The cost of energy just seems to keep on rising, making it harder and harder to make ends meet. Not only does it cost us in dollar terms, but most of us understand that using energy negatively affects the environment, too. All is not lost, though; there are many ways to help ease the energy crisis. Here are seven tips to get you on the road to conserving energy in your home.
One – Lights Out
It might seem trivial but turning off the lights is one of the easiest ways to conserve energy in your home. It’s thought that lighting makes up at least 10 percent of the cost of the average power bill so when you start switching off the lights in those empty rooms you’ll start cutting costs instantly.
Two – Budget-Friendly Bulbs
Although you might like the familiar look of the old incandescent light bulb it’s time to turn to budget friendly bulbs once and for all. By swapping your old globes over to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) you will conserve large amounts of energy immediately. Some CFL bulbs claim to use 70 percent less power than the old style bulbs.
Three – Clever Lighting
Another way to conserve energy around the lighting in your home is to look at your use of outdoor lighting. Whether it be garden lights or porch lights, consider installing sensor lighting that activates only when the need is there for someone to see their way.
Four – Consider Computer Consumption
When it comes to desktop computers, the energy consumption is significantly higher than for a laptop. Where a laptop on average eats up somewhere between fifteen and twenty-odd watts under regular usage, a desktop chews up some one hundred and fifty watts. So when it’s time to upgrade why not choose to conserve energy by selecting a laptop over a desktop?
Five – Shut it Down
Although we seem to use computers every waking hour that doesn’t mean we need to leave them running all night. Conserve energy by shutting down your computer each night. Sure, it might take a little extra effort and time at the start of each day to get things running again, but with this habit you’ll save money and increase the life of your computer simply by running it less.
Six – Turn it Down
There are many devices in the average home that are hungry for energy but there are ways to reduce their consumption. Televisions and desktop computers, for example, are more often than not set on a very bright screen setting. By simply turning down the setting to a dimmer but still acceptable level, you will conserve energy.
Seven – Stop Gaps
Insulation is usually a given in most ceilings these days, however, energy can be conserved by ensuring that there are excellent seals around all the windows and doors in the home too. A simple weather strip cut to size is all it takes to stop precious warm or cool air from seeping out of the home. It also will prevent outside elements from entering the home. When your home is insulated well you conserve large amounts of energy all year around.
These seven tips are just a few of the ways you can conserve energy in your home. But don’t stop there. Continue to look for ways to adjust your way of life to help not only reduce your energy bills but to help the environment. We all share the planet and so reducing the use of the earth’s resources is everyone’s responsibility.
Author Bio : Tauseef Hussain is a media blogger and occasionally writes on bathroom glass enclosures. He is passionate about interior decoration and his goal is to live a creative life and give the best advice forbathroom accessories to make things better and beautiful in a bathroom.
Photo: MRBECK
