How to Save Gas/Electricity and Lower Your Electricity Bills
Saving Gas/Electicity is a great way to not only help save the planet, but to also lower your energy bills. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to reduce your electricity costs without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
Insulate Your Home
Adding insulation is an easy, inexpensive way to cut down on energy use. It’s particularly effective for keeping heat inside your house during winter. It also protects pipes from freezing and helps prevent water from escaping during heavy rain or snowstorms.
Install a Smart Thermostat
One of the most effective ways to lower your electric bill is by installing a programmable thermostat. This device allows you to fine-tune your heating system to match your lifestyle and energy usage patterns. You can even set it to turn off at night or when you’re asleep, which saves energy while preserving comfort levels.
Switch to LED Lighting
LED lamps consume about 80% less energy than traditional bulbs, and they last about 50 times longer. You can save up to EUR 12 per year on your electricity bill by replacing halogen and incandescent lamps with these types of lights.
Upgrade Your Appliances
If you have a dishwasher, refrigerator or an electric stove and oven that’s old and inefficient, consider buying a new model that uses less electricity. Most energy-efficient models are more expensive than their older counterparts, but they’ll pay for themselves in savings over time. Look for “Energy Star” ratings to determine which ones are the most efficient.
Change Your Daily Habits
Simple changes like turning off your computer when it’s not in use or not using a hair dryer when you don’t need to can make a big difference in your electric bill. It’s also a good idea to unplug electronics and appliances when not in use.
Don’t Open an Oven Door When Cooking
The oven’s internal temperature drops when you open the door while cooking, which means it has to use more electricity than usual. This is especially true when using a conventional oven.
Get a Low-Flow Showerhead
The average shower uses about 2.5 gallons of water each minute, which is a huge amount of water. Using a low-flow showerhead can cut down your water consumption by almost half, saving you money and energy.
Wash Your Dishes With an Energy Star Machine
Instead of hand-washing dishes, put a full load into the dishwasher and let it run for a few minutes to save on hot water. This is especially important in the winter, when cold weather makes hand-washing more difficult.
Get an Energy Star Washer and Dryer
Getting an Energy Star washer and dryer will save you 20-30 gallons of water for each laundry cycle. You can also save a lot of money by using the washing machine and dryer with full loads rather than several smaller loads.
Adjust the Thermostat
During the winter, you’ll want to lower your thermostat to a more comfortable level to reduce your power usage. You can do this by reducing the number of hours you turn your heater on, or by getting a programmable thermostat that adjusts to save energy when you’re away or asleep.