10 Electricity Saving Tips

You may think that your automobile is the biggest contributor to air pollution, but in fact the electricity generated by fossil fuels for your home puts more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than two average cars. Homeowners spend thousands of dollars each year on electricity to heat, cool and care for their home and much of that electricity is wasted. Incorporating some electricity saving tips into your routine will help lower electricity bills and reduce the negative impact on the environment.

Tip #1: Address your biggest electricity users first. More than 30% of electricity is used to heat and cool your home. Install programmable thermostats and set them to lower the temperature when you are away from home and during sleeping hours. While you are at home lowering the thermostat by just a few degrees in the winter and raising it slightly in the summer will add up to big savings.

Tip #2: Replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs (CFL’s) with the Energy Star label. CFL’s require less energy and last longer than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs.

Tip #3: Run the dishwasher only when it is full and bypass the drying cycle. Likewise, run only full loads of laundry and use only cold water. Forego the clothes dryer whenever possible and choose to drip-dry you garments and household items. If you use the dryer make sure the lint trap is cleaned before every load, and clean the vent regularly.

Tip #4: Lower the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees. Take showers, not baths, and cut two minutes off your shower time. Delivering and heating water takes a ton of energy. You won’t notice the lower temperature and will realize some savings.

Tip #5: When it’s time to replace your appliances select energy-efficient ones with the Energy Star label. If you have an old spare refrigerator in the garage or basement consider if you truly need the extra cold storage. Consolidating into one Energy Star refrigerator will save on electricity and you can recycle the old unit.

Tip #6: Check the insulation level in your house and add more if needed. Install weather stripping around windows and doors and install foam gaskets behind electrical outlets on exterior walls.

Tip #7: If you have fireplaces in your home close the flue when not in use.

Tip #8: Wrap your hot water heater in an insulating blanket, available at hardware stores. Once a season bleed trapped water from the heater to improve efficiency.

Tip #9: Conserve water and electricity by turning off the tap while brushing teeth and shaving. Fix any leaky faucets and running toilets.

Tip #10: Turn off all electronic devices and lights when not in use. Use task lighting instead of illuminating an entire room. Many of today’s high-tech electronic devices like high-definition televisions are sensitive to power fluctuations, but low-tech devices like personal computers and small appliances should be unplugged when not in use.

These electricity saving tips provide simple and low-cost ways to reduce your home energy use and do something good for the environment.