Try to make it a habit to switch the light off once you get out of the room Teach that to your kids
If this is something out of your control Then your best option is to use motion sensor
2. Use day light in the morning
Nothing is better than sun light It is even healthier for you and your kids
If you open the curtains and let the sunlight in You will save easily 2 half days on weekend I assume you are out of house for work on weekdays
3. Use LED bulbs
LED bulbs used to be expensive But not anymore especially 60W You can buy a pack of 24 Sylvania LED for $23.46
4. Use major appliances on low peak and weekends only
I believe you are already doing that Use your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer on weekdays after 7 pm and weekends only I recommend you check for when the low peak starts on weekdays
5. Unplug unused electronics
This is something I knew it recently It is called phantom energy or “vampire power” Electronics and office equipments consume electricity when they are switched off but plugged in
I started implementing this method right away At the beginning you feel it is hectic but you will get used to it
6. Use smart plugs for some appliances
Sometimes while I am out of home I ask myself, did I turn off the iron?
Smart plugs solve this problem for you If you plug the iron to smart plug You can turn it off using your smartphone
I believe you can use it for a lot of electronics like TV What is really smart here You can connect your smart plugs to Alexa
You can create a routine on Alexa For example you can switch off smart plug that has the TV connected during mornings of weekdays while you are at work
7. Use energy efficient appliances
The term energy efficiency itself is used a lot Anything that lasts longer like bulbs or Appliances that do the work with less power compared to non energy efficient ones
Look for these top power consuming appliances like dishwasher, refrigerator, washer and dryer If you are planning to change any of them then it is a good time for Energy Star certified appliance
8. Turn off Air conditioner when not home
Some people in hot places like Florida They don’t turn off the air conditioner when going outside for short period of time like 2-3 hours
This becomes a habit, you have to think again how much power you can save just by turning off your air conditioner when out of home
9. How to save electricity using a ceiling fan
Depending on where you live, there are some days where you can replace your air conditioner with your ceiling fan You can save up to 99% of cooling costs
10. Use Windows and doors blinds
Blinds can decrease the solar heat effect by 60% Even if you still feel it is not enough and you must use air conditioner Keep in mind that blinds reduce the heat factor which is what you want by all means
11. Check weatherstripping
I am from Canada This means I can really tell if I have windows leaking in Winter I come close to my window and move my hand all around the corners
When feeling cold air moving, I decided to use weatherstripping I was able to fix my leaking issue, I noticed a great improvement in gas bills
12. Don’t block radiators
Make sure you don’t have any furniture blocking your radiator Also make sure you don’t have a long curtain that covers the front of your radiator
13. Close doors and floor registers
Do this practice whatever it is summer or winter Usually if you have your heating or air conditioner on Hot or cold air moves throughout your ducts across the floor registers If you close those registers in all rooms which you don’t visit You will get an efficient heating and cooling system that saves you money
For example, closing the floor registers in all washrooms and closet rooms It gets your home heated or cooled quickly and thus saving on your electricity
14. Use Microwave instead of oven
Whenever it is possible to heat your food I prefer to use Microwave as it is faster and way cheaper than traditional Oven
15. Peek through oven window
Do you know that once you open your oven door you lose 6 F So Instead of opening oven you can peek through your oven window
16. Put your laptop on hibernate
If you have your laptop always on It is better to put it on hibernate It will reduce the amount of electricity consumed and saves you money
17. Use smart thermostat
Smart thermostat is not optional My smart thermostat really saves me money All you have to do is create a schedule or multiple schedules if you want You can create a vacation schedule too
If anything happens and you stay at home during your off schedule No problem just overwrite it for that day with a press of a button
Use dimmer not for saving electricity but for adjusting the illumination As some chandeliers have 8 to 10 led bulbs that can be switched on or off together
Dimmer can adjust your illumination and save you money too
19. Use cold water for washing clothes
Use cold water for dark colors and delicate fabrics to save energy Cold water is a good fit if you are washing your clothes that have no stains I believe this will be most of the time
20. Use full load of dishes and clothes
If you think about it whatever you use your dishwasher and washing machine They have to go through all of its cycles Which means it is 45 to an hour time
That’s why it is better to go for full loads
21. Clean your dryer lint filter
I take it as a practice to clean my dryer lint every time I unload my dryer
22. Use hot summer weather to dry clothes
In summer if you have dry weather Why you don’t use it for drying your clothes Don’t take the short way of dumping your clothes into dryer If you live in an area with a good dry summer weather
23. Clean clogged air ducts
I got a duct cleaning company to clean all my air ducts I have to admit I noticed a significant improve in heating and cooling performance The company takes before and after images through tiny cameras that go inside ducts
Once you clean your ducts Your system does not work hard to keep your home heated or cooled down
24. Check the seal on fridge and freezer
These appliances they need to stay always on similar to the furnace You have to make sure that the deal on both fridge and freezer is good with no leaking
25. Lower your thermostat on your water heater
I realized during my shower, I always have to adjust the water temperature Then after investigation I found my thermostat was set to mid high I put it back to medium By doing that I saved on electricity
26. Turn off your water heater on vacation
While you are on vacation you don’t need your water heater to always heat on your water tank Just put it back on when you return from your vacation
27. Change furnace filter regularly
Same like cleaning clogged air ducts You need to mimic the effort for your furnace to perform better and save electricity for you
28. Practice taking short time shower
Keep it to around 10 minutes or less I know a trick I don’t do it but it is useful Some people play 2-3 songs on IPod that last for 8 to 10 minutes It helps you to be efficient and estimate time accordingly
29. Use low flow shower heads
Remember very low flow can make you stay longer While high flow will not save time for you Using low flow shower head saves water and energy for you
30. Use solar energy if possible
Some devices like phone charger can perform very well with solar energy
31. Track electricity in your circuit breaker panel
This is something I don’t actually use it I will list it if you feel it is worth it
There are multiple devices to measure your power consumption in real time like Sense energy monitor
In the end I hope you get some benefits from reading this blog post, although I am writing here on how to save electricity but I write too on blogging challenges and making money online
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