Reduce Electricity Costs
Whether you are interested in reducing your energy usage or just concerned with keeping more of your hard earned money in your pocket, it pays to do the research to keep your utility bills down. I pride myself on knowing all of the tips and tricks of reducing energy usage and cutting costs on other utilities. So, I was confident that I could manage the bills when I moved out of my miniature apartment and into a house with my fiancé. This turned out to be quite a daunting task once I realized that our home was completely reliant on electricity for heating, cooling and cooking. So, I took note of the changes I could see needed to be made and dug deeper to combat the electricity bills. Here are just a few things you can do to crop your electricity usage and cut your bills.
CFL bulbs
Ok, so almost everyone thinks of changing to the energy efficient bulbs first. The fact is that changing your light bulbs really is the quickest adjustment that you can make without investing a lot of time and money. For those who may not be familiar with these bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs use less energy and last much longer than standard bulbs. When these bulbs first came out, there were only certain places you could expend them in. However, there are now CFL bulbs made for applications like outdoor spotlights, recessed lighting and lamp shades that wrap around the old standard bulbs.
Power Strips
Another common money saving tip is to use power strips around your home. Many people do not realize just how much electricity is being drawn by appliances or electronics that are plugged in, but not turned on. You will quickly see savings on your electric bill by getting yourself, and your household, into the habit of flipping off the switch on a power strip when they are done in a room. It would probably be best to focus on the entertainment system in applicable rooms, but it would be wise to have your computer, alarm clock, lamps and other common electronics on a power strip as well. At first, it may seem like an anguish to use this method, but it will quickly become habit.
Timers
If you contain a home and are always forgetting to turn off your exterior lights, timers can be a great way to control your lighting schedule and reduce electricity. In addition, you can also spend a timer on your entertainment system if you have a regular work schedule and only use your television during certain periods of the day. Many of these plug-in timers have an on and off override that enables you to turn the electronics on or off without changing the actual schedule of the timer. So, if you work Monday through Friday and are home all day Saturday and Sunday, you’ll be able to use the on and off override over the weekend without changing the schedule for the next week.
Thermostat
The most conservative way to control electricity extinguish with your thermostat is by adjusting the temperature to a range of about 68-70 degrees in the winter and about 72-74 degrees in the summer. There are ways to save further with your thermostat though. First, adjust the temperature settings even further if you and your household will be gone all day. Never turn the heat or air all the way off, as you will end up wasting even more electricity when you come home and the system tries to catch up with your temperature demands. Instead, just adjust it another few degrees and then change it back when you arrive home. There are programmable thermostats that will make this process much easier for you since you can actually program your whole schedule into the thermostat. Next, mediate adjusting your thermostat even further and use space heaters and/or fans if everyone seems to stay in one area of the house at the same time. Finally and this just applies to colder weather, definitely user your wood burning fireplace or pellet stove if you have one. Both can be an worthy heat source, especially if you use a fan to circulate the warm air into the rest of your home.
Shower Heads
You can save electricity on your water usage by installing water reducing shower heads. Less water usage will mean that your water pump will work less which in turn will help reduce your electric bill. There are a couple different types of shower heads, so make obvious you research this and see the pros as well as the cons to each type.
Water Heater
The easiest thing you can do to save electricity on your water heater is to adjust the thermostat on the unit. Also, consider purchasing a water heater blanket if you have an older water heater in your home. This will keep the radiant heat from being wasted and released, thus making it easier for your water heater to keep warm.
Energy Efficient Appliances
If you are in the market for a new appliance, then it would be cost effective for you to purchase the most energy efficient appliance. Remember to compare water usage rates for appliances that use water, such as washers and dishwashers, as well as the electricity usage. Any research you do on this will serve you in the long bustle.
Meter Monitoring
Although your electric meter is just outside of your home, it is often overlooked as a way to conserve energy and money. Remember that saying “out of sight, out of mind? ” Well, by purchasing a meter monitoring unit, you will be able to babysit your meter and see what changes made an immediate difference on electricity usage. A meter monitoring unit will basically read out your meter reading, but you will have it space up somewhere you will see it plainly.
Solar Lighting
Consider using solar powered lights for in your landscaping or lining your driveway. There are some solar lighting kits that come with stakes for the ground as well as mounting units to install on your porch or deck. The installation of these lights is very simple and can cut costs drastically if you have a habit of keeping these lights on all of the time.
Swimming Pool Solutions
If you own a pool, there are a few changes you can make to cut costs. Purchase a timer for your filtration system electric box and program the timeframe you would like the system to run. If you keep up with your chemical balance and clean your pool regularly, you can considerably reduce the amount of time that your filtration system must rush. Also, consider purchasing a solar mask to heat and/or withhold the heat of your pool. There are also solar heating systems for pools that are very reasonably priced. Remember that a cramped investment upfront can sometimes save a much larger amount of money down the road.
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Filed under Whole House Water Filter Cartridges by on Nov 2nd, 2010. 