Reducing energy usage to help protect our environment may not seem like an important task for most homeowners. We are told of big corporations that need to reduce energy consumption in order to make drastic changes to the global energy consumption rate.
But just imagine what could happen if every homeowner in the US made small changes to their daily lives. When you have millions of people taking small steps, these small steps can turn into great leaps.
We’ve compiled a list of 5 simple, inexpensive steps that you as a homeowner can use to reduce your energy consumption.
5 Ways to Cut Down Energy Use In Your Home
Shut Down Your Computer At Night
Computers are commonplace in homes and offices around the world. They are also some of the biggest power users in your home.
Shutting them down completely can help reduce the amount of energy going to them. They can be turned on and off 40,000 times without affecting their functionality. Stay away from the power saver option too, as they are still using energy in this mode!
Use the Right Light
LEDs have made a big splash in the light bulb market. They are the most energy efficient bulb you as a homeowner can use. When comparing them to traditional incandescent bulbs they use 75% energy while lasting about 25% longer.
Why not switch to a light bulb that will not only last longer but be more energy efficient!
Unplug Electronics and Chargers When Not in Use
When we unplug a phone or laptop from a charger, the charger will still call for energy even if it isn’t charging a device.
Chargers do something that has been termed ‘vampire power’. They slowly suck energy and electricity from outlets even when nothing is plugged in. To stop this from happening all you need to do is unplug chargers and electronics from their outlets when not in use!
A good rule of thumb to see if your charger is still taking electricity is to see if it is warm. If the charger is warm it is using vampire power.
Use a Power Strip
This tip and the previous one go hand in hand. It can be annoying to have to unplug every charger and electronic when they are on different outlets and in different places.
One way to make this simpler is to purchase a power strip and connect your chargers and electronics to it. Then it is as simple as switching the power button on and off on the power strip to prevent vampire power.
Turn Off The Lights When You Leave The Room
All our lives we’ve heard, “Shut the lights off when you’re not using a room!” At the time, this could’ve seemed like your parents being sticklers about keeping the energy bill low. Now, however, it can be thought of as a way to reduce our energy consumption to help the environment.
It might seem scary to think we are turning into our parents, but try to remind yourself to shut all the lights off in rooms you aren’t using. During daylight hours, you can use natural light instead of turning the lights on as an additional way to save energy.
This can be helpful so you don’t have to remember to shut lights off during the day.
The 5 tips listed above are only a few ways that you can reduce your energy consumption. If you try these and want to try a few more do a quick search online.
There are several other ways depending on how much money and time you want to spend on being more energy-efficient. Try sharing these tips with family and friends so that even more people can be a part of lowering our energy consumption and a part of helping our environment!
Stay tuned in to our blog for other home maintenance tips and all of the home care needs you need to know!