There are so many different things that you can do at home to reduce the amount of energy that you use up. Not only is it a good thing for saving energy in your home, but those tips and habits can help to reduce costs in your home too. Who wouldn’t want to save some money around the house, right? But how simple are the changes, and how easy are they to implement in the home?
If you are looking for some tips to help you choose more sustainable options for your home, meaning that you’re consuming less and spending less, then here are some things to think about.
Turning off the lights when leaving a room
This is something that we should all be doing, and it doesn’t cost a thing! It could save you money, though, so it is definitely worth looking at. It needs to be something that becomes a habit for everyone in the home, making sure that all lights are switched off when leaving a room. Even if you’ll be back in a couple of minutes, that is a couple of minutes that can be using up energy that you don’t need to use up. If you don’t have this down as a habit just yet, give yourself some reminders until it becomes something that you will just subconsciously do. You can save yourself a good amount of your electricity costs when you do this simple thing regularly.
Make the switch to LED lights
If you haven’t already made the switch to LED lights, then it is a simple switch that can save you a lot on your energy bill. LED light bulbs aren’t the kind of light bulbs that compromise on quality and offer no light, which is what some energy-saving light bulbs have done in the past. LED lights can offer good quality lighting, but they can also be stylish in the home. They can be much more efficient than halogen bulbs in the home too. They are pretty affordable these days too, but of course, there is a slight upfront cost to getting them. The amount that they can save you on your energy bills, though, means that they are still definitely worth getting.
Switching to efficient appliances
There are certain appliances that we all need to have in the house. Refrigerators, freezers, ovens, washing machines, dryers, and boilers. But there are some appliances that are going to use up much more energy than others. If you have older models of these kinds of appliances, then they can use up a lot of energy. Newer models of appliances are made to be much more energy efficient, and can cut the electricity that is used by up to half, which is a pretty amazing level of energy saving for your pocket.
Another idea that can help you to reduce how much electricity that you use is installing heat pumps. When you look after the appliances that you have, and maintain them every few years, then they can be working as efficiently as possible. This will help them to work as best as they can, and mean that there is less of a burden on the amount of electricity that is used.
Replace windows and doors
One of the things that can make a difference to how much energy that you use in the home is the kinds of windows and doors that you have. Most homes should have double-glazed windows, at least, but there are some homes that don’t. If you have single-glazed windows, or double-glazed windows that are damaged, then they can let so much cold air into the home, and hot air out of the house. When it comes to winter especially, it can feel like you’re constantly heating your home, meaning the costs can really spiral out of control. If you need to get your windows replaced, then finding a local residential window replacement company will be a good idea. The same goes for doors; if they are old, thin, and not of good quality, they can let the cold air in and the warm air out, which is what you want to avoid.
Reduce your water consumption
There are some easy fixes that you can do to reduce how much water you use in the home. When you save water, you’re not only reducing the cost of your water bill, but you are saving water which is a good thing for the environment. There are simple fixes, though, such as having quicker showers, taking showers instead of baths, and turning the tap off when brushing your teeth. Keeping the tap running for even just a little amount of time can mean a large amount of water will be used up.
Reduce the thermostat by just a small amount
If you want to reduce your thermostat by a couple of degrees, then it can help to reduce the energy that is used. Even if you reduce it by just a couple of degrees or even just one degree, then it can make a big difference and save you a lot of money on your energy costs. If you have a thermostat that is programmable, then that is an even better place to start as it can be more easily controlled and set at different temperatures for different times.
Consider solar-powered devices
There are a lot of solar-powered devices these days, and you will be able to find any kind of device that is solar-powered. Of course, you can get those panels for your home, to be able to really cut your costs of power that you use. You can also sell back some power to the grid, so with solar panels you could even make money (there are upfront costs to getting solar panels, so you need to think about it as a long-term plan if you’re serious about it). When you use some electronics that are solar-powered, then it can help to reduce your maintenance costs, as well as replacement costs of the electronic devices that you have.
Wash your clothing at a lower temperature
When you use your washing machine, do you put all of your clothing on a hot wash automatically? One thing that you can do to reduce the amount of energy that you use, is to wash your clothing on a cold wash. So many laundry capsules and laundry powder can be used on a cold temperature, so there shouldn’t be a worry that you can’t get your clothing clean when washing on cold.
