It’s the year 2020, and the entire country is going through unprecedented times. With many people spending more time in their homes, working remotely and taking online classes, home appliance usage has increased the average monthly household electricity bill by a substantial amount!
A study from Yale Environment 360, shows older adults were concerned that younger generations are overly reliant on electronic media, unaware of how the natural world works, and are unacquainted with the simple enjoyment of being outdoors. Imagine the whole family staying indoors for hours, days, weeks, and then months; this could lead to an increased usage of home appliances and high energy consumption - But the question is, can renewable energy help reduce your household electric bills?
Let’s find out how to make your appliances more energy efficient
1. The electric furnace
As the cold weather settles in, homeowners rely on furnaces to keep their homes cozy and warm. Electric furnaces are notorious for being expensive to operate, and your electric bill will increase once you start heating your home.
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You can reduce your heating bill by using a smart thermostat and changing the furnace’s air filter every other month. This will reduce the furnace run time, making it more cost-efficient.
2. That old fridge has to go!!
Do you know the average life of a fridge is around 14 to 17 years? So if Stacy is turning 16 this weekend and you’ve had that fridge since she was born - it’s time to say goodbye!!!
When a fridge is old, it has to work overtime to keep perishable food cold. Other components, such as the motor and the compressor can also wear down over time, becoming less efficient and running for extended periods.
Keeping a spare refrigerator or deep freezer in your home kitchen, basement, or garage could increase your electric bill by about $125 per year. The fridge could be the biggest power hog in your home. Using an energy-efficient refrigerator can also be one of the best sources of savings.
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When your fridge door begins to wear out and does not shut properly anymore - This could lead to an increase in electric bills. It’s time to get a new family fridge. X
When planning the layout of your kitchen, place your fridge away from sources of heat such as windows, dishwashers, and stoves. This helps your home energy savings.
Switch your fridge ice maker off! This helps you save more on your electric bill and get yourself some fun ice cube trays.
3. Home laundry dryer.
This is not a tide sponsored ad, but we know how much time the kids spend playing in the backyard and messing up their clothes. This definitely leads to extra laundry time. Frequent dryer use can raise your electric bills and drying a load of laundry every day would add $122 to an annual home electric bill.
There are new energy-efficient dryers available on the market. Energy star appliances use 20% less energy than standard dryers. They even have heat sensors that detect when your clothes are dry and stop the cycle to conserve your home energy and save you money.
The best thing one can do to run a dryer efficiently is clean the lint screen between every use ( a lot of people do not do this believe it or not) not doing it leads to a lot of problems and wasted energy. The other thing is keeping the dryer vent tubing and the opening clean. Lint builds up in the piping and it can clog the vent opening. Either or both lead to longer drying cycles and wasted energy.
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If your utility company charges for peak and off-peak hours, move your laundry time to the evening or whenever your off-peak hours are.
Hang laundry outside to air dry. Remember the sun is free! Use it whenever you can. You can book a free online consultation today with an IntegrateSun solar expert for more information about how you can save energy at home.
4. Say good-bye to old light bulbs in your house.
Now that everyone has activities in different rooms in the house, most lights might stay on.
fluorescent light bulbs use 75% less electricity than their incandescent counterparts. They also last 10 times longer. If you’re still using the older bulbs, consider switching to high-efficiency fluorescent or LED bulbs.
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Look out for the energy star logo on the package to ensure you are buying energy-efficient bulbs. This helps to lower your electricity bills.
5. Replace your old water heater with an energy-efficient model.
After a long day, it’s always nice to refresh and enjoy a warm shower or have a relaxing bubble bath. If you have a propane or electric water heater, consider a hybrid option which can be 60% more energy-efficient. If you can not afford to replace your water heater with a more efficient model, wrap it in an insulating blanket. You can pick them up at nearly any hardware or home improvement store. They will drive down the amount of money required to keep your water hot and will pay for themselves many times over. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Frost-King-Universal-Plastic-Water-Heater-Insulation-Blanket/3133229
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Look for a water heater model with a ‘Vacation mode’ that allows your water heater to basically go to sleep while you are not home.
6. Set your desktop to sleep mode
Since everyone is working from home and the kids have online classes to attend, video games to play & YouTube videos to watch, desktop computers use over 100 watts of power, compared with only 10 watts of power when in sleep mode.
You can also turn your computer monitors off at night. The monitor typically consumes more energy than the computer.
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Get laptops for your family. Laptops consume up to 80% less energy. Remember to switch them off or put them on sleep mode to save energy.
When you follow all the energy-saving tips today, you will reduce the amount of energy your home requires daily. Then you will need fewer solar panels to generate the energy your home needs.
Switching to solar energy means you will save the most money as soon as the panels are installed. Over time, your savings will help pay for your solar installation costs, so it’s like having free electricity for the rest of your life.
To learn more about which solar system is right for you, call IntegrateSun today to get an estimate, or schedule a virtual appointment and speak with one of our expert solar consultants. Follow us on social media, and leave a comment below, we are happy to respond. Today’s energy for a brighter tomorrow.
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