Energy Solutions To Help You Save Time And Money

Table of Contents

1. Energy-Efficient Bulbs
2. Smart Power Strips
3. Programmable Thermostat
4. Go Solar
5. Insulate
6. Weatherize
7. Upgrade Windows
8. Maintain and Upgrade HVAC
9. Change Your Behavior

Everyone knows that energy costs money but they are still shocked to see their utility bills every time. If this happens to you as well, then you need to make some lifestyle and technological changes. Even after many advancements in technology, people do not adapt to such solutions easily. However, if you want to save time and money, then here are a few energy solutions for you:

Energy-Efficient Bulbs

Some people like their homes and offices lightened up, which means they will be using more light bulbs. Energy efficiency does not mean you can’t have all the light you need. It only means that you should be using energy-efficient light bulbs. You will not only have a reduced electricity bill but a replacement will only be required after a long time. Their durability is five times higher than standard bulbs. This is the reason they are a little expensive as well. You can also consider motion detectors to ensure that the lights are turned off when not needed.

Even with energy-efficient bulbs, try your best to save energy resources by using more natural light during the day.

Smart Power Strips

Did you know that even though you switch off your electronics at the end of the day or when you’re done using them, they continue to consume power? This energy consumption is known as phantom load, and it is costing you more than $200 per year. You don’t want that right? Time to invest in smart power strips! These help with these phantom loads, by shutting off power to these electronics, when you are not using them. As they are ‘smart’, you can program to be set to turn off at a specific time or assign a period of inactivity.

How many times have you forgotten to turn off your TV or iron, and remembered when you were rushing to work, and then you were 30 minutes late just because of this? With power strips, you can switch off the power to switches remotely! This way you’re not only saving money, but you’re also saving lots of time!

Programmable Thermostat

During the summer, it is extremely inconvenient to have to get up from your sleep and turn off the thermostat. A smart or programmable thermostat will help you set a specific time for a specific temperature during different hours of the day, and turn it off automatically. This way you don’t even need to upgrade your HVAC system. Some smart thermostats also indicate if you need to change your air filters or your HVAC system. This can help save you from so many headaches because timely maintenance increases the life of appliances.

Go Solar

Solar panels use the sun’s rays and convert them into energy. You must have heard that they reduce the energy bills by a lot. If a solar panel comes with a smart meter, you can monitor your energy as well. The best thing may be batteries that are charged with excess solar energy during the day, and can be used later at night or if there is a power outage. You can learn more here about what solar energy companies are all about and what the process is. Solar energy is clean and renewable, saving you lots of money, but it also costs a lot. The initial set-up of solar panels is expensive. However, when you see a reduced bill every month, it will feel like a smart decision.

Insulate

Insulation helps you keep your home warm during winter and cool during the summer. Upgrade your insulation according to your area. There is blown-in insulation, fiberglass, rolls, foam boards, or spray foam. R-value is the recommended level of heat for different types of areas. It is lower if you live in a warm region, and higher if your home is in a colder area. The best way to handle this is: to be more specific. All rooms in your home require different levels of heat, for example, your attic has an R-value of 60, but the main exterior walls have 30. So, you could choose different types of insulation for each. If you upgrade the insulation according to what is required in each room, you will notice a huge difference in energy consumption.

Weatherize

Do you notice that the air leaking from your house through vents, windows, and doors, leads to wastage of so much energy? If you don’t want these air leaks, you need to weatherize your home. It means sealing any air leaks. You can do this by using caulk, for stationary openings and weather stripping for moving objects like windows and doors.

Upgrade Windows

Windows are a huge source of energy waste! They can add more than 20% to your energy bill. If you have single-pane windows, you can upgrade to double-pane windows.

If you use interior or exterior storm windows, you can save more than 20% unnecessary heat loss. However, they are suitable for colder areas, especially if your area gets extreme weather conditions.

If you live in a place with extremely high temperatures, you should consider low e-coatings. These help in reflecting more light and allow less heat to enter your home. Another solution for this is shades, awnings, shutters, and screens. All of these will also help in insulating your home from heat, eventually decreasing your utility bill and providing more energy conservation.

Maintain and Upgrade HVAC

A great way to conserve energy is to maintain your HVAC system and replace it when required. You can also look for energy-efficient smart HVAC systems to ensure that you conserve energy. This is because they reduce your utility bill, and they can usually be controlled remotely as well.

Change Your Behavior

If you forget to turn off appliances, you may forget to program the power strips as well! So, think about energy conservation proactively. Think of little things like air drying your dishes, instead of a full dishwashing drying cycle or full loads of clothes in the laundry.

The best way to conserve energy is by maintaining your electronics regularly (those dirty air filters are costing you money!) As a general rule, look for electronic appliances that are smart and energy-efficient. Most new appliances are usually smart and energy-efficient. Try to be more careful about energy conservation before the next utility bill arrives. You should consider these energy solutions if you want to save time, money as well and energy!

Thank you for reading!