Saving money is something that everyone strives to do today, and one easy way to accomplish it is to learn a few electricity saving practices. Hundreds or even thousands of dollars can be saved each year in energy costs alone, by using these practices to cut your energy consumption.
An excellent way of reducing your monthly bill is by having an affordable and reliable electric company by your side. It might sound hard to find given the wide variety, but if you compare electric rates and filter all the options, you will choose the one that best suits your wallet.
Electricity Saving Practices
There are several electricity saving tips that can help you lower your energy bills every month.
1. Use your HVAC system as little as possible and keep the thermostat temperature at a lower level
This includes turning it to a lower temperature in the winter and a higher temperature in the summer.
During the summer, you can use the HVAC system only when the outside temperatures reach extremely high levels, but in the days with tolerable temperatures you can simply shut down the unit to save power.
During the winter, you can set the thermostat at a lower temperature, and to avoid getting cold, you can use an additional sweater.
Set the thermostat on a comfortable temperature of 68 °F (20 °C), or even lower if you can, to make some serious savings on your energy bills.
2. Replace your traditional light bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs
Traditional incandescent light bulbs use way more energy than CFL or LED light bulbs.
In addition, a traditional incandescent bulb needs to be replaced much often, which means more money spent on light bulbs.
CFL or LED light bulbs can work for years without requiring a replacement.
Beside the fact that they last much longer, they will help you save more electricity and pay less money on energy bills.
3. Use smart power strips
I suppose that you are aware of the fact that appliances (and actually any device plugged in), consume energy even when you don’t use them (energy consumption in passive mode).
Smart power strips can prevent this from happening because by using them you can disconnect the appliances during the night or when you are not at home, and this way you will save even more energy and money.
4. Invest in a smart thermostat
Also known as programmable thermostats, a smart thermostat can help you use energy in a very efficient way without affecting making your home less comfortable.
A smart thermostat can be set to turn off or change the temperature inside rooms based on your family’s patterns for each day.
When you are away from home or during the night, your thermostat will help you save money by automatically lowering the temperature in bedroom and empty rooms.
5. Weatherproof your home
Sealing the cracks in your walls or roof can help you save energy both during the summer and the winter.
The cold air that keeps the house cool during the summer or the warm air that keeps the house comfortable during the winter needs to remain inside the house to use energy in an efficient way (without loses).
Sealing all the cracks in the house will definitely make the home more comfortable and will also lower your energy bills.
6. Turn your lights off when you leave a room
Make a habit by turning the lights off when you leave the room to save energy.
There is no reason to keep the lights on in an empty room.
Encourage all the members of the family (including kids) to do the same. This simple, but often forgotten task can save a significant amount of money on your electricity bill. Put a sticky note on the light switch to help remind everyone to turn it off on their way out of a room.
7. Wash dishes by hand
If you use only a few dishes to prepare your daily meals you can wash them by hand to save energy and water.
Running your dishwasher uses a pretty large amount of energy, so if you don’t have a large family that uses many dishes over the day, you don’t have to use the device.
By hand, you can wash a decent amount of dishes in a very short time and consuming only some water and dish soap, but no electricity.
8. Check your home’s insulation
If the insulation of your house has been damaged or just doesn’t exist at all, insulating the house can help you make huge savings on energy bills, especially during the winter.
During the summer, the house will be kept colder and comfy due to the outside layer of insulation.
During the winter, you will consume less energy to heat the house due to the presence of the insulation that will keep the house warm for a longer period of time.
9. Learn when to use the appliances
Believe it or not, there are certain times in the day when using your dishwasher or washing machine is less costly.
If you use them during peak time between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM (when everybody’s at home) the energy consumed will be more expensive.
If you learn to avoid peak times, (use the dishwasher and the washing machine during the night) you can save even more energy.
Electricity Rates in Calgary
If you live in Calgary or the surrounding areas, then you are likely looking for colder area energy saving tips.
These tips on saving money are helpful because, generally, the electricity rates are not getting any lower. There is one helpful option for electricity rates in Calgary, however, which involves getting on a plan for saving on electricity or renewable energy sources.
Better Energy Alternatives
Using renewable energy sources is not only beneficial for your pocket, but also beneficial for the environment. Some energy alternatives include (but are not limited to):
- Biomass
- Tidal energy
- Wind energy
- Geothermal energy
- Compressed natural gas
- Solar energy
Renewable energy is provided for free by nature and is a clean source of power.
Final Thoughts
Using electricity saving practices in your home could result in massive savings on energy bills each year. These practices aren’t difficult, you only need to teach all the members of the family about them because only working as a team will help you consume less power.
