With electricity prices rising significantly in the last few years, smart homeowners are focusing on cutting their household’s energy use by making the homes more energy-efficient and implementing other energy-friendly strategies.
And guess what? If you put your mind to it, reducing energy usage is not hard to achieve.
If you’ve been struggling lately to keep your electricity bill within reasonable limits, check out the easy-to-implement and effective tips provided by Blinds 2Go in the infographic below.
Tip #1 – Unplug Appliances When You’re Not Using Them
Did you know that phantom load — that is, electricity used by appliances when they’re not in use — accounts for nearly 10% of your monthly electricity bill?
So, if you pay $200 for electricity every month, that’s $20 a month or $240 a year. You can use this money for something more useful, so quit leaving microwave or computer plugged in.
Tip #2 – Purchase Energy Efficient Appliances
Home appliances, like dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators, freezers, and air purifiers, account for nearly 20% of a household’s electricity bill. By buying ENERGY STAR certified appliances, you can reduce this share.
Compared to a non-energy efficient appliance, an ENERGY STAR certified product uses about 10-50% less energy. With home appliances lasting for anywhere between 10-20 years, investing in such appliances can lead to substantial savings in the long run.
Tip#3 – Lower Your Thermostat
Do you lower the thermostat temperature when you go out?
If not, start doing this immediately. Just a 3-5 degree reduction in the temperature reduces your energy use and by extension your monthly electricity bill. And if you reduce the thermostat temperature by 10-15 degrees on workdays, you can save up quite a decent amount on your monthly utility bill.
Tip #4 – Insulate Your Roof
A good roof insulation goes a long way in reducing your energy costs. You can scale down your energy bill by up to 20% by investing in roof insulation.
To improve your roof’s energy efficiency, pick a light color for it. White is regarded as the most energy-efficient one as it reflects up to 70-80% of sunlight.
Another thing you can do to improve your roof’s energy efficiency is to use clay tiles in place of asphalt shingles. Compared to asphalt shingles, clay tiles have a significantly higher thermal emittance.
Tip #5 – Opt For A Window Treatment
You can further improve your home’s energy efficiency by placing covering on your windows. This is one of the most cost-effective ways to control how much sunlight enters your home and improve insulation.
There’re many types of window treatments available, such as drapery and curtains, shutters and blinds, window films, and shades. Picking the right window treatment can improve your home’s energy efficiency considerably. As a matter of fact, energy efficient windows can lower your heating and cooling costs by as much as 25%.
To learn more about making your home even more energy efficient and reducing electricity bills, check out the infographic below. It offers some great tips to cut down your household’s energy use, many of which are DIY.
URL: https://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/33-energy-efficient-home-ideas
