How to save more energy within your own home [15 easy tips]
100TM asked our community in the sustainable energy fields to tell us their energy-efficient hacks and tips within our homes and what renewable energy sources we could switch to.
With energy prices soaring, now is a perfect time to consider being more energy-efficient within our homes.
Our options range from as simple as switching off room lights to investing in solar panels and will provide actionable money-saving tips, too — that all homeowners can do.
How to save energy within your home? Easy & inexpensive ones first.
1. Turn off every light once leaving a room
An essential habit to develop and foster is to make sure that you always switch off the lights when leaving a room. Remembering to do this will save a good portion of your monthly electricity costs — especially as energy prices begin to skyrocket. Another tip is to install motion detector lights that turn on and off when motion is detected or off when not. Furthermore, motion detector lights are also a good deterrent against unwanted visitors.
2. Unplugging unused devices
It is vital to unplug devices when not in use. Do not leave appliances on standby but rather unplug them and save your electricity bill and the planet.
3. Using LED lights
Several homes use smart LED lights as they look stylish and affordable and are more efficient than halogen bulbs. Replacing your lighting with low-energy LED lights will use 90% less energy and last 10–20 times longer, reducing the need to replace them so frequently.
4. Keep your thermostat at lower temperatures
Keeping your thermostat at lower temperatures, around 17 degrees celsius, can make a big difference and save your energy costs. Using a smart programmable thermostat is even better.
5. Cooking with the lid of the pan on
A relatively easy everyday energy-saving tip is cooking with the lid of the pan left on. By doing this, those doing the cooking will lessen the cooking time and reduce water usage.
6. Shut windows during the winter
Now, this tip may seem pretty obvious, but the concern here is that if you have the heating on, whether in winter or any season, it is very wasteful. If you leave the heating on, the hot air will escape out of the window, thus losing energy and money.
7. Washing clothes at lower temperatures
Washing your clothes at cooler temperatures and ensuring you have a full load will save more water and electricity.
8. Reduce your water usage
Some easy tips for reducing your water consumption are taking shorter showers, using only the required amount of water while cooking, and turning off running taps when not using, even if only for seconds.
9. Use smart automated devices
Installing and using smart automated devices lowers energy bills because smart automation systems detect when devices are no longer being used and switch off the power supply. Humans may forget, but smart devices do not. Plus, they are an excellent way to increase the value of your home.
10. Using smart meters
Similar to smart devices, smart meters monitor how much energy you are consuming, allowing homeowners to track what they use and where, so they can actually reduce their consumption.
11. Using more solar-powered devices
A solar-powered device can be powered by solar energy. These solar-powered devices are convenient since you don’t need to replace the batteries or have wires running through your home. These days you can use a solar-powered device in and outside your home. Making these small shifts and using more solar-powered devices can go a long way and lower maintenance and replacement costs.
12. Switching to more energy-efficient appliances
Washer-dryers and refrigerators are two of the most energy-intensive appliances within a home. Replacing dilapidated or outdated models with better efficient models can reduce electricity usage by half, once again reducing electricity bills. Another energy-saving tip is to install heat pumps to reduce electricity consumption.
13. Install double glazing
Double glazing your windows and doors is an ideal solution for a modern sustainable home as it can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heating and cooling, reducing your carbon footprint and lowering your energy bills.
14. Insulate your walls, lofts, and hot water tanks
Insulating your walls, lofts, and hot water tanks can reduce your energy bills and help lower your energy consumption. This is a worthwhile investment for those who have older homes and are less energy-efficient.
15. Energy landscaping
Smart landscaping design can make your home energy efficient in heating and cooling, increase your energy score, look great, and add beauty to your home. For example, in some cases, air conditioning may be necessary for hotter climates, but strategically placing trees in the gardens can cause shading to help provide some comfort from direct sunlight, thus reducing the need to have the AC on all the time.
Why reducing energy usage in your home helps our planet’s sustainability
Energy efficiency means using less energy, needing less electricity generation, and emitting less CO2 and other pollutants.
Regardless of the methods homeowners use to make their homes more efficient, any reduction in energy consumed directly reduces a home’s energy-related carbon emissions. Living in energy-efficient houses puts individuals into a more favorable position by having lower heating and electricity bills, staying more comfortable and safe during unexpected blackouts, increasing the house’s resale value, and ultimately bringing benefits to one’s health.
These homes benefit their owners and the environment by decreasing greenhouse gasses released into our atmosphere and improving human health and our environment.
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Originally published at https://www.100tm.earth on October 6, 2022.
