It is always a win-win situation to save on energy. There are various innovative ways to save the use of your household energy, ranging from simple behavioral to extensive home improvements. The two prime goals for conserving energy are to save on the utility bills and to protect the environment.

Most of the people think that it is difficult to make their homes run on less energy. So, to help you out, we have shortlisted the top 7 ways to save energy at your home in an effective manner.

Look up for better ways to heat and cool your house

More than half of the energy used in homes goes toward heating and cooling. You can implement the following tips to reduce the energy bills through adjustments to heating and cooling systems.

  • You can install a ceiling fan in place of air conditioners which require a large amount of energy. You must also replace the air filters in air conditioners and heaters at regular intervals as they make these appliances consume more power than usual.
  • You will need to set the thermostats at an appropriate temperature. In general, they should be turned down during the night or when no one is home. You may save up to 2 percent of the heating bill for each degree that the thermostat is lowered for at least 8 hours each day. Just imagine, wise use of the thermostat alone can save so much power and money for you.
  • If you are using an electric fireplace, remember to turn it off from time to time as you do not need to keep it on all the time for heat. Say you keep it on for 6 hours, you can then turn it off for the next 2-3 hours as it would be so cold for the next couple of hours. During the night, you can draw the curtains over windows to better insulate the room.

Change your habits to conserve energy

As we all know, the power of building and sticking to positive and constructive habits is very profound. To get your power consumption down, you need to focus on changing certain habits. This can prove out to be a game changer for your drill of saving energy.

You must change your habits to conserve energy and save on your utility bills. Make a habit of turning off the lights, fans, mobile chargers, and other appliances when not in use. Turning off the appliances when not in use will save you a great deal of energy as well as money.

Use more energy efficient appliances

Use more energy efficient appliances

Looking to buy new electronics or electrical appliances? Go for the ones with best energy-rating. Unlike the good-ol’ days, performance is not and should not be the only criteria to influence your buying decision when it comes to buying an appliance.

Try to replace your old appliances such as your lights or ACs with more energy efficient ones. Such appliances take up less power and load and thus help in saving up electricity as well as money. Though they cost more than the traditional appliances in most of the cases, they make up the additional cost through energy savings.

Reduce your water heating expenses

Come to think of it, getting warm water in the bathrooms is not very cheap too. It does have a considerable share of your total electricity expenses. You must try to decrease the expenses incurred in water heating too.

In most of the households, water heating consumes a lot of energy. Along with using an energy efficient water heater, you can also implement any of the 3 methods mentioned below:

  • You can use less hot water
  • You can also decline the thermostat on your water heater
  • You can insulate your water heater and the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes.

If you are replacing your water heating, keep in mind the following factors:

  • Will it satisfy your needs?
  • The type of fuel your water heater will use and
  • Is it energy efficient

Change the way you do laundry

You must not use the medium setting on your washer. Just wait until you get a full load of clothes, as the medium setting saves less than half of the water and energy utilized for a full load.

You must also clean the lint trap every time before using the dryer. Excess lint is also a fire hazard, and it also increases the amount of time required for your clothes to dry.

Try to air dry your clothes on lines and racks and spin dry clothes before you put them into a dryer.

Cover your foods and drinks in the refrigerator

Cover your foods and drinks in the refrigerator

You must make it a habit to cover your foods and drinks in the refrigerator. This is because the food articles release moisture and they make the compressor work harder to keep the unit cold.

Before keeping the food in the refrigerator, just put some plastic wrap to trap the moisture. Or you can also put the food articles in a reusable container with a lid to avoid using the plastic wrap on food.

Install efficient showerheads and toilets

Install efficient showerheads and toilets

Now, it’s time to consider the running cost of your water pumps. Using water in showerheads and washroom judicially can help you in saving energy that will otherwise be spent in operating the pump.

You must use low flow showerheads to prevent wastage of water. Some showerheads have a pause button to shut off the water while the bather applies the soap and shampoo.

Your toilet consumes around 30 percent of the total water used in homes making them the biggest water users. Go for the low flow toilet seats to reduce the water from getting wasted.

You can also go for vacuum assist toilets which has a vacuum chamber that uses siphon action to suck air from the trap beneath the bowl. This allows a quick fill with water to clean the waste.

Conclusion

So, these were 7 ways of saving energy in your homes. Not only does that help you save money, but it will also be counted as your bid in making this planet more sustainable and hence, a better place for the future generations to live in.