With all the time you will be spending at home during this lockdown season, it is estimated that most average American households will have a 25% increase in power consumption and 17% in gas usage. If you have solar energy and was lucky enough to have them installed by a sunpower panel installer, then you’re already making significant savings on energy consumption. However, nor everyone is privileged enough to have these alternative energy sources at home.
We have listed a few practical things you can do to lower your energy consumption and, ultimately, your electric bill.
9 Practical Energy Conservation Tips to Get You Through the Lockdown
1. Let as much natural light in during the daytime.
Utilize the sunlight as much as the day will allow you to. Open your curtains in rooms you frequently hang out in to minimize your use of lights.
2. Turn off everything that is not in use.
A lot of us are guilty of leaving unused things still on or plugged in. One of the best energy-saving methods is always turning off unused appliances and fixtures and unplugging them if they are not frequently used.
3. Use the eco functions on your appliances.
A lot of appliances, especially the newer ones, have eco-function features built into them. For instance, using your dishwasher’s eco setting efficiently heats water at lower temperatures.
4. Wash clothes at full loads.
Frequent use of a washing machine on smaller loads consumes more energy compared to washing a full load at once or twice a week.
5. Air-dry your laundry.
Since we’re at the time of the year that the sun is shining brightly, utilize the warmth it brings by air drying your clothes instead of using the tumble dryer.
6. Use lids for pots and pans.
Trap in heat when you cook by putting lids on pots and pans. This helps keep the food warm for longer periods and minimizes the need to reheat it.
7. One gadget at a time only.
We understand that staying at home can get pretty boring which means gadgets and devices will be on simultaneously. Avoid using gadgets at the same time. If you’re online, finish what you need to do on your computer or mobile before turning on the TV to watch a show or movie on Netflix.
8. Install a smart thermostat.
Smart thermostats are helpful at controlling heat and remembering different temperature settings in different areas in your home on a schedule to help you save up on energy and money.
9. Consider investing in a new boiler if you have an outdated one.
If you have a boiler at home that’s at least 20 years old, it might be time to consider getting a new one. New boilers are designed to reduce your carbon footprint by achieving a 90% efficiency rating.
We hope that you find these tips useful. With all the time we all will be spending at home during this health and financial crisis, we need to cut down on some excesses and keep our expenses to a minimum.
