Saving electricity in your home has many obvious benefits a couple of which are, saving money on your power bill and saving carbon emissions that it takes to generate electricity.
This not only makes more things available for your lifestyle, it reduces the impact that you make on everyone else's, a true win-win situation.
I want to start with a lesson that I learned from my house,
1. Clean or have cleaned the coils on the inside of your air-conditioning unit.
Having your central heating, cleaned and inspected yearly is a very good idea.
There are radiator like coils on the inside of a central air-conditioning unit that the air flows through to be heated or cooled and circulated back into the house. When these coils become clogged with dust and other particles of all kinds that fly around in the air we breathe, an accumulation of these tiny particles restricts the air flow which makes the unit less effective and the motors in the unit work harder, and also makes the entire unit work longer due to the restricted airflow.
Clearing a clogged unit can make a dramatic difference in the efficiency and the cost of your heating and cooling.
2. Stop the drafts.
There are many areas of your house, especially around windows and doors that allow too much air exchange.
I saw a neat door boot on TV that fits both sides of the door for the bottom of it for a quick and simple fix to stop drafts in that area.
Many times these seal between the window frame and the house is not tight enough and will need some caulk to seal the cracks.
3. Replace old Windows
If your windows are very old, replacing them with modern insulated windows can make an enormous difference. Although the initial investment is large, the added comfort and big savings in energy is usually worth it. I plan on new windows and insulated vinyl siding on my house as soon as possible.
4.Your Hot Water Heater
Your Hot Water Heater is an enormous consumer of power. You can reduce the temperature of your hot water to save energy and still have water that is plenty hot enough for everything you need around the house. I have the water at my business turned down all the way so that I can use hot water only, and still have my hands under the water. This may not be enough for your house, where people are taking showers and such, but it is an easy adjustment, so you can experiment with it to get yours set like you want it.
To adjust the temperature of your heater, First, turn off the power to it. Then look on the side of the hot water heater, There are usually two removable panels. Remove the panels, and underneath, you will see a dial that you can turn with a screwdriver to adjust the temperature of the water heater, you want to adjust both dials to the same setting. I would suggest turning it down 10° and going through your normal routine, if it is not made an undesirable impact, repeat the process until you reach the level that is just hot enough for your needs. Another point about your water heater is that although it has some insulation in the shell additional insulation can help conserve energy.
5. Flip the switch
Turn off lights, stereo equipment, TVs, and all the other stuff that we that we use when we're not using it. Turning off lights when you leave the room, even if you think you're coming right back will make a difference in your consumption. Putting a power strip and surge protector on your electronics can be switched off to prevent power drain when not in use as well as protect your expensive equipment.
6. Replace Outdated Appliances
Older appliances generally consume more electricity. So if your washer or dryer or dishwasher or some other appliance breaks down, you may want to consider replacing it with a more efficient model instead of repairing it.
7. Xedia Power Saving Electronics
I want to round out this list with another discovery that I made, it is a new technology put out by Xedia technologys called the X-power saver. It is a small cylindrical capacitor that you plug into an outlet in your home that tunes your electricity to make it more efficient. The items such as fans and other inductive loads on your system use much less electricity, as well as operate cooler and have a longer life if this unit is on the same phase with them. I can't say that I am an expert on how it works, But I have seen it demonstrated that it does work, and it comes with a six-month moneyback guarantee. You can find out a lot more about it at www.electricfixer.com go to products and check out the X-Power Power Saver.
Use these seven ways to conserve power by using less electricity and your home and enjoy the benefits of more money now and a cleaner environment for years to come.
Wishing You and Yours Abundant Blessings,
Richard Lynch, Christian husband of Grace Lynch, parents of seven wonderful children, endeavoring to share a mindset of abundance and a heartset of conservation.
Visit my blog at www.uselesselectricity.com for many more ways to get more out of life and conserve energy
Seven Killer Ways To Save Electricity And Money