When it comes to drying your laundry, where possible dry clothing naturally. In winter, this could be done on an airer over the bath, for example. The warm air can dry it all out. However, in the summer months, drying clothes outside on an outdoor airer or washing line can do the job, and mean that your dryer isn’t guzzling energy to get your clothes dry. Just thinking outside the box a little can make a big difference.
Wall insulation
Something that can be a big deal to help keep your home running efficiently is when there is both loft and wall insulation in the home. They can go a long way to reduce energy bills and help in lowering your overall energy consumption. More modern homes are usually made to be more energy efficient, but in older homes, adding extra insulation to your home will make a difference.
Check how much energy you are consuming
One thing that you could do is to get an energy assessment done for your house. This will help you to look at the ways that you can cut down your consumption, and then help you to identify ways that you can improve the energy score of your home. When you do this, you’ll be using less energy from the grid, which is where the cost savings for you will come in.
Individual homes can make a difference to the environment
If you think that doing these things can all be well and good to save you money personally, then it is important to note that what you can do alone as an individual household can make a difference to the environment too.
Homes that are much more efficient mean that they use up much less energy. This means that less power or energy is needed to be generated in the first place. As it means that there is less power needed, it means that there are fewer pollutants and less CO2 emitted in the process. No matter how you choose to make your home more energy efficient, taking any steps can help to reduce carbon emissions, which is such a good thing for the environment. When there are fewer emissions, then it leads to an overall reduction in greenhouse gasses that are released into the atmosphere. This means such positive things from improved health of the population to massive improvements to the environment.
Small changes can make a big difference when it comes to energy and your home.
December 30, 2021 at 12:57 am
Nice Aritcle to read.
February 4, 2022 at 9:23 am
I see you’ve mentioned wall insulation. Pipes insulation is another step towards energy efficiency we shouldn’t ignore. It could help reduce heat loss by 25 to 45%!
Thank you for sharing.
March 25, 2022 at 7:30 am
Thanks for sharing! I find it very helpful. To reduce energy consumption, I would also suggest paying attention to your water heater. Water heaters are a necessity to most modern homes. However, the warm water they produce for showers, laundries, and dishwashers comes at a cost. After crunching my annual energy spending numbers, I deduced that my water heater consumed a significant amount of energy. The heater was old and ran round the clock. When researching an alternative, I decided to install a tankless water heater. The result of this change was almost instantaneous. Unlike conventional heaters, demand-type water heaters only function when needed. With a tankless heater, water is heated directly without storage. In doing so, these heaters don’t generate standby energy losses.
April 8, 2022 at 5:14 am
Thank you for sharing such a comprehensive article! And as for solar panels installation, how long does it take for them to pay off?
May 12, 2022 at 9:55 am
Another thing you can and should do to improve your home’s energy efficiency is to clean your air conditioner filters. Pros recommend doing this at least once every three months. Otherwise, dirty filters will make your unit work harder and consume more energy to function.
May 13, 2022 at 4:39 am
Thank you, Amber! I love your posts.
By the way, if you have a swimming pool in your backyard, there’s another thing you should do to save more energy. This is upgrading your pool. Pools do use additional electricity. Upgrading to an Energy Star variable speed pool pump can help you save.
June 9, 2022 at 1:36 am
Yes, regular maintenance helps household appliances work more efficiently. Breakages or even such a thing as accumulated dust can make appliances work harder and consume much energy to function. Besides, it may cause premature failure.
I would suggest paying attention to those appliances in your home that tend to work incessantly: furnaces, boilers, fridges. As they work 24/7, their inefficiency can cost you lots of money.
June 14, 2022 at 6:52 am
Yes, low-quality windows can cost you lots of money. After all, air leaks through low-quality windows can account for 30% of your heating bills! Double-glazed windows are actually a good thing to invest in in order to make the heating and cooling of the house more effective. You can make it even more effective by installing low-e glass.
Read our guide which lists all the benefits of having windows with low-e glass: https://portella.com/blog/what-is-low-e-glass/.
