Ways to Conserve Energy at Home: 10 Tips and Tricks
Energy conservation is more important now than ever. But how do you make your home energy efficient? While it might seem difficult to live an energy-efficient lifestyle, it’s not impossible—and, no, you don’t have to rewire your entire house or invest in solar panels. The following ways to conserve energy athome will protect the planet and help you reduce your monthly bills.
What is energy efficiency?
To put it somewhat simply, energy efficiency is a method of reducing energy consumption by using less energy but still providing the same output. A good example of this is an LED lightbulb, which uses about 75% less energy but gives out the same light quality as a regular lightbulb. There are many ways to reduce your home’s energy impact and make your homeenergy efficient.
A few ways to conserve energy at home:
Wash clothes in cold water. Your clothes will get just as clean, so the only difference is how much money and energy you’ll save.
Air dry dishes and clothing when possible. Air drying dishes is as simple as opening the door after the rinse cycle and letting Mother Nature take care of the rest.
Use natural light when possible (and turn off lights when they’re not in use).12% of a typical utility bill is from lighting. Relying more on natural light can significantly reduce this number.
Look for the Energy Star Label. This government symbol means a product is energy efficient.
Regularly clean or replace all filters. Systems work harder when filters are dirty and therefore waste more energy than necessary.
Unplug! Unplug electronic devices—such as phone chargers, coffeemakers, and fans—when they’re not in use. Bonus tip: we also recommend using an energy-conserving power strip.
Turn off the oven a few minutes before the timer goes off. Your food will continue to cook, but you’ll save electricity!
Get an insulating blanket for your water heater. This can save you about 7–16% in water heating costs.
Replace windows with energy-efficient window treatments. Windows can be a significant source of energy waste, so if you have single-pane windows, invest in double-pane to save money!
Install a programmable thermostat. This will save you up to 10% on cooling and heating costs.
