Everyone knows that energy consumption costs money. Yet many get shocked looking at their utility and fuel bills every month. Too much energy consumption can invariably burn a hole in the pockets of a person. Energy takes up a considerable chunk out of household budgets. A typical family in the United States spends about $2200 each year on utility bills. Paul Favret, therefore, underlines that anything a person does to conserve energy and reduce associated expenses will be a step in the right direction.
Paul Favret highlights multiple ways to reduce energy consumption and save money
Turning up the temperature during the summer and turning it down in the winter are ideal ways of putting the thermostat to work for the wallet. Department of Energy recommends turning the thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. This helps keep the house comfortable, while cutting down the energy expenses and lowering the demand on the energy grid. A programmable thermostat allows people to make their house cooler or hotter during periods when they are not at home. This reduces the difference in temperature between the exterior and interior of the house. This in turn cut down energy loss quite significantly. If someone does not have a programmable thermostat, they can always manually adjust their existing unit.
A swift and simple way to reduce energy consumption at home would be to replace existing incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent ones. According to the Department Of Energy, switching to LED lights can allow an average household to save about $225 per year in energy costs. Moreover, no matter the bulbs used at home, one needs to turn them off if no one is in the room. It is better to have a lighting system with timers that automatically turn off the lights after a preset amount of time in certain areas of the house. These areas include garages, laundry rooms, basements, and spaces that are seldom used. Having lights that turn off automatically after some time will help avoid energy wastage in case someone forgets to shut the lights off after using the room.
Paul Favret also mentions that using low-flow fixtures that conserve water can also be helpful in saving energy. These fixtures are available for faucets, toilets, and showers. Replacing faucets that drip, fixing toilets that leak, and turning off spigot when brushing the teeth is also important. Each drop of water saved at home contributes to the conservation of this valuable resource and helps reduce water bills.
A well-insulated house also cuts down the expense one would incur on heating and cooling. For this purpose, a homeowner firstly must check their attic. If the attic is finished, they should not be able to see the floor joists. If floor joists can be seen then more insulation has to be added. Homeowners must also be proactive about filling in and sealing any holes on their exterior walls. They should consider wrapping the boiler and exposed pipes with insulation to help them maintain the ideal temperature.