7 Easy Ways You Can SAVE Energy In Your Home
Knowledge is definitely power when it comes to saving money in our homes. Energy costs related to heating and running the appliances and devices in our homes can add up fast, but there are easy things we can do to help reduce them! Thanks to energy choice in New Hampshire, we can choose who supplies our electricity, just like we select a cable company or cell phone service. The more we understand about our energy usage, the more we can reduce personal energy consumption and save our hard-earned money. Not only is this good for our wallets, but also the planet.
Here are seven easy tips that will help us become more energy savvy and make an educated decision when selecting our New Hampshire energy provider:
1. Get an Energy Audit
Imagine if we treated our homes as we treat our cars, with consistent tune-ups and service. With our cars, we obsess about gas mileage, wanting the most efficient ride possible. Not so with our homes, even though the expense of energizing our residences far outpaces the cost of driving. Like a good tune-up does for our cars, an energy audit with a home performance expert will pinpoint how the energy comes and goes, taking your dollars with it. Many utilities offer this service.
North American Power’s “Understandabill” feature provides an invaluable tool for keeping track of your energy usage. Available exclusively to North American Power customers, Understandabill provides customers with energy saving tips customized to their specific usage patterns, compares past and current use, and even estimates future energy bills and usage. They also receive an “Electricity Usage Breakdown” graphic that explains how specific appliances and devices increase their bill. With access to this tool, North American Power customers in New Hampshire are able to better understand how they use energy.
2. Apply Common Sense to Your Appliances
We can all get a little lazy with our appliances. After all, they were invented to save us time and effort. Understanding your appliances, especially Energy Star qualified ones, can save you a bundle of money. Some easy ways to reduce energy usage are to always fill your dishwasher completely and let it air dry, wash your clothes on your washing machine’s cold water setting, dry your clothes on low heat, and reduce your water heater temperature to 130º F or by 10 percent. Place a newer dryer on the moisture setting so it will automatically turn off when clothes are dry; this way, you’re not blowing hot air straight out of your bank account. Take these actions and, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, you can save between $440 and $1100 every year!
3. Stand By to Turn Off
Take a look over your shoulder next time you leave your family room. If you see enough glowing LED lights to light up the room, then you’re wasting energy. We love the convenience of quick-waking devices, but did you know that two DVRs burn as much energy as your refrigerator does? Plug in the set-top boxes, DVRs, game systems, and whatever else into a power strip that you can turn off with one click when you leave the room or go to bed. And don’t forget to turn off those computers, because energy use never sleeps. Taking these simple steps should save you at least 5% of your energy bill!
4. Digital Gadgets Save Time and Money
Take advantage of the smart home accessories you can. Digital timers take the evening’s “click-off marathon” out of your hands, automatically turning off and on appliances and devices without a second thought. Speaking of intelligence, smart thermostats record your heating patterns and then adjust accordingly. You can also use the mobile app to make adjustments when you’re away from home. The same goes for smart lights. Both smart lights and thermostats are estimated to cut up to 10% off your annual energy bill according to the Alliance to Save Energy.
Our homes have become so smart that it can be tough to keep up. Fortunately, the North American Power Online Learning Center is home to all kinds articles that cover a spectrum of efficiency topics and reveal just where you can save more energy and ultimately money. The posts offer DIY solutions, FAQs, and plenty of resources to help you conserve energy.
5. Swap Your Light Bulbs
Switching from incandescent light bulbs to longer-lasting compact fluorescent bulbs means fewer replacements and a cost savings of as much as $50 a year. Look for energy-saving rebates on these bulbs and take one of the cheapest and easiest steps towards saving energy.
6. Clean Filters Make Happy Heaters
Changing your furnace’s air filter is among the easiest and most important DIY solution to reducing your energy usage. Schedule filter changes every 4-6 weeks to breathe fresh life into your HVAC systems and lower your monthly bill. Pet owners or people with allergies should consider even more frequent filter changes.
7. Know Where the Leaks Are Coming From
Leaks seem to be in the air these days, and air leaks are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to home heat loss. Most heat loss departs right through the walls—35% according to a recent article in the North American Power Learning Center. The roof, windows, door, and even the floors can also be uninsulated. Sealing those air leaks and properly insulating your home could save you up to 20% on your energy bill.
Energy efficiency remains a fast growing, always-evolving area. Working with an energy provider that shares your interests in energy conservation and lowering your costs makes plenty of sense. North American Power recently won the 2016 “Excellence in Customer Service” Award from the Energy Marketing Conferences. Knowing that your energy provider is constantly innovating and improving will help everyone in your home feel that much more comfortable.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Enroll with North American Power and you could save up to 25% on your electricity supply PLUS receive a $50 GIFT CARD to participating retailers like Amazon, Target and many more! Learn more and sign up here.