Usually, utility bills should not exceed 10% of your monthly income. Unfortunately, you will find that it surpasses this from time to time. Things may get tight, and paying these bills can be a burden. It is, however, essential to note that sometimes you don’t have to be parting with so much for using electricity and water at your home. It is possible to significantly reduce these bills, and use the money on other things, or even save it. With the following tips, you will note improvement on how you use energy and water in your home, and save money.
1. Automate your home
Automating your home will not only make your home attractive on Movoto.com listing but also help you to significantly reduced utility bills. A lot of electricity is wasted when electronics continue running even when no one is using them. At other times, you can go to sleep and forget that the living room lights are still on, leading to the wastage of energy. To prevent this from happening, you can integrate motion sensors in your home. They will detect motion, and the lights will stay on only when there is someone in that room.
Motion sensors can also detect the presence of the occupants and turn on the HVAC. If there is no one around, they will turn off, hence saving energy. Automatic shower heads and faucets can also prevent the wastage of water. The water will only run when it is being used. There will be no instances where the water will be left running.
2. Insulating the attic
Did you know that most of the heat lost in your homes happens through the attic? Now you know. With the loss of heat, you might be forced to leave your HVAC running longer than it should be. The good thing is that you can prevent this loss of energy. The best bet, in this case, is by insulating the attic. With proper insulation, you can reduce the loss of heat during winter, and at the same time, maintain a comfortable temperature in your home during summer.
One of the materials you can use for this job is fiberglass. Spray form and cellulose are also ways of providing insulation for your attic.
3. Wash your clothes using cold water
Most people wash their clothes with heated water. It is not compulsory, and therefore you can use this as a way to save energy. Even if you are using the washing machine, this change is still significant. Remember that if you are using warm water, you will need electricity to do two jobs: turn the machine and warm the water. If you use cold water, energy will only be required for turning the machine. You can imagine how much you will save in a year by using cold water for washing.
4. Install double-glazed windows
Well, the initial cost might scare you away, but you will save a lot in the long run. Installing double-glazed windows may take some time and will need a professional to do the job. Insulated windows will reduce the amount of energy used to operate your home heating system.
Double glazed windows are made by blowing an inert gas such as argon between to glass panes and sealing the edges to prevent it from escaping. They are hermetically sealed to provide the insulation. The gas or vacuum prevents the flow of moisture from the outer pane to the inner pane. More so, the window can be covered with a metal oxide to prevent heat from inside from leaking out.
Replacing your windows with energy-efficient windows will significantly reduce your energy bills.
5. Fully load the dishwasher
One of the ways excess energy is used is by using the dishwasher when it is half full. Packing it while doing the dishes will prevent you from using double the power you should use. You will wash more dishes using less energy. There are other ways you can also save energy and water while using the dishwasher.
You can control the temperature of the dishwasher. One hundred twenty degrees will save energy and, at the same time, clean your dishes effectively. Modern dishwashers also have energy-saving mode: you can use this to cut the amount of water and electricity used to clean up the dishes. You can also air-dry the dishes instead of letting the heater do that for you.
6. Invest in energy star appliances
Energy star appliances can significantly reduce your electricity bills. The difference between energy star and non-efficient appliances is pretty obvious. Energy star appliances consume less energy compared to their counterparts. Some of these appliances include refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and washing machines.
The more energy star appliances you have, the more energy you will be able to save.
7. Repair your doors and windows
You will not be using as much energy as you are using now if you fix leaks. Broken seals and cracks are some of the entry points for cold and moist air from outside. Also, these are the points where warm air from inside escapes. You should do regular inspections of your doors and windows for cracks. These should be sealed or repaired immediately to stop leaks from taking place. In the long run, the energy lost through leaks will sum up to significant energy bills.
8. Switch to a prepaid electric bill
This will help you in regulating the electricity you use. Considering that you will only use what you have paid for, the chance is low that you will put power to unnecessary use. Also, it will help a great deal in preparing a budget for power and religiously sticking to it.
Do not use money unnecessarily in paying electricity bills that would have been avoided. There are so many ways that you can cut down your spending on energy and water. Automating your home is one of the smart ways to go about this. With the tips above, you will note a significant drop in your bills.
