How to Save Electricity

The problem with electricity...

Electricity generation is one of the main contributing causes of greenhouse gas emissions. The changes you make at home can make a significant difference in the amount of CO₂ released into the atmosphere.

The good news about saving power in your home is that it can also save you money and is pretty easy to do. Once you've started looking for ways to save power you'll find it easy and it becomes a habit, but to get you started here's my top 5 tips for how to save electricity in your home.

By the way switching to Green Power is probably the single best thing you can do at home, but it doesn't really fit under 'how to save electricity' so it has it's own page.

The easy way to save electricity & reduce wastage

Impact(5) x Easiness(4) = 20 --> /5 = 4

Change your light globes to energy saving or compact fluorescent globes (CFL's). You'll immediately save up to 75% on your lighting costs and the globes will last 8 times as long as regular globes. Take 20 minutes to change them now and bask in their light as well as the warm feeling of having done a good deed for the planet.

The next best things you can do...

Insulate your house - especially your ceiling. Sure it's not one of the fastest or cheapest solutions on this list but it can have a dramatic & ongoing impact on your heating & cooling needs (& costs).
If you're not using it switch it off. Start with switching off lights when you leave the room. Then look at switching appliances off at the wall when you're not using them. Lots of appliances (anything with a digital clock or a standby light) use power continuously even when they're not being used.

This can add up to a lot of wasted electricity and it seems crazy for example that a microwave that you switch on for say 5 minutes a day can actually be drawing power 24 hours a day! I mean how many little clocks do you really need?

Along the same lines, if you have a second fridge then switch it off when it's not being used.
Use energy efficient appliances
When it comes time to replace appliances go with the most efficient ones you can get. Look for high energy ratings and energy star Recommendations. It can be worth speeding up your decision to replace appliances if you bear in mind that by choosing newer appliances you will see immediate savings in your power bills.

New refrigerators in particular are much more efficient than older models (saving you up to 40%). Choose a fridge just big enough for your needs. Also check out technologies like front loading machines and induction cooking.
And use the ones you have more efficiently
For example try using short cycles like 'eco' or 'timesaver' cycles on your dishwasher or washing machine.
Avoid unneccessary use eg wash clothes on sunny days to avoid using the dryer and wash full loads only (but don't overload)
See if you can adjust the temperature of your fridge & freezer a little warmer and keep your fridge filled to help maintain a steady temperature.
Also replace any worn door seals and vacuum any dust off the condenser coils every three months. Clean lint filter on dryer

Also see specific tips for Heating & Cooling, saving electricity in the kitchen, reducing hot water use & Setting up your computer for power saving

Benefits of making these changes

Save money
Save natural resources
Reduce your impact on the environment
Add value to your home

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Comments

will getting window tinting for my home help with saving electricity?

#1 - Jaime - 04/25/2008 - 03:43


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