Ways to Save Energy at Home

In today’s tough economic and environmentally conscious domains, saving energy is fast becoming a top priority. And this trend is not limited to business and industry. Residential energy-saving is an increasingly hot topic with homeowners worldwide.

Fortunately, related technologies are advancing apace and families have ready access to a rapidly expanding choice of energy-efficient devices and appliances. The same applies to building technology with more and more prospective homeowners opting to design energy-efficient homes from the ground up.

In this article, we’ll consider 8 ways homeowners can reduce their energy consumption and resultant carbon footprint.

Home energy saving initiatives: Do they really work?

The short answer is a definite yes. However, there is a caveat involved. Total energy saving is the sum of many small factors. A sentiment echoed by many leading industry experts such as Spheral Solar. There are no single magic wand solutions that, once implemented, cut your energy use in half or more. That said, each small power-saving effort combines with others to eventually make a significant difference.

The takeaway from that fact is the importance of energy conservation becoming a lifestyle rather than an isolated effort. And, once it is a lifestyle and energy efficiency becomes centric to your day-to-day activities, the benefits increase exponentially.

8 effective ways of conserving energy at home

This is by no means an exhaustive list of home energy-saving initiatives. It does, however, represent some of the most efficient ways of making your home more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.

1. Installing solar power

The most expensive initially but the most effective by far over time, a solar installation is king. Whether you choose to go off or on-grid or to partially or fully meet your power requirements, solar is hard to beat.

As an example, let’s consider a full, on-grid solar system. Not only will you substantially slash your electric bill, but you’ll also get paid for your excess power.

Solar power may not be everyone’s first choice but it is a major player in the global energy conservation game. And it is growing fast and is deserving of consideration.

2. Laundry routines

These adjustments are generally simple and don’t require much effort or sacrifice. For example, optimize your laundry days reducing the number of small loads that get squeezed into the schedule. Encourage family members to buy into a household laundry routine for the maximum use of full loads on specified days. This is not only one of the great ways to save energy but reduces water and detergent use.

3. Air drying and hand washing dishes

Clothes dryers and dishwashers are notoriously power-hungry. Air drying your clothes can save a good chunk of energy during sunny, hot weather.

In addition, handwashing small loads of dishes also saves energy. And this can be done year-round so it’s a great way to reduce electricity usage.

4. Cooling and heating settings

Slightly reducing thermostat and airconditioning settings is an effective way of reducing your electricity bill. Heating and cooling represent the lion’s share of your energy bill and even a small reduction can return noticeable savings. And, in truth, you probably won’t notice any real difference in the interior temperature.

5. Cooking

The same applies to cooking on high-power use electric appliances. Cookouts on a charcoal grill save power if you use electric hobs and ovens in your home. Using crock pots regularly to cook one-pot meals is another great way to slash energy bills.

6. Low wattage lighting

This is already a common way of cutting electricity costs in many homes but still deserves mention here. Fluorescent light bulbs may be great energy savers compared to incandescent lights, but they aren’t as efficient as LED lamps. And LED lamps are available in any configuration, strength, and fitting type compatibility imaginable. Put bluntly, use only LED lighting sources in your home outside of extreme exceptions where another lighting source is needed.

7. Upgrade your major appliances to Energy Star compliant models

The Energy Star program is a joint effort between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Its goal is to help individuals, businesses and industrial players save money on energy consumption in turn preserving the environment.

The Energy Star energy efficiency guarantee

Equipment that carries the new Energy Star label is guaranteed to be top-performing energy-efficient appliances. As this label is hard-earned so you can rest assured that these appliances will be the most efficient on the market. This really a top priority with power-hungry HVAC appliances such as air conditioners and furnaces.

 

8. Insulate your home

A substantial amount of many homes heating and air conditioner bills have poor insulation and ventilating as a core cause. A thorough assessment of these components of your home’s structure and any relevant intervention can help you use less energy every year.

 

Internal measures

Ceiling and floor insulation, double glazing, and attic ventilation are all cost-effective ways of reducing thermal buildups or losses. Installing blinds, shutters and awnings can also reduce thermal inefficiency and help to save energy.

Energy-efficient external measures

Sealing air “leaks” from the inside of your home to the ambient environment is another way to conserve energy. Caulking applied to non-moving joints like window and door frames, and walls eliminate many sources of unnecessary air leaks.

Weatherstripping applied to moving fixtures such as to doors and windows also helps conserve energy. Points were plumbing, electrical wiring, or air ducting penetrate walls are also sources of air loss and should be sealed with caulking.

To summarize

There are many energy-saving measures you can apply at home. However, it is truly a lifestyle and mindset issue. This list is limited and only showcases a small percentage of potential ways of conserving energy at home. If you can turn saving energy into a way of life rather than an occasional consideration, you have won.

In truth, once you come to think in terms of “how do I save power” this process comes naturally. You’ll find yourself discovering many more energy-saving tips, using less energy, and cutting energy costs to boot. And the world will, no matter to how small a degree, be a better place.

Similar Stories