Everyone’s electricity bill varies depending on where they live, the time of year, and what appliances use that type of energy. The average electricity bill in the country is $122 each month. Many factors can impact the amount of money you spend each month.
It can be challenging to budget for your electricity bill since it can constantly change from one bill to the next. There are a few energy-saving tactics you can implement to help save money. Conserve the amount of energy you use while keeping more money in your pocket.
This guide will discuss the top seven easy eco-friendly things you can do to reduce how much electricity you use. Feel good about decreasing your carbon footprint and your energy bills.
Table of Contents
1. Turn Off Lights and Appliances
It might seem basic to turn off things when they’re not in use. This tip goes beyond switching off lights when you leave a room. Make sure you power down everything that you aren’t using, such as your:
- Television
- Computer
- Video game console
- Cable boxes
You can completely shut them off or unplug their power cord from the wall. If they have a light on while they’re not in use, they’re using energy when they’re turned off. Even your tablet or mobile phone charger can use a small amount of energy when it’s plugged in.
We recommend plugging multiple items into a power strip. You can easily shut the entire strip off when you’re done with anything that’s plugged into it.
2. Don’t Waste Electricity
You could be wasting electricity without even realizing it. Some of the common ways this happens include:
- Holding the fridge door open while you decide what to grab
- Putting warm leftovers into your refrigerator
- Not using lids on your pans and pots while you cook
- Setting your TV to full brightness
- Running your dishwasher when it’s partially full
- Washing your clothes in hot water
- Using an outdated thermostat
- Taking long, hot showers
- Having an empty freezer chest
All of these minor things can quickly add up to energy costs that you don’t need to be paying. For example, your clothes dryer uses a lot of energy. Try to air-dry your clothes as much as possible.
3. Regularly Clean Your Appliances
How dirty your appliances are can impact more than how they look. Food, dust, and dirt can accumulate in various parts of your appliances, reducing their efficiency. Regularly cleaning them can help get rid of these substances and decrease your energy usage.
Areas you should focus on cleaning for your home’s main appliances can include the following:
- Fridge: Defrost the freezer, vacuum off the coils, and clean the gasket around the door
- Oven and Stovetop: Clean the oven seal, remove old pieces of foil, and clean the cooking elements
- HVAC Units: Check filters each month and replace them as needed
- Microwave: Remove old food spills as they can absorb the microwave’s energy waves
- Dryers: Clean the lint trap each time you do a load
4. Update Your Light Bulbs
Incandescent bulbs use a large amount of energy. They also need to be replaced more often than energy-efficient bulbs. Swap out your old bulbs with newer models, such as:
- Compact fluorescent lights
- Halogen incandescent bulbs
- Light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs)
These bulbs use significantly less energy. They can last three to 25 times longer than a traditional bulb. While they might cost more upfront, you’ll save money on replacement and energy costs.
5. Inspect Your Roof
Your roof has a significant impact on your home’s energy efficiency. You might not realize that your roof was improperly installed or damaged. Your home’s heating and cooling systems might be working overtime to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
An experienced roofing contractor can evaluate your roof to determine if it needs repairs or replacement. Regular roof inspections will ensure that your ventilation system and roof insulation are performing as they should. Consume less energy by partnering with a professional roofing company for these inspections.
6. Reduce Your Hot Water Usage
Your water heater is a major contributor to your home’s energy costs. If you’re unable to afford to purchase an energy-efficient water heater, here are a few ways you can reduce your expenses:
- Turn down your water heater’s thermostat
- Use less hot water
- Insulate your water heater
You can use less hot water by taking shorter showers and washing your laundry in cold water. Make sure your dishwasher is efficiently loaded so you don’t have to run it too often. Set timers for yourself and others who tend to lose track of time while showering.
Most water heaters are set to heat water to 140° Fahrenheit. This setting is too high. Most people prefer their showers to be around 106°.
Setting your water heater’s thermostat to 120° will give you more than enough hot water. It’ll also significantly reduce how much energy the appliance uses.
You can insulate your water heater by wrapping pipe insulation around the first six feet of hot and cold water pipes. We also recommend purchasing a water heater blanket that you can wrap around the unit itself.
7. Enclose Cracks
One of the main sources of energy inefficiency in homes is cracks around old windows and doors. Weather stripping and caulking will start to deteriorate over time. As a result, outside air can seep into your home and vice versa.
You can seal off these cracks by installing new weather stripping and caulking. Window putty is also effective at closing off loose window pane gaps. Install “shoes” or “sweeps” under your door to keep air from escaping.
Follow Our Energy-Saving Tips
You can save money by implementing some of our energy-saving tips. You don’t have to take major steps to make an impact on your home’s energy usage. Save money by following our easy tips and tricks.
We’re proud to be the leading destination for information on home improvement topics. Whether you want to learn more about decreasing your energy usage or something else, our team is here to assist. Check out another article to find out more.
