Here at Root Electric, we have quite a few tips on how to save electricity in your home. These tips should help lower your bills (and your blood pressure). Remember that going easy on the electricity is also a win for the environment in our community too!
Electricity Saving Tips: Lighting
About 25 percent of your electricity bill comes from the lights you use around the house. So it makes sense to start here when saving electricity around the house:
- Switch over from incandescent bulbs to using compact fluorescent lighting (CFLs) in your light fixtures wherever possible. They use 75 percent less energy and can last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs (check for the Energy Star label to make sure you’re getting the best). Many health risks have been hyped in the media about CFLs, but with proper handling and placement, you can avoid these (check out the EPA’s website for specifics).
- Try LED lamps and holiday lights instead of traditional incandescent ones. They shine bright, last longer and, again, burn much less electricity.
- Install motion sensor lights. One of our electricity saving tips could have (and still is) to turn the lights off in any room you are not using. But if you have kids who forget, or are busy and get distracted and forget, you could be burning hundreds of dollars of wasted light. Motion sensor lights are especially great for outdoor and security lighting. On average, you can save about $100 a year on electricity!
We regularly work on energy efficient and beautiful lighting installation in Northern Virginia, so if you are considering updating your lighting with a more energy efficient design, give us a call and we can help!
Techno Tips for Saving Electricity: Down with Vampires!
How to save electricity in your home when we live in a modern world full of TVs, computers, printers, smartphones and their chargers, etc.? These “electricity vampires” suck electricity if they are plugged in, even if the power switch is off. Get power strips and use these to plug in your electronics. Just switch off the power strip anytime you leave the house, go on vacation or don’t expect to be using these items for a few hours! You can shave at least $100 off of your annual electric bill that way.
How to Save Electricity in Your Home: Appliances
When you take good care of your appliances like washers, driers, heating and cooling systems, water heaters, etc. they last longer. They also use less electricity when they are working more efficiently so:
- Air conditioners: clean them out, change the filter, straighten the fins, and lube the motor. Have them installed on the more shady sides of the house.
- Change the furnace filters each month that you are using the heat.
- Clean out the lint trap after every load you run through the dryer, and clean out the hoses every change of season.
- Wash only full loads of clothing (but do not overload the drum) and use cold water most of the time. (Don’t forget to replace the hoses every Leap Year!)
- Clean the coils (under or behind) your refrigerator twice a year. Also fill up dead space in the freezer or fridge to maintain the cold longer with less work for the fridge.
- If you are in the market for new appliances, choosing ones with the Energy Star label can also cut your electricity costs. Some of these appliances also qualify for tax credits (water heaters, heating and air conditioning units).
Seasonal Electricity Saving Tips
We all love those two or three days of spring and fall when we don’t need to run the air conditioner or the heat, but for much of the year, we have come to rely on those things. In addition to regular maintenance referenced above:
- Keep the thermostat set no lower than 78F in the summer and no higher than 68 in the winter.
- On days that aren’t that hot, see if you can get away with just using fans and ceiling fans.
- Keep the doors and windows closed when the heat or air are running.
- Keeping the blinds or curtains closed when the sun is shining on a hot day can keep the temperature down naturally. This can also block heat leaks during the winter.
- If you’re in the market for new doors or windows, opt for Energy Star models that provide better insulation and are designed to help cut your energy costs even further.
There are many ways to save electricity around your home! Our Root Electric team can even come and do electrical home inspections for you. We go from room to room and around the outside to check for electrical safety issues and give you more tips on saving electricity. Contact us today to find out more!