There are many ways to save energy in the home. Many times, we turn to experts for some advice or reminders on ways we can be using less and paying less for our energy by reducing needs and becoming more efficient. At BelRed, we pride ourselves on being experts in this area. Another expert is certainly the Department of Energy. The DOE regularly shares some great tips of energy efficiency and energy savings and has a great perspective on our country’s collective energy use. Energy.gov is a resource that can be used for many different things, including getting tips on simple ways to save energy around the home.
Below, you’ll find a summary of some of the main tips from the DOE that will help you save energy in and around the home:
- Wasted air means wasted money. By properly air sealing and weather-stripping your home, you can quickly save a ton of wasted energy and instantly cut back on energy bills.
- Turning your thermostat down during the cold months even a few degrees eight hours a day or more can have drastic savings on the amount of energy required to heat your home. In fact, reducing the set temperature by 7-10 degrees for eight hours a day can save you as much as 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs.
- As we mentioned in this water heating post, reducing the temperature on your water heater can also have a big impact on your energy usage. We detailed additional savings tips for your water heater in our blog post, so please check that out to find out more on this topic.
- It’s a common misconception that strictly using hot water in your washing machine will result in cleaner clothing. Using cool or cold water can be just as effective at getting your clothing clean and can save you a bundle on heating your water.
- Don’t use energy you don’t need! Even a change as simple as using the auto-sleep function on your computer, you can save as much as $30 per year on your electric bill. That’s just one small awareness change that can lead to big savings on electricity.
- Building on the last tip, don’t forget to unplug all appliances when not in use. Shockingly, in the average home, 75 percent of the electricity used to power electronics and appliances is consumed while the products are turned off, which could cost about $100 a year.
It’s very true, even the smallest, simplest changes can make a big impact on your energy bottom line. At BelRed, we’re extremely conscious of energy savings and want to be as informative as possible to consumers regarding this topic. If you’d like to discuss ways to reduce your energy consumption and cut back on energy bills in your home, please contact us today.
