The average family uses a lot of energy per day. Without even trying, it’s easy to rack up nearly eleven-thousand kilowatts of electricity, and that’s without factoring in your gas usage. This energy wasting comes to around $2,200 per year, which is why homeowners are desperate to lower their output. Less efficient energy results in bigger savings and more money in your pocket.
Of course, you have to know what you’re dealing with to nip it in the bud. Although some of the non-eco-friendly features are easy to spot – we see you, light bulbs – others go under the radar. It’s these that you need to focus on if you’re going to slash your usage in half and save money while helping the environment.
If you don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll find the top four energy-wasting habits that your property has that you didn’t know existed. Get ready to be shocked and surprised!
Four Energy Wasting Habits
Here are four energy wasting habits that might be zapping your household of money.
1 – Opening The Fridge Door
Shut the fridge door! Yep, opening and shutting your refrigerator is a simple way to boost your energy usage at home. It’s pretty basic, but the most popular appliance in the house has to switch on its inside light every time the hinges swing. When this happens, it has to burn electricity.
For those who assume that it isn’t a big deal, you’re mistaken. Estimates put the total amount of time people spend browsing the content of their fridges a year at around ten hours. This equates to 7% of the average household’s yearly electricity quota, which is a substantial volume. It’s tempting to think that you can’t do much, yet this isn’t the case.
Moving the stuff that you browse for regularly into a pantry or kitchen cupboard will prevent the fridge from working overtime. Alternatively, you can stop snacking as much and only eat at mealtimes!
2 – Using A Conventional Water Heater
Water heater-wise, as long as it works and provides hot H2O on tap, you’re happy. All you want is an easy life, and an inefficient storage unit is incredibly stressful. Even if you haven’t had any problems, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t any around the corner.
The problem with conventional water heaters is two-fold. Firstly, they run out of hot water very quickly. Secondly, when they do, they have to heat the remaining water. As a result, this leads to high energy bills because your water retainer is constantly increasing and decreasing the temperature. For an efficient method of heating water, the temp should be set at a standard rate.
The best option is to replace your current unit with something less gas-guzzling. However, the post, “how to choose the right water heater” points out that you should weigh up the pros and cons first. There are several options, and it’s easy to opt for the most up to date and shiny heater. Don’t. Instead, compare their features against your requirements.
3 – Washing Clothes In Hot Water
In the post, “4 Tips to Lower Energy Costs in Your Home This Summer” the leading piece of advice is to turn your house into a smart home. Please don’t read this as investing in the latest technology, from apps to speakers and automated systems. They do help, yet being smart is about being switched on.
Take washing your clothes, for instance. If you think about it logically, there’s no reason to heat the water. If anything, it only adds to your energy bills because cold water is as effective, as long there aren’t any stubborn stains or marks.
Therefore, opting for a cold wash when you do the laundry could save you a significant sum. Not only that, but you can confidently declare your house to be a smart home!
4 – Air Conditioning Units
HVAC units are pretty hungry when it comes to electricity. This is especially true in the summer when you’ll use them more often. If you are going to rely on them to keep you cool, you shouldn’t switch them on and off.
Like a thermostat, it’s better to set the unit to an eco-friendly temp and let it gradually pump out cold air throughout the day. Also, don’t forget to clear the air vents. Dirt and debris get caught in the vents, forcing the air conditioner to work harder, and expel more energy, to keep up with the demand.
In many ways, you don’t need an HVAC unit because you can stay cool naturally. Still, if you can’t live without one, you must mitigate the energy wasting.
She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificate in Natural Health from a fully-accredited program and is a Certified Herbologist. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
