And
how to stop
By Bobbi
Peterson
We all have bad habits. Whether it is biting our nails or
snacking in between meals, those bad habits can take their toll.
You are
probably also indulging in bad habits that are costing you money every month,
and you might not even know it.
These would be all the ways you’re upping your
energy consumption in wasteful manners.
Much like breaking bad habits, saving money on energy is all
about changing behavior. It might also come down to some simple and affordable
home DIY projects.
First, you have to recognize all the ways you’re wasting
energy.
1.
Keeping Water Temperature
Too High
Do you know what the current setting is for
your hot water heater?
You should, and it should be 120 degrees. That is just around hundred degrees
less than it takes to boil water. That is sufficiently hot enough for all your
needs. Lowering that temperature will also significantly reduce your energy
bill.
2.
Heating or Cooling
Unoccupied Rooms
Isn’t it nice to walk through every room in
your house to find them cool in the summer and warm in the winter? You
shouldn’t be doing that. Why are you heating rooms no one is using? A quick fix
is to make sure you’re closing the vents on your HVAC system in those rooms not
in use. That will redirect the warm/cool air.
The other proactive step you can take is to
install a programmable thermostat. This can be programmed to turn on your HVAC
upon arrival (or a few minutes before) and turn it down or off during the
night. That is a lot better than running those systems 24/7.
3.
Washing Partial Loads
This applies to your dishwasher and your
clothes washer. Your dishwasher uses around 1800 watts per hour. It also uses up a lot of heat to
dry those dishes. If those dishes are going to sit in that unit for a while
before you unload them, then why not let them dry on their own? Too many spots
on glasses? Try a rinsing agent that will take care of that.
As for the clothes
washer, you’re using energy and water for every load. Get the maximum benefit
by making sure you’ve got a full load every time.
4.
Staring at an Open
Refrigerator
Is your refrigerator running? You better catch
it. At the very least, you shouldn’t stare at an open door. What happens every
time you open that fridge door is warm air blasts into all your cool food.
When
you close it up again, the fridge kicks into overdrive in an attempt to cool
things down as quickly as possible. That uses up energy and wears down the
machine. Maybe it’s time to organize your fridge so
you know exactly where all the things you want to eat will be found.
5.
Using Power During Peak
Hours
Most power companies offer discounts for
off-hour usage. This is really to protect them. They know in the summer months,
everyone will be cranking up the AC during the day, and that is when the most
strain occurs.
It’s also when they can charge more for usage. Add in the
dishwasher, dryer, and other appliances, and you’re operating at expensive peak
time. Check with your power company. If you can wait until dark to do the
dishes or your laundry, then you might come out ahead.
6.
Using Older Appliances
When it comes to appliances, nothing is made
to last forever. If you’re looking for an excuse to swap out the old microwave or
stove, then consider energy efficiency. Your appliances should be Energy Star
rated.
As an added bonus, you might discover that swapping out those appliances
can help around tax time. Switching to energy-efficient appliances and other
home upgrades can result in energy tax
credits.
7.
Staying Plugged In
Did you know any device you keep plugged into
an outlet is using up power even if it you’re not using it? Things such as
televisions, printers, monitors, computers and microwaves are all essentially
on “standby” waiting for you to bring them to life. As such, they are absorbing
power. Time to get unplugged, and that includes the phone chargers!
When you add up all the money you spend with all those bad
energy habits, you could be looking a decent amount of cash flying out of your
pocket and toward the power company. Wouldn’t you like to reverse that trend?
Bobbi Peterson loves writing and regularly posts on her blogLiving Life
Green. She’s also a freelance writer, green living advocate and
environmentalist. You can find more from Bobbi on Twitter.