In life, there are many ways to save money. You can create a simple spreadsheet to monitor your spending so you can evaluate where your money goes on a daily or periodic basis. Then you’ll be able to zero in on the areas where you can get relief.
But did you know you can also save a significant amount of money just by saving energy?
Stream Energy is big on saving energy and helping customers save money by providing helpful cost-saving energy reduction solutions which not only lower bills, but help preserve our environment.
Here are some helpful ways to reduce your energy bills:
1. Install proper insulation in your home
Ensuring your home is properly insulated is a guaranteed way of reducing your energy consumption — especially during the summer and winter months. Make sure you know the right level of insulation to install in the different areas of your home based on industry recommendations and standards.
2. Manage your water heating consumption and efficiency
Sometimes you don’t have to use too much heat in your water at home. Manage your thermostat on your water heater and set it at a reasonable level. You can also turn the faucet off when you’re not using it, especially if you’re prone to multitasking while washing the dishes or brushing your teeth and often forget that water is running excessively.
Make sure you conduct regular checkups on your water heater to ensure it’s running properly and in good condition. If you’ve purchased on older home, keep in mind that water heaters have a lifespan. Older ones that are not properly insulated or have been malfunctioning due to age require more energy consumption.
3. Choose energy efficient light bulbs
You’ll find energy efficient light bulbs on store shelves. But they come with higher price tags compared to incandescent light bulbs, which have been the traditional choice for some consumers. Incandescent light bulbs may be cheaper, but they also need to be replaced sooner. There are energy efficient alternatives such as halogen light bulbs or LEDs available that have longer life spans because they consume less electricity. If you choose them over traditional bulbs, they will save you frequent trips to the store and more money in the long run. Stream Energy has an interesting blog post that covers incandescent and energy saving light bulbs.
4. Buy only power efficient home appliances
Being mindful of what energy appliances to use in your home is a smart way to save money over time. Like light bulbs, energy conserving appliances have higher price tags versus traditional home appliances, but their overall energy consumption makes up for the investment.
Considering you’ll be using your appliances for years, the amount of savings you’ll accumulate is a significant relief in your pocket. When doubtful of which appliance to purchase, look for the energy saving marks imprinted on the boxes. Normally, an energy saving logo or icon is imprinted on the package, which guarantees it has passed strict industry standards as an energy efficient appliance.
5. Control your energy consumption through SMART thermostats
You can control your energy consumption by setting the right levels of temperature from your air conditioning units or water heating devices through programmable smart thermostats. This is especially helpful when you’re away and want to be able to control your thermostat remotely through your smart mobile devices. Smart thermostats have ways to detect when it’s time to lower or increase the temperature to meet your comfort level, suggest when to replace air filters, and detect malfunctions in your systems.
6. Replace Your Air Filters
It’s easy to discount the simple task of changing air filters on a regular basis as a cost-saving factor. Most professional HVAC experts will suggest changing your air filters once every three months to ensure the proper flow of air within your home. Changing your air filters can reduce your energy costs at least 15%, according to US standards.
7. Prevent Air Leaks
Conduct regular checks on your home’s walls, doors, windows, or any surface that can possibly have cracks or openings that constitute air leaks. Not having proper home insulation usually causes air leaks that happen within the attic as well as in openings or cracks from improper plumbing, electrical wiring or even the shoddy installation of walls, floors or windows. You will save a considerable amount of energy if you’ll take care of these leaks. Sometimes a simple caulking works, other times, a complete professional weatherizing process is needed to ensure all possible openings in your vents are sealed for the long haul.
8. Use common sense habits
You may not know it, but these simple tasks can save you money by reducing your energy consumption on a daily basis:
- Preventing ice buildup in your freezer
- Using the microwave for simple heating instead of turning on the electric stove
- Turning your ceiling fans on especially during the warmer months
- Washing at night instead of at peak hours during the day
- Turning off your personal computer when it’s not being used
- Remembering to turn off the bathroom vent after it has served its purpose
- Resorting to natural lighting inside the home versus turning on lights
There are many ways to conserve energy, but it will take a strong commitment on your part to enforce these energy saving solutions within your home and within your lifestyle.
Stream Energy has energy saving tools to get you started. For more energy saving information, visit the Stream Energy website.
Looking for more ways to be energy efficient? Start with your laundry. #EnergyEfficiency https://t.co/WHkatS2efw
— Stream Energy (@mystreamsocial) October 7, 2019
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