Each appliance in your home plays an important role in your total monthly consumption of energy. Carefully analyzing how you operate these machines can add up to big savings for you as a consumer and make a positive difference on the environment. Incorporate the following green energy tips in your house.
1. HVAC. Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the best ways to conserve energy and save money in your home. Set the temps to save even more when you are away at work and grab a sweater if you feel chilly. Just a few degrees can add up to significant savings for both you and the environment.
2. Washing machine. Be sure and select a lower amount of water for smaller cycles, and avoid using the hot water feature whenever possible. Try and wait until you have a full load of laundry before running the machine, and take advantage of all energy settings.
3. Dryer. Cleaning the lint filter on a regular basis will improve the efficiency of your dryer as well as reduce the possibility of fire. Again, opt for energy-saving settings at all times and never run the dryer for just a few items. Hang things like jeans up to dry on a small rack to avoid running the dryer for long periods of time and never turn your dryer on during extremely hot weather as this is very counter-productive to the effort put out by your air conditioning unit.
4. Dish washer. This is another appliance that is frequently used before it’s sufficiently full; wait until you’ve got a decent sized load before hitting the start button. Using your dish washer’s electric drying system is also a waste of money and resources, so let them air-dry.
5. Ceiling fans. These devices can really help your efforts to cool and heat the home; change the direction of the rotation to either draw hot air up or push it down, depending on the season. Always shut it off when you leave, too; despite being an asset to the home’s green energy plan, ceiling fans cost about seven dollars each to run per month.
6. TV and other electronics. Connect them safely to a power-strip and turn it completely off every night or when you will be gone for more than a few hours. Most of these gadgets draw power even when they are turned off, so it’s important and convenient to cut the juice with one single flick of a switch.
7. Water heater. The temperature setting for the water heater in most homes is 140 degrees, and lowering that to 120 will save you as much as $10 every month, along with keeping the environment cleaner. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends the water heater be kept at 120 degrees, and you probably won’t even notice the reduction when you use it.
Saving energy benefits you and the environment, and it’s not very difficult to accomplish. Simply review the habits of everyone in your household and start using appliances more conscientiously. You should see a big difference in a month or less.