October is National Energy Awareness Month, and this is a perfect time to remind everybody how important energy-saving is. Starting from simple daily tasks and working your way up to home upgrades will help your community.
Since it’s National Energy Awareness Month, this is a perfect time for you to try new ways to contribute to the world by doing simple things to save energy. Energy efficiency affects the most critical yet unnoticeable aspects of our lives—the air we breathe, the water we drink, the house, and the neighborhood we live in.
The more you save energy, the more you help reduce air and water pollution and conserve natural resources. It comes a long way and thousands of people, but it could create a healthier environment for everybody. Moreover, saving energy also saves money and provides jobs.
In our homes, energy efficiency improves comfort and safety. Getting the right upgrades can improve indoor air quality and cleaner surroundings. As you can also save money, this will enable low-income residents to access more comfortable and proper temperatures in their homes.
Here are the energy-saving habits you can practice daily.
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1. Minimize the use of machines.
Dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers require more amount of energy to achieve. With hand washing and air drying, you can clean items just as much. If you really need to use these machines because of a busy schedule, at least use them with full loads so that you can use less energy.
Also, hand washing your clothes can be too much, so you can just air dry them. This way, not only are you saving energy, but you can give less damage to your clothes.
2. Turn off appliances when not in use.
This is a given and a fundamental one at that. But many people still forget it, so here is your reminder. You don’t have to unplug everything, but there are appliances you need to unplug when not in use in order to improve safety and save on your electric bill.
3. Use reusable items.
Disposable plastics require a lot of energy to be manufactured and don’t really offer great returns. Purchase products that are made of reusable materials like glass jars, which can be reused as desk organizers and pantry and bathroom item containers.
There are many more ways to reuse and recycle. You can get ideas all over the internet. Besides, food items like pasta are now contained in reusable containers to prolong freshness.
4. Clean your appliances.
Simply cleaning your appliances regularly will contribute to energy-saving. Get rid of debris from vents, drains, grates and coils from your dishwasher, exhaust fans, and washing machine. This will help them perform better and more efficiently. With clean surfaces, they function smoothly, thus not requiring so much energy.
The refrigerator is one of the appliances the uses the most amount of energy. Cleaning coils off it can even reduce energy use up to 30 percent.
5. Properly maintain your heating system.
Like appliances, heating systems will perform more effectively and efficiently when properly cleaned and maintained. Whatever kind of heating system you use in your home, you can always retain your comfort and save money and energy all at the same time by maintaining them.
You can decrease your energy bill by approximately 30 percent while reducing environmental emissions if you properly combine equipment maintenance and upgrades, such as house insulation, getting rid of air leaks, and thermostat settings.
6. Switch to energy-efficient home features.
Get energy-efficient household technology. Smart home equipment is highly efficient since it can automatically detect and adjust according to your energy needs.
Starting from something basic, like sensor lighting, so you won’t have to roam around the house at night just to check if you turned off all the lights in every room. A smart thermostat lets you control the temperature in your home remotely and program it to change the temperature at different times of the day.
Replace your old light bulbs with LEDs or CFLs. These lights require 80 percent less energy and can last way longer than old, traditional ones.
You can upgrade your windows and make them more energy-sufficient. Low-emissivity (Low-E) coatings, also applied on modern commercial windows, help control heat transfer by glaze insulation. They differ in type and are designed to moderate solar gain. Some varieties can be done by a non-professional or by DIY. These are less expensive and can last up to 15 years without peeling.
Some home upgrades can be more expensive than others to install, but they are guaranteed to save money and energy in the long run. Then again, energy-saving doesn’t have to be costly, and only spend what you’re willing to. Changing your daily routine will be enough and a significant help already.