How Can We Save Energy at Home
Covid has made us all homebodies, and if you’re worried about monthly bills, you’ll want to save energy – this year especially. But what if you’re looking for some wallet friendly and energy saving habits, and don’t know where to start? You’re in the right place because we’ve got 10 energy-saving resolutions to help cut your household energy usage in 2021.
Try These Energy Saving Tips
1. Use Energy Efficient Bulbs
LED bulbs, whilst slightly pricier than CFLs, will save you more money over time, especially compared to incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs last longer than most CFLs and are 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs.
2. Use Power Strips
Save an estimated $200 annually by eliminating ‘phantom loads.’ This refers to “standby mode” energy consumption, and it accounts for around 5% of the average US household’s annual electricity bill. Centering your devices on a single power strip makes it easy to completely shut them off in one fell swoop.
3. Turn Down your Thermostat
You can cut 2% off your energy bill for each single degree the thermostat is lowered. Both heating and cooling eat up a huge slice of household energy expenditure. So if you don’t need it overnight, or are out for the day, turn down the thermostat to save you money.
4. Turn Down Your Water Heater!
Most homes set their water heaters at the recommended 120°F to prevent scalding accidents. Unfortunately, tank water heaters waste energy just to be ready for use. However, for every 10°F lower, you can shave 3 – 5% off your water heating bills.
5. Install Water-Saving Showerhead
Showerheads frequently waste gallons of hot water. So all that excess H2O you’ve heated is, quite literally, money down the drain. Instead, switch to a lower output showerhead. This could save a family of four 14,000 gallons per year, and save you a lot on water heating.
6. Wash Cool, Wash Full
Washing at cooler temperatures saves you money! Advances in detergents mean you don’t need to wash hotter than around 40°F degrees. And get the most out of your cycle by doing full loads each time you do laundry.
7. Tumble with Care
If you can’t line dry your laundry outside, do it inside with a fan. It may take longer but it uses far less energy than your drier. And if you need to tumble, try a low-heat setting for greater energy efficiency.
8. Weatherize Your Home
Drafts let in cold, humid air and drive up your heating bills. Fill those expensive leaks! Plus, it can make for a fun family project! Caulking can save 10%-20% on your annual heating/cooling bills. And energy-saving custom draft blockers can be fun to craft from old fabrics or clothes.
9. Use Those Curtains!
Homes lose around 30% of their heat through windows. So an easy and benefit-reaping habit to get into is closing your curtains overnight. This’ll also help you fend off that hot summertime sun. This simple habit could see you reduce unwanted heat loss/gain by nearly a third.
10. Refrigerate Smart
Finally, about 80% of Georgia households have at least one refrigerator – and 20% have two or more. Second refrigerators can cost $61 per year to run. You can even save money by better organizing your refrigerator. Done right and you could turn off that costly second appliance!
Shop for Cheap Natural Gas
Yes, you can save energy all through 2021 with these easy, energy-saving habits. But the best way to really saves is to shop cheap natural gas rates. The best place in Georgia to do that is at https://www.georgiagassavings.com where you find the lowest rates, real-customer reviews, supplier ratings, and other savvy energy tips to help you save money.