According to Energy.gov, the average American household spends almost $2,000 per year on energy bills and the typical family spends over $1,000 annually on water bills. Fortunately, there are ways to save on both.
Minimizing the amount of energy you consume can help you save money and here are a few practical pointers to get your started:
- Consider energy-efficient electronics and appliances such as computers and printers.
- Connect your electronics through advanced power strips. This helps reduce electricity that's wasted when the equipment isn't in use.
- Use energy-efficient lighting to reduce your power use by approximately five percent. LED, CFL, and halogen incandescent light bulbs are all energy efficient.
- Install a heat pump water heater. Instead of generating heat solely to provide hot water, a heat pump water heater moves heat from one space to another. This makes warm rooms warmer and cool spaces cooler.
- Looking to update your windows? Have an energy-efficient option installed.
- Insulate and air seal your home to make sure hot or cold air doesn't escape.
- During the cold months, turn your thermostat down at night and when nobody's home.
- Make sure the coils on your refrigerator are free of dust so they work efficiently and opt for the middle temperature setting on your fridge and freezer instead of the coldest.
Reducing how much water you use is important because it will help lower your water bills. Keep these tips in mind:
- Think about using more energy efficient appliances - ones that are deemed Energy Star efficient.
- Repair leaking faucets and fixtures. This can help save you as much as 180 gallons of water per week.
- Don't take long showers. Make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of time your showers last.
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth and shaving. This can help save gallons each time.
- Use your dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand, and only run the dishwasher when it's full.
- Replace your toilets with low-flow toilets.
- Reduce your home's irrigation water use by 30 percent annually by replacing your clock-based controller with a WaterSense labeled irrigation controller.
Some of these tips involve an investment of time and money to make the change to more energy- or water-efficient vs just changing one or two habits but it can be worth the effort.
