Reducing Electric Usage in the Home and Business

11 Useful Tips to Reduce Electric Usage and Save Cost

Utility bills constitute a significant aspect of your household budget or business running cost. While you may consider it minimal initially, however, it eventually adds up. At the end of the month, the electric company will charge you exorbitantly for your energy usage. If care is not taken, the cost will only continue to increase.

If you have been looking for how to reduce your electric usage either at home or in your workplace, this article is for you. Here, we will provide you with useful tips to help you reduce electricity usage and save cost.

Carry Out a Comprehensive Energy Audit

The first step to reducing your electric usage at home or office is to determine the amount of energy you consume. Hire the expertise of a professional energy auditor to conduct a well-detailed energy audit of your home or office building. This should include thermal imaging and a blower door test. With this, you will have a precise idea of the amount of energy you use.

Turn Off the Lights

Make it a duty to turn off lights that are not in use. If the home or workplace has large windows that are adequately illuminated, you are encouraged to use natural daylight when possible. You can instruct your employees or the last person leaving home to turn off the lights when going out.

Use LED Lighting or Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Another excellent way to save energy at home is by using CFL or LED light bulbs. Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) and LED light bulbs use 75% less power compared to other luminous alternatives like halogen bulbs or traditional incandescent. Asides that, these bulbs can serve for an extended period. While the CFL and LED bulbs often cost more, the money related payback is 100% justified.

Use EnergyStar Electrical Appliances

Many EPA-approved EnergyStar appliances consume appropriately 10% to 50% less energy compared to other traditional home electrical appliances. Since they consume less energy, they will help reduce your electricity usage and save cost. Whether at home or workplace, ensure that you are using energy efficient appliances.

Unplug Your Appliances When Not In Use

It is a popular belief that unused electrical appliances do not consume energy when plugged in. However, this is not true. Stand-by also consumes energy. Like the television, washing machine, microwave, and other appliances that are connected to the power outlets, they use up energy. Although, the energy consumed is less, compared to when in use. Nevertheless, after turning off these household or office appliances, ensure that you unplug them.

Adjust the Thermostat

A lot of energy is consumed by the heating and cooling systems. To reduce this, set the temperature to 68°F (20°C) in cool weather and 78°F (26°C) in warm weather. Use a fan to keep everyone comfortable when possible.

Use a Smart or Programmable Thermostat

Also, take advantage of a programmable thermostat to regulate your home or office temperature. These programmable thermostats are highly efficient in regulating temperature. They will control your heating and cooling systems automatically. Hence, the inside temperature of your home will be regulated when required. Above all, they are perfect to save energy and cost.

Plant Trees around Your Surroundings

Planting trees near your property can also help in insulating the home or office. Plant trees at strategic distances to create pockets of air space. This will help protect the building against hot and cold temperatures.  Asides that, planting trees can help the eco-system and beautify your home or office.

Properly Insulate Your Home

An ideal approach to ensure your heater and AC units are not working too much is to insulate your home properly. With this, you will only be responsible for regulating the temperature of your home. Thus, saving more energy in the process.

Keep Your Building Airtight – Seal Leakages in Windows and Doorways

Approximately half of your electricity usage goes to heating and cooling. To keep the temperature regulated and even, ensure that doors and windows are airtight. Seal all leakages in windows, doorways, crawl spaces, and other entrances leading to your home or office. With this, your HVAC system will keep the temperature inside the building well-regulated without overworking the system.

Fill Up Your Freezer, Washer, and Dryer Completely

To optimally utilize large electrical appliances such as refrigerator, washing machine, freezer, dryer, and so forth, the right thing is to fill them completely. Do a full heap of laundry. Keep your freezer and refrigerator fully-packed. This helps to keep cold temperatures more efficiently, unlike refrigerator with empty units.

There you have it! Above are a couple of tips to help reduce electricity usage both at home and at your workplace. Don’t wait until your electricity bills continue to increase exponentially before doing the right thing. By making use of the energy saving tips mentioned above, you can efficiently conserve energy, reduce electricity usage, and save monthly utility cost.