How to save money on electricity in your home

by Jamie m.

In many parts of the world, a stable electric supply is a necessity. So it is not uncommon for homeowners to spend large chunks of their finances to power their homes. More often than not, these homeowners spend more than they should on this utility. Why? First of all, most homeowners use more electricity than they really need, and others miss out on innovative solutions that can help them save money on electricity.

The disadvantages of poorly managing this resource are obvious. First of all, it hurts your pocket. Secondly, it has a ripple effect that usually ends up with more greenhouse gas emissions resulting from fossil fuels being burned to produce this electricity. So what are some of the ways you can cut down the consumption of electricity in your home?

How to save money on Electricity

Energy Audit

First, you want to conduct an energy audit in your home. This will let you know how efficiently energy is being used in your home. In some places, most utility companies offer this service for free to their clients, so you might want to take advantage of this. Also, there are tools and information available online, for you to be able to do your own energy audit. This should be the first step, as it will help you identify areas where you can cut back on your energy consumption and save money on electricity.

Cleaning Electrical Appliances

Keep electrical appliances clean. This rule is a bit general in its application. When your appliances are allowed to collect dirt and grime, it leads to decreased functionality most of the time. This would mean you would need to run the appliance for longer, or the appliance itself would have to draw more electricity to do the same task, both of which will result in an increase in your electric bill. Your refrigerator coils are one example. The filters in your HVAC system should also be cleaned regularly.

Turn off unused appliances

This is easily the most well known rule of saving electricity, but did you know that most electronics, like your TV for example, still use up electricity while in their “off” state? So if you have multiple electronics, use a power strip and turn them off when they are not in use. Alternatively, if you invested in a socket with a switch, turn those off as well.

Solar power!

I know, this isn’t really cutting back on electricity. It’s more like finding an alternative source. However it’s just as important because it solves both problems mentioned earlier. First, apart from the initial expense of setting it up, it costs next to nothing to provide a sustainable source of electricity. Also, it is one of the most environmentally friendly sources of electricity known to man. Apart from the panels themselves, the main items you would need would be the batteries and a solar charge controller. So if you can afford to invest in solar power, it will be one of the biggest cost cutters as far as providing electricity for your home is concerned.

With these major steps, you would be able to optimize the use of electricity in your home, and over time, you’ll begin to see more ways by which you can save energy, and thus save money.

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