Can We Really Conserve Energy if We Try?

Energy is all around us. Everything we use is running on electricity. Electricity, however, isn’t infinite and is limited. For the same reason, energy saving is very important. If you take even small steps to conserve energy in your household, you’ll end up making a notable difference. Now multiply that against a fraction of the homes all over the world and think of the difference it can make! All of the electrical contractors in the world will tell you that it’s possible!

WHY WE SHOULD CONSERVE ENERGY:

If you’re thinking “why should you conserve energy?”, energy-saving, has two main benefits that aren’t just helping you but also the entire world! These benefits are the following:

• Money:

Regardless of whatever form of energy you use, there’s always a monetary cost associated with it which comes with a price tag. Whether it’s coal, gas, electricity, or oil, it’ll still cost you money. The more you save energy, the money you’ll save. Think of using the same money you’re blowing on wasteful habits, on something else when you get a reduced electricity bill.

• Environment:

If you decide to conserve energy instead of wasting it, you won’t just be doing yourself a favor but you’ll also be playing your part in helping the environment! Think of it this way; The lesser electricity you use, the lesser load on the power plant. Lesser load means lesser toxic fumes and lesser toxic fumes mean a lesser impact on the environment. You’ll not just be saving money but also the plants and animals around you! It’s always a good thing to bear social welfare in mind.

WAYS TO CONSERVE ENERGY:

If you’ve made it this far, then at this point you’re probably wondering something along the lines of ‘how to save energy at home’. Well, there’re more than a few ways you can play your part. You can start small and simply begin with reducing the wasteful practices you’ve been doing so far. Apart from that, you can try and go for some bigger steps.

Here are some energy conservation tips you can opt for that’ll definitely make a difference:

• Adjust your day-to-day behaviors

The first and the most basic way to conserve energy is to simply go for an energy saving lifestyle. Only use appliances when you need them. This includes heaters and air conditioners too! At the same time, try to turn off the lights when you’re leaving your bedroom if there isn’t anyone else sitting there. You can even try to wash the dishes yourself instead of using a dishwasher. So it really just depends on you in this case.

• Insulate your home

We spoke about using appliances if you really need them which include heaters and air conditioners. Well, you can do something about using them less frequently if you opt for a one-time investment of insulating your home. By insulating your home, you’ll be allowing your home to retain heat in winters and the cool in summers which means lesser usage of heaters and air conditioners. And voila, you’ll be able to conserve energy! The heat resistance of the insulation is directly related to your geographical location so you’d want to call in an expert for this one.

• Replace your light bulbs

If you’re using the traditional incandescent light bulbs for the lighting in your home, you should know those consume electricity in rather large amounts. Here’s something you can do; use halogen bulbs, LED bulbs or, compact fluorescent lights. That’s because they consume a lot less energy and last you a lot longer. So you aren’t just saving money on energy saving but also less frequent light bulb replacement.

• Use Smart Power Strips

Smart power strips are another one-time investment that’ll help you conserve energy and take a lesser toll on your wallet in the long run. If you aren’t familiar with what phantom loads are, it’s the electricity your appliances consume when they’re turned off or on standby mode. This is where smart power strips come in because they shut off the power to appliances when they’re not being utilized. By doing this, you’ll be eliminating a major energy wastage source.

• Weatherize your home

Apart from insulating your home, you can also play your part to conserve energy by closing all the points in your home where air can get in or out. These include your doors, vents and, windows. Start by just keeping them closed as much as you can without compromising on the ventilation. Also, look for any cracks in the walls and seal them shut. It’s not exactly equal to insulating your home but it’s without a doubt, the next best thing to regulate the temperature of your household.

• Upgrade your HVAC System

Another way around energy saving is to go for an upgrade to your HVAC system. The HVAC system comprises of ventilation, heating, and air conditioning equipment. Start making certified upgrades to these components and you’ll see a reduction in your bills. Also, upgrading is just one part of the entire process. Once you upgrade, be sure to engage in the maintenance of your HVAC system too! If you do it properly, you’ll end up saving hundreds of dollars on all cooling and heating-related expenses!

• Install a programmable or smart thermostat

A smart thermostat will reduce the intensity of the cooling or the heating in your home during the hours you aren’t at home or you’re asleep. Once you set it up, you’ll be able to reduce wastage and in turn, conserve energy. Some of the more advanced programmable thermostats will notify you when air filters have to be replaced or when your HVAC system isn’t functioning properly as well.

• Purchase energy-efficient appliances

We aren’t asking you to throw away all your electrical appliances right away to conserve energy but investing in energy-efficient appliances will definitely have a good impact on your energy saving. You can start by purchasing energy-efficient appliances in the future and replace the old ones over time.

• Install energy-efficient windows

Closing your windows might minimize heat loss in winters and cold in the summers to contribute to your energy-saving drive, but it won’t eliminate it. The outside temperature will still make its way through the glass. Well, one way to minimize that is to invest in double-pane products. Another thing you can do on top of it is to add curtains, blinds, shades, or awnings in front of your window so that they can give an additional insulation layer.

• Reduce your water heating expenses

Your water heater consumes a lot more energy than you think. If you want to conserve energy, you can definitely invest in a water heater that’s more energy-efficient. However, it doesn’t just stop there. You can do something more to add on top of it for energy saving. You can insulate the water heater and the first few feet of its pipes or bring the thermostat a little lower. You could even use hot water in lesser amounts for that matter.

If you’re in the mood to invest in an energy-efficient water heater, you’ll have to see if it can meet your needs along with the type of fuel it’ll run on.

CONCLUSION:

Energy-saving won’t just benefit you but also everything else around you. Both in the short term and the long one too. And truth be told, our energy consumption will have a major impact on our future generations. If you don’t have a big investment and can’t opt for replacement, you can always start with the smaller things like making changes to your overall lifestyle. These seem like small things but they definitely make a large difference.

If you’re looking to get newer and energy-efficient products and components but don’t know where to begin, you can always start by seeking out the opinion of a residential electrician. They can without a doubt, offer you the best guidance compared to anyone around you.

We hope you found these energy conservation tips useful. Make the world a better place and start saving more money starting today!