Energy conservation is vital for the planet’s continued survival and should be a priority in every household. Additionally, since homeowners pay for their energy consumption, conservation has a financial benefit as it saves them money.
The media bombards us with energy conservation ideas, and some might seem impossible to implement in your home. What gets lost in the messaging is the number of simple adjustments you can make to conserve energy. Here are five easy things to alter or monitor in your home to minimize energy consumption:
Thermostat-controlled heating and cooling
Most heating and cooling systems come with a thermostat, which controls the temperature in your house when the system is activated. Therefore, if you set the heating thermostat to 68 degrees, it instructs the heating system to keep working to maintain that temperature. Thermostat-controlled heating and cooling are regarded as a sustainable energy solution because they reduce power consumption.
The heating or cooling system has a goal temperature to reach and will not keep functioning beyond that. BestElectricRadiators’ range of electric radiators is fully thermostat-controlled, allowing you to control the temperature separately in all rooms with these devices, unlike central heating, which has only one thermostat. Radiators from BestElectricRadiators, Herschel Select, and Ecostrad iQ come in various sizes and designs to suit any homeowner’s needs.
Cooling systems, like air conditioners, work on an identical principle. They are guided by thermostats inside each unit that govern the prescribed room temperature. When the heating or cooling appliance achieves the thermostat setting, it goes into a rest state while monitoring the temperature to determine if it must continue heating or cooling.
Appliance usage
Any appliance with a thermostat consumes more electricity than one without. This includes fridges, freezers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, heaters, and coolers. Prudent use of such appliances can help you conserve electricity. If you can invest in newer models, this will be even better as they are designed with energy efficiency in mind.
Check that your fridge, freezer, dishwasher, and washing machine doors seal tightly as they will utilize more energy if they do not. The moisture in these appliances can result in seals degrading or breaking, and you should replace them every few years. Limit the use of these appliances to when necessary, such as waiting for a full load of dishes before running your dishwasher. During the summer months, consider using ceiling and floor-standing fans as they do not contain thermostats and use minimal electricity.
Alternative energy sources
Harnessing renewable energy sources, such as the sun’s rays, is also a popular option among homeowners wanting to conserve energy. The initial outlay to purchase and install solar panels and wiring your electricity supply to the system is pretty substantial. However, it saves you a small fortune in energy bills. These systems are designed to run on solar energy until it is depleted before reconnecting to the conventional power grid.
Undoubtedly, solar power is effective in areas with warmer climates that see a pattern of regular sunshine. This climatic environment provides homeowners with a chance to harvest significant amounts of solar energy. However, other alternate sources, such as wind power, could also reduce reliance on conventional energy sources.
Shine a light on energy conservation
Your lighting system could be costing far more than it should and consuming a lot of energy. As a point of departure, install energy-efficient light bulbs and make a move toward converting to LED (light-emitting diode) lighting as it uses even less electricity.
While lighting control systems used to be deployed in large commercial buildings, there is an upswing of interest in them from homeowners. These include timers that switch lights off at specific times or motion detectors that turn lights on only when someone enters a room.
Install a home energy monitor
A home energy monitor allows you to track your energy consumption in kilowatts or dollars. When you see a spike in usage, it is easier to track it to the source than waiting until the month-end bill arrives.
This real-time information allows you to react immediately and cut down on consumption before receiving a bill you cannot afford to pay. Studies indicate that awareness of energy consumption and quick reaction to unnecessary increases can decrease it by up to 15%.