4 Key Things to Know About Home Energy Use
There are ways to reduce your energy usage without skipping out on your favorite television program or going to bed early to not use your lights.
08/01/2020
You probably don't put much thought into what happens behind the scenes when you want to use the electricity that runs through the lines in your walls. You flip a light switch or turn on your television, and it works just as it should. Then you get your electricity bill and wonder what in the world is causing your statement to be so high. It can be frustrating, but the good news is that there are ways to reduce your energy usage without skipping out on your favorite television program or going to bed early to not use your lights.
Where Does Energy Go?
Energy is flowing through your home whether you're actively using it or not. This energy is ensuring that those things that are always turned on stay on as needed. The problem is that this flow can be sucked up by appliances that you don't realize are on called energy vampires.
Energy Vampires
Do you know that there are energy vampires in your home that are sucking up electricity when you're not using the item? Some are appliances you expect to be running at all times, such as your refrigerator. However there are some that you think are off when you have them turn off, but they're still using electricity.
Look around you. You may notice lights on your television that's off. This light means that your TV is using electricity even if it doesn't look like it is. Unplugging these items or using a smart plug that cuts off the power to it is your best bet to turning off these vampires. Some examples of energy vampires include gaming consoles, cable boxes, computers, printers, DVD players, phones, and microwaves.
Controlling Your Energy Use
There are a few things that you can do to help reduce your energy usage. Investing in energy efficient appliances is one way to reduce the amount of energy they use compared to your older model. Older devices often require more energy to run, so even though you're spending money on your new appliance, you'll save when your bills come in the mail.
You can also use things like smart outlets. These devices help you to control your energy vampires. They can be as simple as a device you click to turn off the outlet or a device that you control on your phone along with other smart home features. You can even go as low tech as plugging in your energy vampires to a power strip, and turning off the strip when you're not using the devices.
Energy Audits
An energy audit service is an excellent way to learn more about your electricity usage in your home. A review helps to determine where you're using electricity the most, and help you identify ways that you can reduce this amount. This reduction can help to save you money while helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
There are a few things that you can do to reduce your home energy use. Saving electricity not only makes your electric bills shrink, but can give you a sense of accomplishment that you're helping the environment. Don't worry if you can't figure out what you're doing wrong. An energy audit can help you pinpoint your key energy-wasting behaviors.