No- and low-cost tips to reduce energy use and lower your bill
Saving money on your electricity bill doesn’t have to involve a high upfront cost for you. Although smart thermostats and appliances seem to be attracting all the attention, there are many no- and low-cost, do-it-yourself projects that can make a major impact on your home’s energy use and your monthly bill. Use the tips below to take your energy savings to a new level.
Changing your ceiling fan direction seasonally can help you save energy and stay comfortable year-round. In the warmer months, set your fan to rotate counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze. In the cooler months, switch it to rotate clockwise to circulate warm air and improve room temperature.
A drafty home can cause your heating and cooling costs to skyrocket. Weather-stripping and caulk can be purchased at any home improvement store for a quick, inexpensive weekend project. Use weather-stripping on any movable part of your home (windows, doors, etc.) and caulk for filling cracks and gaps. The DIY Energy and Water Saving Toolkit described below includes weather-stripping to get you started.
With this handy toolkit, you can measure how much energy and water is consumed and make a few quick home upgrades to save money. Involve the kids and make it a fun learning opportunity! Learn how today.
About 75% of sunlight that hits standard double-pane windows enters as heat. In winter, open curtains on sunny windows to warm your home, and in summer, keep them closed during the day to avoid overheating.
The old adage “Turn off the lights when you leave a room” is great advice for being more energy conscious, but did you know that appliances like coffee makers and gaming consoles can also be major sources of wasted energy? Many appliances, like your cable box or TV, still draw some power while turned off or in standby mode. Some sources estimate that these “energy vampires” account for 10 to 20 percent of a home’s total energy use! Consider adding appliances and devices to a power strip to conveniently turn them on and off, and you will reduce standby electricity use while your devices are not in use.
The standard household lightbulb has come a long way over the past decade. LEDs use about 80 to 90 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs—and they’ve also decreased in price by 85 percent in recent years.
Even if you don’t have the latest smart thermostat, how you operate your home’s thermostat can still make a major impact on your home’s energy use. According to the Department of Energy, turning back your thermostat 7°F to 10°F for eight hours a day from its normal setting can save you on heating and cooling. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can create settings for when you wake up, leave for work, get home, etc., and the adjustments will be automatically made.
Most electric vehicles (EVs) can be programmed to start charging at a specific time. If you’ve already made the switch to an energy-efficient EV, look into a time-based electricity plan that charges less for nighttime use. If you set your EV to charge overnight, you might find that your electric bill actually goes down rather than up. Be sure to check out SCP’s GridSavvy Rewards program to earn rewards by lowering your energy use when the demand for electricity is high. Learn more.
Using these tips, you can take your energy savings to a new level with little or no financial investment. Get started today!
