Sometimes when you receive your electricity bills, you may be shocked at how high it is. This may be due to some reasons like:
- ● Being on a variable price plan and there is an increase in bills.
- ● Appliance usage can also be a major contributing factor. If you use electricity The more you use electricity in a month, the more you are bound to pay. Bear in mind, your bill is based on the quantity of electricity used.
- ● With changes in seasons come changes in temperatures which are reflected in our electricity bills. If we are not careful they end up being extremely high and to avoid this we should try to keep the home as energy-efficient as possible.
What appliance uses the most electricity in the home?
Here is an electrical power consumption chart:
- Air conditioner and heater: covers about 46 percent of electricity consumption
- Water heating: about 14 percent
- Lighting: about 12 percent
- Washer: about 6 to 7 percent
- Clothes dryer: about 6 to 7 percent
- Refrigerator: about 4 percent
- Electric oven: about 3 to 4 percent
- TV and media equipment: about 4 percent
- Dishwasher: about 2 percent
- Computer: about 1 percent
Kilowatt-hours (kWh) is the basic unit for measuring electric energy and customers are charged for electricity in cents per kWh.
Air Conditioning and Heating
Air conditioners and heaters are comfort givers in extreme temperatures. The HVAC system in your houses uses most of the energy in the house. You can reduce the workload on your HVAC unit using the following tips:
- ● Ceiling fans should be used counterclockwise in the summer and should be used clockwise in the winter.
- ● Do maintenance checks on your air conditioner and furnace yearly.
- ● Set the thermostat to 65F in the winter and 78F in the summer.
- ● Don’t obstruct inside vents or outside units.
- ● Prevent clogging by dusting and vacuuming.
- ● Use warm clothing for extra warmth in the winter.
To save some cash you can install a programmable thermostat and set it backward by at least 10 degrees for 8 hours/day it helps you save about 10 percent.
Water Heating
The heating of water for use in the home is really expensive because sometimes your water heater runs for additional hours after use in order to refill the tank with heated water.
Tips on how to reduce cost:
- ● Set the heater to about 120F or less, every 10-degree reduction in temperature can save between 3 to 5 percent of electricity cost.
- ● Insulate the hot water pipes to avoid heat loss.
- ● Switch off your water heater when you go on a trip.
- ● Switch to solar water heater.
- ● Install water-conserving showerheads.
- ● Install faucet aerators.
Lighting
The lighting in the home accounts for a large amount of electricity used in the home. Reduce energy consumption with the following tips:
- ● When you aren’t using the lights turn it off.
- ● Invest in LED bulbs that help in energy conservation.
- ● Try to use natural light as often as you can.
- ● Invest in motion detectors for outdoor lighting so that the light goes on only when there is movement.
Washing Machine
Choosing the right size of the washing machine is important in achieving energy savings. Keep these tips in mind when you want to do your laundry:
- ● Use the cold-water option often while washing.
- ● Wash full loads of clothes at ones to avoid washing many times.
- ● Even though you are washing in full loads avoid overfilling.
These steps can help you in reducing energy consumption.
Clothes Dryer
When it comes to electricity conservation most times it is ideal to use racks or clothes lines instead of a clothes dryer. But if you own a clothes dryer and use it frequently here are some ways to reduce cost:
- ● Avoid overfilling like in the washer as these can slow down the drying process and cause greater energy consumption.
- ● Use a drying rack when you can.
- ● Remove lint after each cycle or load.
Refrigerator
They are big-time energy consumers. Tips to help you save electricity:
- ● Set the refrigerator to the optimal temperature.
- ● Always clean around the refrigerator both behind and under to maintain good airflow.
- ● Invest in modern energy-efficient models and brands.
- ● Do not overload it.
- ● The contents of the fridge should be arranged for maximum efficiency.
As you know it doesn’t make sense to turn off your refrigerator, these are the various tips on how to cut costs without having to turn it off.
Oven and Stove
Apart from being one of the energy drawing appliances it also makes the house warm when in use which increases the need to put on AC. You can reduce the electricity load now with these tips:
- ● Use these appliances during cooler hours of the day.
- ● Don’t spend time and energy preheating if the food doesn’t require that.
- ● Turn off the burner some minutes before the cooking is over so that the remnant heat will do the remaining work of cooking the food.
Television and others
Tv, PlayStation, DVD can use a tangible portion of energy in the home. We can reduce energy consumption by:
- ● Using Energy Star Appliances .
- ● Do not use Standby mode.
- ● Do not forget to turn off the electronics when you are not using it.
Dish Washer
A dishwasher is also an electricity consuming appliance. Use the following tips to reduce energy usage:
- ● Pre-rinse to prevent a second cycle.
- ● Wash full loads.
- ● Switch off heated dry.
Computers
Just like the TV can be energy consuming so can computers. Always remember to turn it off when not in use and unplug it from the switch when not in use or when the battery is full.
Try to limit how much you use this electricity drawing appliance to prevent you from emptying your bank account.
