The Most Practical Ways of Saving Energy at Home

When it comes to energy consumption, homeowners usually frown by the simple thought of it. They’re not to be blamed though because the ever increasing energy costs these days affect practically everyone. No matter how angry we become, there will always be some factors that are beyond our control.

Now with regards to saving energy and being more efficient of how we use it, there are several tips you read online. But then again, it always seems that those tips aren’t really as practical as you thought. They’re just too impossible to do.

In this article, we’ll give you the most practical ways of saving energy at home – tips that you can actually use at home to cut your annual energy expenses. Let’s start with the easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy from the leading authority online, Energy.gov:

• Install a programmable thermostat to lower utility bills and manage your heating and cooling systems efficiently.
• Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
• Turn things off when you are not in the room such as lights, TVs, entertainment systems, and your computer and monitor.
• Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use — TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power.
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F.
• Take short showers instead of baths and use low-flow showerheads for additional energy savings.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
• Air dry clothes.

Want some more tips? Get to this link.

You should start realizing right now that you have been so dependent on appliances and equipment that use energy. That dependence leads to high energy costs per year. The simple and practical ways of cutting down or minimizing your use of appliances and equipment like air drying clothes instead of using your dryer and using low-flow shower heads are quite easy to embrace without you compromising comfort.

You’ll save a lot on your electric bills if you change your bulbs. (image credit: WikiHow.com)

Meanwhile, according to Go For Change, in their blog post “16 Practical Tips for Saving Energy at Home,” the act of simply turning off the lights, changing light bulbs, and unplugging unused appliances can help you a lot in energy savings.

1. Turn off lights! Use as little as you really need.
2. Change all the incandescent light bulbs you can to those funny-looking fluorescent ones.
3. Unplug appliances (washer, dryer, kitchen things like blender, toaster, hairdryer etc…) when not in use. This includes your cell-phone charger and any low-voltage lights that have those boxy AC adaptors on the plug end.

Read more tips here.

You also would want to consider the installation of energy-efficient windows if you have the right budget for it. They work by trapping the light of the sun to produce enough warmth in the winter and then repelling the same during the summer. This method is proven and won’t lead you to spend more on heating your home.

Save on heating. (image credit: loshanairandref.co.za)

Lastly, WikiHow.com suggests that one of the best and most practical ways of saving energy is to prevent its loss. Yes, it is true that a significant percentage of the energy we’re spending are actually unused. To prevent energy loss, there’s a need to prevent drafts.

In an average house, up to 50 percent of heat is lost through drafts. To test an area, simply hold the palm of your hand up against a door or window. If you feel cold air coming through, warm air is escaping. This is simple to fix and can save you hundreds on your yearly heating bill.

Fit draft excluders around all exterior doors and interior if needed.

Fill in any cracks or crevices on window frames, skirting boards or floors with a filler or sealant.

Close the curtains or shutters after dark fall to trap in the warm air and prevent drafts.
If your door has a large crack under it, consider covering it with something (some stores sell cute ‘door-crack blockers’).

Read the complete version of this article in this link.

The best thing about this article is that all of the tips we mentioned above are doable, unlike most of the stuff you read online. So if you really are serious when it comes to energy saving at home, then you should start embracing these ways.