If you’re looking for effective ways to lower your household energy usage and trim your monthly energy bills, learning how the daily use of various appliances and equipment affects your consumption is a good start. Here’s a look at four common household items that inflate your bills and how to lessen their consumption:
HVAC Equipment
Home heating and cooling consumes close to half of the total energy used in a typical household. This makes it essential to optimize the equipment’s efficiency in order to reduce your operating costs. To do this, have an HVAC pro check that the system is correctly sized, and schedule preventive maintenance visits twice a year. It’s also important to get the ductwork properly sealed and insulated, and inspect and change the system’s air filter regularly. When the time comes to update your equipment, invest in an Energy Star-certified replacement with a high efficiency rating.
Water Heater
Hot water heating can represent up to 18 percent of a household’s yearly energy usage. You can lower your water heater’s consumption by setting the thermostat to 120 degrees, and adding an insulated jacket if it’s an older unit. You can also cut back on the amount of hot water you use by having water-saving showerheads and faucets installed, using cold water for washing laundry, and running your dishwasher instead of hand washing the dishes.
Small Appliances and Electronics
The myriad electronics and small appliances in today’s homes account for up to 18 percent of typical yearly energy use. Such items drain power even when they’re not in use, so either unplug them or install power strips that you can turn off after every use.
Refrigerator
Running a refrigerator can represent up to nine percent of your total energy consumption annually. You can limit this by only running one refrigerator and almost cut the consumption in half by replacing a fridge manufactured prior to 2001. To gain the biggest benefit, buy a new Energy Star-rated model.
To learn other effective ways to reduce the energy bills in your Lorain-area home, contact us today at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy bills and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area