The United States has turned out to be the 2nd largest consumer of energy, following China. On average, every American household consumes 10,908 kWh of electricity per year.
It’s easy to see that there is plenty of room to reduce our energy wasting habits. The first step is to understand the common ways we waste energy. These energy wasting habits can range from falling asleep in front of the TV, to leaving the lights on all day, to hanging out in front of the open freezer.
Five of the most serious energy wasting habits:
Setting the Water Heater Thermostat Too High
Especially on winter days, who doesn’t like to step into a hot shower? But how severely does that energy wasting habit affect your home’s energy efficiency? It is pointless and expensive to set your water heater above 120 degrees. You can also place a timer inside your shower and set It as a reminder to limit your hot-water use, starting at, say, five minutes. Another good option can be to have solar panels installed. That way, while producing clean energy, you can reduce your bills at the same time.
Forgetting to Turn Off Lights and Appliances
These are the most obvious energy wasting habits. Plugged-in appliances drain a lot of energy. The good news is that it’s also one of the easiest energy wasting habits to fix. Just turn off the lights and appliances whenever they aren’t in use.
If you find it too difficult to do that, you can install a smart home system. This app remotely monitors your lighting through your smartphone.
Forgetting to Program You Home’s Thermostat
Are you fed up with those increased winter and summer power bills? Just take a few minutes to set your thermostat. Check to see if your thermostat is programmable, and if it is, get into the habit of resetting it frequently as the outside temperature changes with the seasons.
Not Changing Your Air Filters
You already know the importance of cleaning the air filters of your HVAC unit, but do you regularly do so? As your HVAC runs, the air filter traps dirt particles, and you must clear the filter of those clogs on a regular basis. Otherwise, your clogged HVAC system expends more energy. You can reduce an HVAC system’s energy use by simply replacing the air filter every three months.
Browsing Your Refrigerator Frequently
Those few seconds—or even minutes—you spend staring into your refrigerator add up to significant waste of energy. On average, people spend around 10 hours looking at their open fridge or freezer each year. That browsing time amounts to 7 percent of the appliance’s total energy use. You need to develop the habit of opening the fridge and freezer only when necessary.
If you have a helpful tip for changing energy wasting habits to add to the list, feel free to leave it in the comment section below. Save energy and save the future!
If you need more energy, consider switching to solar!
