Tips for Reducing Energy Consumption

November 10, 2020

Adjustments to daily or weekly routines can help lessen your home’s energy usage and in the long run save you money. We’ve put together some low-cost and simple suggestions to help you get started on reducing energy consumption within your home.

Lighting

Replacing your light bulbs is one of the most obvious energy saving modifications, but it’s worth mentioning. While more expensive up front, LED (or Light-Emitting Diode) bulbs require much less wattage and last longer than traditional bulbs and even fluorescent lamps or incandescent bulbs.

Another good habit to embrace is turning off lights when they’re not in use or when you leave a room. When possible, keep the lights inside your home turned off and instead use the natural light coming through the windows.

Heating & Cooling

Be resourceful with your window blinds and shades for quick and easy temperature control. During warmer months, close the blinds on the sunny side of your home. This will help keep the interior cooler and require less work from your A/C unit. Similarly, open the blinds during colder months to let the sun’s warmth help heat your home and make lighter work for your furnace.

Also, be sure to regularly clean or replace the filters on your HVAC system. Dirty filters restrict airflow and cause your system to work longer and harder, which could lead to bigger issues over time.

Your home’s overall energy usage increases with each degree of heating or cooling. Adjust the thermostat for energy conscious temps when you’re sleeping or away. Better yet, install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust to accommodate your routine.

In the Kitchen

Whether cleaning a partial or full load, a dishwasher uses the same amount of energy and water. If you have a dishwasher, run it only when it’s full. Also, consider turning off the “heated dry” setting and use “air dry” instead. Washing dishes by hand saves even more energy.

Check the temperature settings of your refrigerator and freezer to make sure they’re not too cold. To maximize efficiency, keep the refrigerator between 37 and 40 degrees. Set the adjacent freezer to 5 degrees and any free-standing chest freezer at 0 degrees.

In the Bathroom

Conserve water in the bathroom by taking showers instead of baths. Additionally, low-flow showerheads and faucets are designed to reduce your hot water usage, and low-flush toilets use significantly less water than standard flush toilets.

Laundry

Wait to wash laundry until you have a full load. Use warm or cold water to wash, and rinse with cold water. If you need to use hot water, do so in moderation. Also, be aware of detergent requirements and don’t add too much. This makes your washer work harder to rinse out the excess suds.

If you can, hang your clothes to dry. Otherwise, dry them in successive loads, one immediately after another. That way the dryer won’t have to reheat each time.

Electricity

Turn off your computer, television, and other devices when they’re not in use. Also consider using power strips to avoid phantom energy loss. Phantom energy is the power used by electronics and appliances in standby mode. Turn off the power strip and avoid that extra energy loss.

Just a few small changes throughout your home can go a long way toward reducing energy consumption. Trust the professionals at Hanson’s Plumbing & Heating. We can install the equipment and maintain the systems to help your home become and stay more efficient. Contact us to learn more.