Being energy efficient (or using less energy) is beneficial to my family in a variety of ways that affect us both directly and indirectly on a daily basis. Direct benefits include saving money and time while improving our quality of life.
At the same time we’re also indirectly putting less strain on the energy grid while conserving natural resources and reducing emissions that can harm the environment.
When we first set out to remodel our home from top to bottom we made the conscious decision to invest in energy saving products. Living in rural Michigan, we knew this would be crucial to maintaining our energy bill, especially when old man winter knocked at our door.
Our windows, doors and appliances all came energy star rated. But throughout our home our televisions, shower heads, lamps – right down to the lightbulbs are all energy efficient. In addition to lowering our monthly energy bill we also saw a significant, positive impact on our yearly taxes thanks to rebate programs for energy saving appliances.
But the impact made by these decisions would be for naught if we didn’t make an effort to find easy ways to make our home more energy efficient (and further save on our energy bill).
One of the easiest habits our families can get into is turning off the lights when we exit a room. This is a habit best started early but an old dog can still learn new tricks.
We also run our entertainment hubs off a single power strip, that way they can all be shut off before we leave for the day by unplugging that single switch. Many people don’t realize that products will pull electricity even when they’re turned off, which can really add up over time.
Even our window trimmings are working to save energy. Energy savings curtains black our light, reduce noise and block out the cold that seeps through a windowpane, and prevents warm air from escaping but one of our biggest energy savers is adjusting the thermostat.
When we’re gone during the day we turn it down to about 58 degrees which saves as much as 15% towards our heating bill. We also leave it cooler at night while our family is tugged snuggly in their beds. In the summer, we do the opposite!
But if you’re noticing your bill is still high despite these fixes, call your local heating repair experts. There may be something wrong with your HVAC system.
How does your family make your home more energy efficient?
These are really great tips. I always get a little shocked by our first heating bill!
A few years ago the county came out and winterized our home. At the time hubs and I were both in school and really poor. It put us on a risk list for high winter electric bills. So, the county came out and changed our lightbulbs, sealed all our cracks, but insulation (blown) between our walls (with just a super small hole too, it was so cool) replaced all the weather stripping around our doors and at the bottom. We even had our smoke detectors switched for carbon monoxide smoke detector combos. It was free. It helped a great deal too.
I’d love to turn it down to 58degrees. Hubby won’t let it go lower than 65, and even that’s too cold for him to come home to… You’ve got great tips though, that one included, for sure!
It is so important to help conserve energy. It’s good for your wallet and the enviorment!
These are all great tips, I am good about shutting lights off in home so are the kids. It seems during my work day, though, I forget that my window shades are letting in enough light for me to work. I can do some things around here to save energy costs in the future – like replacing old appliances that came with this old home when we bought it. Each Winter we put plastic up on our windows too, that saves a lot on heating costs which in turn saves energy because the furnace runs less ;)