Learn From Your Father and Save on Your Energy Bill
There are lots of great things you can do to save money on energy.
When it comes to saving on your energy bill, Dad always told you that it's the little things that make the biggest difference. Shut off the television when you're not watching it. Turn off the lights when you're not in the room. It's amazing how much of our expenses come from wasteful habits in our lives that could easily be eliminated by listening to Dad.
In the typical household, approximately twenty percent of the monthly budget goes to energy consumption needs. This includes gas for the vehicle(s), electricity, and natural gas. As such a large contributor to the family expenditures, any efforts to cut back will make a notable difference at the end of the month and an enormous difference at the end of the year.
One thing that you can do to consume less energy is to take a lesson from father's cat-like appreciation for sitting in the sun. During the daytime, take advantage of the sunlight and open up all shades, blinds, and drapes to allow the power of the sunlight brighten your home, instead of using electric lights.
This is also a good trick to remember once winter rolls around again, because the sun shining in through the windows will help to warm your house without the use of the furnace. Conversely, now that we're headed toward the warmer days of summer, the air conditioner can be run more efficiently if you use blinds and shades to block out the hot rays of the sun on those really scorching days. Just don't make it so dark that you have to turn on the light!
Solar shades are a fantastic new attractive and affordable way to both block the heat of the sun and take advantage of its light. They work the same way as regular shades, except that they don't provide an opaque screening from the sun. Instead, they function as a kind of window tinting that reflects the heat but allows enough brightness in that you won't need to turn on the lights. They are a real investment for saving on those costly air conditioning bills.
Another great way to save energy is to do as your father did and shut off the rooms that aren't being used. For example, if you have a guest bedroom, close the door and shut the vent so that the air conditioner or furnace doesn't spend extra time and energy on climate control in a space you're not using. By cutting the square footage of your home that needs to be heated or cooled, you'll save a bundle on your energy bill!
Your appliances make another large difference in the energy consumption in your home. If you can afford to replace your appliances right now, go for the energy saving models. Otherwise, try to use them at their most economical level. For example:
Don't run your dishwasher until it's full - it works better that way anyway.
On sunny days, hang your clothes to dry, instead of using the dryer. If you want them extra soft, simply fluff them on "cool" for a few minutes once they've already dried on the line.
Turn your refrigerator down to the factory recommended setting. If you have certain beverages that you enjoy very cold (colder than the fridge setting), for example, beer, simply pop them in the freezer for a few minutes before you want to drink them.
Set the water heater to the factory recommended setting. It should be no higher than 120° F. This makes the hot water much safer and much more economical to keep.
On very hot days, consider using hot appliances, such as clothes driers, stove tops, ovens, and dishwashers only in the evening when it gets cooler. Then, you won't heat up the house as much, and the air conditioner won't have to work as hard to lower the temperature.
Use the barbeque more often in the hot weather. This allows you to have hot meals that taste great in the summer without warming up the house.
Use energy saving light bulbs, especially in areas where they're used the most. These bulbs use up to five times less energy than a regular light bulb.
Small ideas like these will make all the difference when it comes to your energy bills. You'll notice a bit of a difference at the end of every month but you'll see a real savings at the end of the year. Start saving energy today and begin gradually working these efforts into your routine. Soon you won't even realize you're doing it anymore! Thanks, Dad!
