Do you know that energy is being lost in your home right this very moment? Money is literally getting burned by your inability not to waste energy and control your use of electricity. In fact, there have been studies that showed a huge portion of your electricity bill goes to energy wasted in the home. Can you imagine pouring in hundreds of dollars down the drain? That is what’s happening when you don’t take care of your energy usage, and you are not conscious enough about how you might be wasting energy in the home.
The average electricity being used in the home will increase over time because of gadgets and devices. In the past, the only energy-dependent appliance inside the home is an oven, refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, lights, fan, and heating and cooling systems. Today, you’d have chargers for smartphones and laptops. You’ll have voice-activated devices, as well as a smart television that can act as a computer as well. From the moment you wake up until you fall asleep, devices are running nonstop inside your house. Why will you ever wonder that your electricity bill is through the roof?
This is why most households are now considering solar electricity for homes. These are the most practical way to make your home more energy-efficient as it literally uses energy from the sun to power your house. In fact, in many cases, you can even give back excess energy the panels produced to the electric grid. This will reduce the cost of your electric bill more.
Leaving Your Appliances Plugged
Vampire power is a reality that every homeowner must know about. It refers to the power devices are wasting when they are plugged in despite not being used. Standby power, in fact, wastes 10% of your total electricity use. A quick and simple change in your activities will change this. For example, turning off your computer when it is not in use will save energy in the long run. Do that with other appliances, too.
Not Using Standby Power Efficiently
Although vampire power is bad, it is also bad not to use standby mode as it was intended to be used. When does this become handy? For example, you cannot sleep without watching something on TV. But you also always fall asleep while something is on. When you don’t have the standby or sleep mode turned on, the TV will run until you wake up in the morning and turn it off. It’s a complete waste of power. The ideal solution is to turn on the sleep mode so the TV will turn off after a set amount of time.
Forgetting to Switch Off the Lights
Although powering lights are cheap, waste is still waste. It’s easy for people to forget to switch off the lights after leaving the room. But do you know what’s easier? Switching it off and on since the switches are usually placed beside the door anyway. Why should you waste 10 or 20 cents if you can avoid it?
Running a Dishwasher That’s Not Full
Even the most efficient dishwashers use up to 250 kWh of electricity per year. This means you should focus on reducing its consumption. To do that, you need to only turn on the machine when it is full. So, if you eat solo, you might as well wash the plates with your hand. You should also switch on the economy setting, so the machine will air-dry the dishes instead of heat-drying them.
Washing Clothes in Hot Water
Unless you’re always trying to remove tough odors and oil-based stains, you can go with regular tap water when you wash your clothes. Only use hot water when it’s needed. Otherwise, use just warm or cold water since they’ll be as effective. You will also extend the life of your clothes by using cold water since it prevents shrinking and minimize fading.
Not Covering Up Air Leaks
If you don’t cover air leaks, that’s a major reason why your energy bill is doubling. Gaps in windows and doors can let in cold air during winter and let it out during summer. Specifically, check the parts where the cables from utilities come into your home. You can seal these gaps to reduce leakage.
These are simple things you can do at home to stop wasting energy. You gain so much by being mindful of how you use appliances. Not only are you going to have a lower energy bill, but you’re also contributing to environmental protection and sustainability. You’ll also extend the life of your appliances by being careful of the way you use them.
