year.
Tend to your air conditioner
Clean your air conditioning unit. This one simple efficiency tip can save a home around $65 a year. That’s not bad for a couple hours work. Typical air conditioning maintenance involves cleaning and straightening the fins, changing the filter and lubricating the motor.
For the average home, heating and cooling account for around 50% of the annual electric costs. That’s around $1000 a year. Air conditioner in the direct sun lose about 10% of their energy. So be sure yours is in the shade. If your air conditioner is ready to be replaced, replacing it with a blue star unit can save you about 30% a year.
Seal up your leaks
This goes for water and for air. Leaky pipes can cause major damage if left unattended for too long. Not only that you could be losing hot water and that’s costing you money. Fix any leaks and make sure your water heater is fully sealed. Adding a water heater blanket to your tank is one way to save money on your electric bill.
If your doors and windows leak air, seal them up. Homes can lose large amounts of heat and cool air through bad windows and poorly sealed doors. New weather stripping and window caulking are cheap and easy to install. Spending a weekend sealing up your home’s leaks can save you almost 30% a year on your bills.