You’re spending more time at home these days, and as a result, you may be wondering how much more energy you might be using. We’ve gathered a list of simple and practical ways you can be saving energy at home.
- Use curtains and blinds to harness the energy of the sun. If you want the house to be warmer, open the blinds when the windows are facing the sun. If you want the house to be cooler, close the blinds to the windows that are facing the sun.
- Take shorter showers, use a low flow showerhead and reduce the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees and save energy every morning.
- Use the microwave or a toaster oven to reheat food rather than heating a conventional oven. You may also want to consider convection or steam ovens to save energy as well.
- Check your TV settings. High definition TVs use less energy, and you can save more energy by disabling the “quick start” feature and adjust the automatic brightness control or ABC sensor. Also streaming movies through a Playstation or Xbox can use 30 times more energy.
- Programmable thermostats allow you to reduce energy costs when you are away from home or at night. On average, you can save $180 per year.
- Add insulation to your air ducts, your water heater, and your water pipes. You can also weatherproof doors and windows to reduce leaks.
- Use energy-efficient appliances and settings that allow for lower temperatures or using less water. Consider using the air dry options on the dryer or the dishwasher. Avoid using the rinse and hold feature on your dishwasher, and only run full loads through the washing machine or the dishwasher.
Most of today’s appliances use half as much energy as those from 20 years ago. If it’s time to update any of your appliances, contact Friedman’s today to see how much energy you could save. We can help you go green!
