Electricity is one of the biggest expenses of a household. It is often needed for a number of reasons including; cooking, lighting, charging, and air conditioning among others. Living in a home with high energy costs can be incredibly stressful. They can stress your budget on utility bills and effectively increase your costs of living.
From faulty electronics to poor regulation and outdated appliances, there are various reasons why most people have very high electric bills.
Thankfully, there are ways to reduce your electric bill and save money on your energy bills right away. In this article, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to instantly cut your electric bill by 75 percent at home. With these simple changes to the way you use electricity, you can see major savings in no time. We’ll cover everything from switching out lightbulbs to unplugging unused electronics. Plus, you won’t have to make any major investments or lifestyle changes to achieve these impressive savings. Read on to find out more about this money-saving hack.
Evaluate Appliances; First, evaluate all of the appliances and electronics in your home that use electricity. This includes heating systems, air conditioners, washing machines, and other major appliances. This analysis is based on the efficiency of the electronic which is a function of power output and power input. An efficient electronic has its output almost equal to its input and the reverse is true for an inefficient electronic. Old or outdated electronics tend to be inefficient compared to newly updated ones. Take a television set, for instance, the outdated cathode Ray televisions consume far much more electricity than the new Liquid crystal display televisions screens and plasma screens. Consider replacing any outdated models with newer ones that are Energy Star certified, as they will be much more efficient and cost-effective.
Switch off when idle; One of the biggest contributors to electricity wastage is living appliances connected to electricity even when idle. This can be either by leaving electronic devices plugged in even when idle or leaving the lights turned on even with no one in the room. This makes the electronics consume electricity even when they are not being used. Unplugging any devices that are not in use when you’re away from home can also help reduce energy usage. Additionally, make it a habit to always turn off all lights when leaving a room.
Use Smart Technology; Always keeping track of all your electronics and lighting devices might be a tedious task. Smart technology helps monitor electronics and lighting. Motion sensors can detect when no one is in and turn off the light. Smart television sets are programmed to prompt a user to take a particular action like pressing a button to sense whether there’s anyone paying attention to the set, otherwise, it automatically goes off. All such modifications are made to ensure that idle devices are always switched off.
LED bulbs; Switch out traditional lightbulbs for LED bulbs which will give you even bigger savings. Whereas traditional incandescent bulbs are based on burning a tungsten filament, LED bulbs are a more advanced type of bulbs that produced light from emissions of a charged diode. Most of the energy that goes into a traditional bulb is lost through unnecessary heat whereas an LED bulb efficiently converts most of the energy to light.
Leverage Natural Light; This involves making use of designs and modifications that allow more natural light into the house. This can be done using many ways including; installing skylights and constructing using big glazed Windows and doors. For high-rise buildings and skyscrapers, glass facades are ideal when it comes to natural lighting. This effectively reduces the reliance on artificial light and thus energy savings on lighting.
Cut down A.C usage; Air Conditioning is one of the biggest consumers of electricity. A.C. units usually take a lot of power, especially those that have to circulate large amounts of space. The amount of electricity consumed by an AC unit also depends on the number of hours it works. Cutting down A.C. usage significantly offsets energy consumption. Read about 8 Ways to Reduce Electricity Consumption of Your Air Conditioner by clicking here.
Alternative electricity sources; Another way of offsetting your energy expenditures would be by opting for alternative sources of energy, one of which is using solar panels. Besides being eco-friendly, solar panels are a sustainable renewable energy source. Unlike electricity which you constantly have to pay for, a solar panel gives you an endless supply of energy, the only expense being maintenance costs. Read more about the installation of Solar panels by clicking here.
In conclusion, reducing your electric bill is an achievable goal that can have a positive impact on both your wallet and the environment. By taking simple steps such as unplugging appliances, switching out traditional light bulbs for LED ones, and running only full loads of laundry, you can easily and quickly reduce your electric bill by 75 percent.
These steps may seem like very minor changes, but they jointly translate into significant cumulative energy savings over time. If you’re looking for even more ways to save money on your electric bill, consider installing solar panels or utilizing energy-saving curtains.