Homes are often wonderful places to live, but they’re also expensive. Not only do you have to pay the mortgage (or rent), but you also have to cover all the rest of the costs of living in the property as well, including energy bills.
If you feel like you’re paying through the nose right now, this post is here to help. We explore how to cut your gas and electric bills so that you can free up your time and have more money in the bank at the end of the month.
Perform An Energy Audit
Energy audits are useful procedures that allow you to learn more about how and where you are using energy. For instance, you may discover that your biggest energy hog isn;’t what you thought it was. Dryers, washing machines and showers are all major culprits, as are gaming PCs with large power supplies.
You may also find that energy is escaping your home more rapidly in some rooms compared to others. Again, you may want to explore options such as insulating the walls or putting draft excluders down along the bottom of doors.
Install Dimmer Switches
You don’t have to run your lights at full blast every time you enter a room. In fact, you may not want to in the evening when you are winding down for bed.
Installing dimmers, therefore, is a great idea. It does two things: it saves energy by allowing you to lower light levels, and it makes your rooms cozier in the evenings. Dimmer switches may cut overall household electricity bills by 5 to 10 percent.
Stop Using Incandescents
Incandescent bulbs are now pretty much obsolete technology. While upfront purchase costs are lower than conventional LEDs, they don’t last as long, meaning that their lifetime cost is actually higher.
Switching to LEDs can lower lighting energy costs by around 80 percent. That’s because the vast majority of electricity energy gets converted into usable photons, not wasted heat.
Lower Your Boiler Water Temperature
Do you really need to keep water in your boiler tank at such a high temperature? Could you perform most household functions, such as bathing and washing up by setting it a little lower?
If you’re like most homeowners, the answer is “yes.” Every degree you dial down the temperature saves you an increasing amount of energy, since it becomes easier for the boiler to maintain the temperature above ambient levels.
Get Argon Or Krypton Double Glazing
Argon and krypton are two noble gases found in the periodic table. Noble, in this context, just means that they don’t react with other chemicals easily to form compounds. What’s more, because of their molecular weight, they tend to be excellent insulators.
Manufacturers pump these gases into the spaces between double and triple-glazed window panels. The effect is a reduction in the rate at which heat escapes a building.
Renewal by Andersen Windows claims that it is possible to substantially increase the energy-efficiency of your home. According to their figures, certain double glazing products can reduce energy loss by 44 percent in the winter.
Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances
Another option is to buy energy-efficient appliances – something that you might want to do after an audit if you discover, for instance, your dryer is sucking more electricity from the mains than it should.
Energy-efficient appliances are around 40 to 60 percent more efficient than their conventional counterparts. Furthermore, they also use less water. An A Energy Star-rated dishwasher, for instance, will typically use 3.5 gallons of water or less per cycle, putting it on a par with conventional sink-based washing up. Not bad.
Avoid Washing Clothes In Hot Water
Another strategy is to wash your clothes in lukewarm water, not hot. Many manufacturers now include settings on their washing machines that allow you to wash effectively at 30 degrees.
Take Cold Showers
Taking cold showers is another great way to save on energy bills (and improve your health). When you take a cold shower, you’re no longer burning through energy to heat the water. You also use less water overall because you have an incentive to get in and out as quickly as possible.
Fix Your Ductwork
Leaky ductwork can dramatically reduce the efficiency of HVAC systems. When air escapes, it no longer transfers between interiors and outdoor rooms as it should, making the motor and compressor work harder. Look for ways to fix your ductwork. If possible, get a professional to check it over for cracks, including in otherwise inaccessible locations.
Fix Your Leaking Faucets
If you have leaking faucets or showerheads, get them fixed. If you can’t do this yourself, get a handyman to do it for you. Usually, it’s as simple as replacing the existing washer with a new one.
Get Discounted Rates
Asking your utility bill provider for a discount is another option you might want to try. Comparing rates gives you bargaining power. If you find a cheaper deal, return to your current supplier and ask them to match it. If they can’t, switch.
Check Window And Door Seals
If you look closely at your window frames, you’ll notice that there is a thin line of caulk around the edge. Unlike in the bathroom, this isn’t solely to keep water out. It’s also there to prevent air transfer. If the caulk appears damaged, then warm air might be leaking out of your home at a high rate, even if you have double glazing.
Fortunately, this is usually a simple fix. You don’t usually have to replace the entire frame (unless it’s rotted through). Go to the hardware store, get some new caulk and apply it yourself, or get a handyman to do it for you.
If the window or door frame has rotted, you’ll need to whip it out and replace it with a new one. Again, this tends to be relatively affordable. You can hire a handyman to do it for you if you’re not sure how to proceed.
Start using these energy slashing hacks today and watch your bills plummet.
