8 Ideas for a New Home Gift
Summer is long over and we are quickly nearing some fun festivities like Christmas, Hanukkah, etc., which usually indicate that the winter season is in full effect.
What do these seasons bring besides peppermint mochas and holiday gifts? The answer is short days, dark evenings, and bigger electricity bills. But it always doesn’t have to be this way, because there are things that you can do to decrease your energy consumption at home and save money!
So lets get these energy saving tips rolling and save on electricity bills in the fall and winter.
Seal Your Doors and Windows
A common reason why people complain about insufficient warmth in their homes even though they still are paying huge heating bills is that they are losing heat through cracks around their windows.
Using weatherstrip around your windows will reduce heat loss, keeping your home warmer and using less energy to heat it.
Using less energy means you pay less on your utility bills!
Lower the Temperature
Although to some this might seem like a weird tip, you may want to think about lowering the temperature on your thermostat to around 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, or even lower if you are comfortable with your home being a bit cooler.
This will let you save on energy, since your heating won’t be blasting all the time, but you will still be living in a home that is comfortably warm.
Let the Sun Warm You Up
Sun is an amazing energy source, and all the best solar lights and solar panels are able to produce a ton of electricity and very bright lighting when the sun is out.
The same also goes for heating, because natural sunlight is a great heat source, too. So use it; keep your curtains and blinds open during the day and let the sunshine in!
On a sunny day, even if it is cold outside, the sun will warm up your house and you will be able to turn your thermostat down to save energy on heating.
Switch to LED
You maybe have heard people talking about switching their incandescent and CFL bulbs to LED ones, and for good reason. LED bulbs consume up to 10 times less electricity, yet provide the same, if not better, illumination as other types of light bulbs.
Exchange all of your light bulbs to LEDs and see your energy consumption drop. On top of that, think about getting LED holiday lights instead of ones with incandescent bulbs.
Many people break out the Christmas lights as soon Halloween is over, and LED holiday lights will make sure that your festive home decor won’t cause your electricity bill to skyrocket for two whole months.
Unplug Appliances (Don't Leave on Standby)
Did you know that even if you leave electronic on a standby mode, which essentially looks like the devices are turned off, they still continue to consume quite a lot of electricity? In fact, electronics on standby make up as much as 10% of your total household electricity load.
Start saving on energy and fully turn off and unplug your electronics whenever you’re not using them.
Cool the Water in Your Water Heater
Lastly, also make sure that you lower the temperature of your water heater, since water heating racks up around one fifth of all the energy that is consumed within your household.
Use the warm (not hot) setting and adjust the temperature to around 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help reduce your energy bills and reduce the risk of you scalding your hands with hot water when you come inside.
Have any other simple ideas for saving energy during the winter? We would love to hear your tips and tricks!
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