June 15, 2022 at 3:43 am
As for the wall insulation, choose fiberglass or mineral wool for this. Both mineral wool and fiberglass are lightweight, porous substances that trap air, making them some of the best insulating materials. It is also good for insulating against unwanted noise. Using fiberglass is one of the cheapest ways to insulate your home. You can insulate your roof space using fiberglass from as little as $1 per square foot.
If you have any “cold wall” areas in your home (walls that are made of stone or concrete), one option is to hang drywall over them. Drywall is usually made from plasterboard and is a relatively cheap wall covering. If you are hanging drywall, you can incorporate a cavity and include fiberglass insulation as well. Although, obviously, this will reduce the size of our room by however big the cavity is plus the thickness of drywall.
June 25, 2022 at 2:28 am
Thanks for these tips Amber! This guide will provide with some easy ways to save energy and help you save money on your home’s heating and cooling bills. From turning off the lights when you go to bed to making your home more efficient, we’ve got you covered.
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June 25, 2022 at 6:54 am
Thank you for the post. I loved reading your blog post about “The Suburban Socialite”. I really appreciated how you shared information about turning off lights when leaving a room. It’s a simple thing but could save a lot of money. floor polishing adelaide
June 25, 2022 at 11:22 am
There are many ways to save energy and save money when it comes to home energy costs. these tips and ideas, you can help reduce your home energy costs and save money in the process. building inspections nelson bay
June 26, 2022 at 2:53 am
Thanks for sharing great post for energy saving . recent time very great issue for saving energy.
June 26, 2022 at 12:04 pm
This post is very informative for meNewer models of appliances are made to be much more energy efficient, and can cut the electricity that is used by up to half, which is a pretty amazing level of energy saving for your pocket.
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July 1, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Looking for ways to save energy and save money in your home? Check out our blog for ideas on how to make your home more energy efficient! From tips on how to reduce your heating and cooling bill to advice on how to improve your privacy, we have you covered. Solar Specials Perth
July 8, 2022 at 3:24 am
So many good tips here. Thank you! Since it’s high summer, I want to add one more thing about air conditioning. To make it run efficiently, do not forget to replace the air filters regularly. When your air conditioning’s air filter hasn’t been changed in a long time, your system has to work harder to pull air through the filter, which in turn uses more electricity. The frequency of filter replacement depends on many things.
To learn how often your filter should be replaced, check this article: https://servicetoday247.com/how-often-should-you-really-change-your-air-vent-filters/.
August 4, 2022 at 7:19 am
You made a good point about energy-efficient home appliances. When buying an air conditioner, I recommend paying attention to such a thing as the SEER rating. The higher the rate, the more energy efficient the unit. You save about 7% per 1 SEER on electricity costs.
As for furnaces, pay attention to the AFUE rate. According to what HVAC specialists say http://www.edelmaninc.com/4-benefits-of-a-high-efficiency-hvac-system/, if you upgrade to a furnace that has a 90 percent AFUE rating, you can expect to see a ten-percent reduction in your monthly bill.
August 20, 2022 at 8:22 am
Thanks for sharing the great information about the energy saving with us. Really love to this type of articles.
August 20, 2022 at 8:30 am
Thanks for sharing the best tips of energy saving. How much save our money by installing the Solar panel in home.
September 13, 2022 at 7:17 am
Thank you for sharing!
Just want to add a few words about switching to efficient home appliances. If your boiler is old and needs replacement, consider a new, highly efficient gas tankless boiler. It can be a good investment for your home, which will help you to save a tidy sum on heating. Highly efficient gas tankless boilers only call for heat when your thermostat is not satisfied. According to this article https://www.gervaismechanical.com/on-demand-gas-tankless-boilers/, such boilers are over 96% efficient.
July 5, 2023 at 5:17 am
I really appreciate your practical tips for reducing energy consumption at home. It’s amazing how simple changes can lead to significant cost savings and environmental benefits. Turning off lights when leaving a room and switching to LED lights are easy steps that can make a big impact. Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and properly maintaining them is another smart move. I also liked your suggestion of replacing windows and doors to improve insulation. Reducing water consumption and adjusting the thermostat slightly are small adjustments that can result in substantial energy savings. Exploring solar-powered devices and washing clothes in cold water are fantastic ideas too.
July 31, 2023 at 11:05 pm
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