Owning a house comes with a lot of responsibilities. Sometimes we can forget to take those extra steps in efficiency that will make for lower monthly bills. Here are 5 simple steps you can take:
- Replace your filters.
A clogged air filter can be damaging to your HVAC system (and your wallet). When a filter is left too long without being changed, dirt and dust start to build up and disrupts the air flow. When this happens, your HVAC system suffers unnecessary strain, which can lead to premature failure of the system and higher electricity bills. Make sure you change your air filters at least every three months to keep your wallet and HVAC happy.
- Turn Off Unnecessary Water
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (commonly known as the EPA) says that the average homeowner could save around $170 a year by making these small changes. Taking a shower uses 17.2 gallons of water on average. Did you know that a bath uses about 75 gallons of water? Think about reducing the amount of time you leave the water running to help reduce your water bill.
- Unplug Unused Chargers
We all do it, but leaving your charger plugged into the wall uses up a lot of energy. In fact, according to Energy.gov, unused chargers consume on average 0.26 watts of energy. While that doesn’t seem like a lot, if every member of your family collectively agreed to unplug their chargers when they’re done, it could account for up to 10% of your energy bill! So, unplug and revamp your wallet.
- Don’t Wash with Hot Water
It’s pretty tempting to turn your washer up to “hot water” for most of your laundry cycles. However, according to Treehugger.com, 90% of the energy used by your washing machine is used to heat the water, and only 10% is used to run the load. Therefore, turning your water down to “cold” or “cool” will be much more efficient and save you some serious cash on your gas or electricity bill.
- Adjust the Thermostat.
In the summer, turning your thermostat up a few degrees can make a huge difference. In fact, according to compactappliance.com, for every degree above 72 that you set your thermostat to, you can save 1-3% on your energy bill. Find times throughout the day (maybe when you’re not home) that you can handle keeping it a bit warmer inside to save money on your next electric bill.
There are so many reasons to be more energy efficient in your home, including the environmental gain, the financial gain, and not to mention the awesome feeling of doing something nice for yourself and mother earth!