Energy Savings At Home

Saving energy means less usage of electricity and releasing less carbon dioxide and other pollutants leading to, of course, less pollution. There should be a reduction in the energy consumed at home so that there is less carbon dioxide emission. Only then will there be a decrease in air and water pollution and the conservation of natural resources.  

It directly affects the level of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere and brings about healthy changes in human beings.

Energy savings, at home or wherever possible, can be achieved using practical energy-saving tips. There are several ways of saving energy in our houses; from switching off the lights and fans to maintaining the use of electronic machines.

• Turning off the lights and fans when not in use

Wondering how to save energy? Doing it regularly will help you inculcate this habit in yourself to save energy at home. Keeping the lights and fans on when not in use will also incur an extra cost by increasing the electricity bill. It would help you if you made it a priority until you are doing it subconsciously. It will also save from pollutants entering the air and save the electricity bill. 

• Using LED Lights

Many people prefer LED lights in their homes because they look more fashionable, act as an energy saver, and are reasonable price-wise. This is one of the practical energy-saving tips at home. They are more eco-friendly and use way less energy than halogen bulbs or incandescent bulbs.

• Switching to energy-efficient appliances

Washing machines and refrigerators are two essential electronic appliances in almost every house. Maintaining them and changing them after every few years helps save energy and helps cut off the electricity bill by staying in touch with the improvement of energy-saving technology. 

• Unplugging devices when not in use 

We know how important electricity is, and we need to save every bit of electric power. We need to unplug electronic devices when not in use. We should not keep them on standby. Just take them off from charging as soon as the charging is complete.

• Lessening the usage of water

Adding to the energy-saving tips at home, here we are talking about hydroelectricity. There are some easy ways and means to save water. Instead of having long baths, take small showers sometimes. Only use the necessary amount of water when cooking. Do not keep the taps running and save energy.

• Using smart, automated devices

Moving further to energy-saving tips at home, we must use smart, automated devices. Smart, automated devices will automatically turn off when not in use or when you forget to turn them off. For example, a timer in a washing machine, air-conditioner, micro-oven, etc. It reduces the electricity bill and thus helps in saving energy. 

• Using a double-glazing door

Digging deeper to get the energy savings tips at home, we know that we should use double-glazing doors to reduce greenhouse gasses from heating and cooling, reduce carbon footprints, and find a low electricity bill.

• Cooking with the lid on

It is one of the easiest energy-saving tips at home to cook with the lid on. It takes less time to cook and promotes smart use of water, i.e., less hydroelectricity usage.

• Using a smart meter

Using an energy tracker is a great method of energy-saving tips at home. Using a smart meter to see how much energy has been already used and how much more energy can be saved tactically, you can easily chalk out your plan. It shall help you know where you can reduce energy consumption.

• Washing at a low temperature

When you are washing clothes at home, you should wash them at a low temperature. It is a practical way of saving energy at home. Also, though it may take a long time for the clothes to dry in the washing machine, you can use natural sunlight to dry the clothes. It can be regarded as one of the more intelligent energy-saving tips at home. 

Suppose you send those clothes to a laundry service. They will not use such energy-saving techniques which you may use at home. They will charge a good chunk of money and also use up more hydroelectricity, causing more air pollution.

• Solar-powered devices

Nowadays, we find solar power available in almost every second electronic device we use, like solar geysers, solar heaters, solar cookers, solar inverters, solar chargers, solar air conditioners, solar lamps, solar-pumped lasers, solar-powered watches, and solar chimneys. If you shift your house, you can easily use those devices even without any charging points being available. It may incur a low cost for electricity bills and emission of pollutant gasses. These are the new energy-saving tips at home, applied to almost more than half of homes.

• Shut down your window shades

This is another one of the better energy-saving tips at home. We should shut our window shades to block the sunlight and prevent the house from getting too hot. And it should be the opposite during winter. During winter, you should let in the sunlight from any natural source available. It is simply one of the common practical energy-saving tips at home if you think practically. It is only when you do it yourself you will get to know its immense benefits.

• Wash your clothes in cold water

When you wash your clothes in a washing machine, almost ninety percent of the energy is used to heat the water. Using cold water-formulated washing detergent will efficiently remove the stains from the clothes. Thus, proving it to be a very good practical energy-saving tip at home, wherein you work and understand the consumption and reduction of energy.

• Wrap or cover foods and drinks in refrigerators

In addition to the practical energy-saving tips at home, we can also say that when foods release moisture, they make the compressor work more to keep the unit cold. It takes a few seconds to wrap plastic to trap the moisture, or better use reusable containers with a lid to avoid throwing the plastic.

• Always use cold water taps

You are going to use the taps while cooking or washing dishes, etc. It is said to be another good practical energy-saving tip. Using warm water taps requires energy to heat the tap which does not heat the water efficiently. You may switch it off and find out whether the water is not yet heated. Hot water may also contaminate the water by releasing lead from it. Thus, it saves energy and prevents air pollution from lead production from the hot water tap.

• Sealing any gaps

If we seal up the gaps or cracks in the floor or anywhere else in the home, there shall be a reduction in the electricity bill by 10%. The reduction may be either by fans or air conditioners, but you should fill up those cracks so that the air does not get leaked and it takes less time to cool the place. You can also draw your curtains, to cut down your electricity bills. Drawing your curtains acts as a known but not practical energy-saving tip at home. It cuts off the space between the walls and the curtains. So, it has to cover a smaller area with more energy, which gets cooled easily.

• Turning down your thermostat

When it is cold outside, we tend to overheat ourselves, and when it is hot outside, we over-cool ourselves. But just turning the thermostat by 1 degree, there is a reduction in the electricity bill by 5%. Solar heating and an electronic unit can also save a lot of energy. It is you who should know how to save energy.

• Insulating your Home

You must also know how to save energy by insulating your home better. Heating and cooling almost consume more than half of the electricity bills. Insulating the roofs, walls, ceilings, and floors allow you to have better control over your home’s temperature. It can save more than half of your monthly expenditure.

• Reducing hot water consumption

We have commonly heard about a reduction in water usage, but this is an interesting and practical energy-saving tip at home. Less hot water usage will lower your gas or electricity expenses in addition to lowering your water bill. Installing a solar hot water system can also save your electricity bill and electric energy, provided you know how to use every bit of energy and how to save energy.

Also Read: Sustainable And Healthy Eating With Organic Coconut Bowls

CONCLUSION

As discussed above, we know that it is very important to save every bit of energy. We have also discussed various ways to save energy, the benefits we get from saving energy, and places where we can save unnecessary energy usage. Saving energy also reduces water and air pollution, conserves natural resources, and protects them from depletion. It thereby leads to creating a healthy and disease-free environment everywhere for people.  

Authored By: Poorvi Chhajer

About the Author: Poorvi is a psychology graduate with a knack for writing and a belief in ayurveda.