Reducing Energy Bills

Save money and protect the planet through energy reduction. By cutting back on the amount of energy your household uses and taking simple steps make the most of the energy you purchase, you can lower energy bills while minimizing negative environmental impacts. By practice reduction and conservation techniques, the typical American household can retain more of the energy they purchase each year. It is estimated that as much of 50% of energy is lost primarily due to thermal and electrical sources.

Lighting represents a significant percentage of your monthly energy bill. To reduce bills, replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) or LED bulbs. This will help you not only cut back on monthly energy expenses but save you the expense of replacing light bulbs often. Energy efficient light bulbs require far less energy to operate and last much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Using task lighting instead of illuminating an entire room and being vigilant about turning off lights that are not in use will enhance your efforts to save on energy bills.

Minor changes in your household habits can help you greatly reduce your energy bills in low-cost or no-cost ways. Over the long haul simple lifestyle changes can save you thousands of dollars in energy costs. Heating and air conditioning account for the greatest demand of energy in your home so by installing and properly using a programmable thermostat is an easy way to regulate your energy use. A programmable thermostat allows you to heat and cool your home according to your schedule, eliminating high-cost heat and air conditioning during the hours your home is unoccupied or while you sleep. By lowering the heat a few degrees in the winter and raising it a few degrees in the summer you will add to your overall energy reduction and savings.

Appliances demand a lot of electricity so taking measures to use them wisely and maintain them properly will save money and extend their life. Reduce the amount of energy required by your dishwasher by only running full loads and air drying dishes rather than using the machine’s drying cycle. Use your dishwashers “light wash” cycle or “energy-saving” cycle for all but the dirtiest loads. If you are replacing your existing dishwasher look for one that has an internal heating source which heats water only once it enters the basin and choose one that has met high standards for energy efficiency.

Reducing energy bills can also be accomplished by plugging home electronics into power strips and turning off the power strip when the devices are not in use. Even with the power turned off, computers and other devices consume energy if they are plugged in. Pausing video game systems and using the sleep mode on your computer do little to reduce energy demand by these devices.

Turning down the temperature of your hot water heater will make a difference in your monthly energy bills. Lowering the thermostat to 120 degrees is sufficient for sanitary purposes and is a comfortable temperature for bathing and washing dishes. Choose showering over bathing and decrease your shower time by two minutes to save water, energy and money. Delivering water into your home requires energy so be aware of turning the tap off while brushing your teeth or shaving for even more savings.