The main enemy of this planet are the humans. Most of us lead wasteful lifestyles, not caring about what we leave behind. This has taken a toll on the planet, our actions having severe consequences. Fortunately, there are more and more people who have become aware of their impact on the planet, and who turn to an Eco-friendly lifestyle in order to prevent further damage. If you are one of the many people who lead this type of lifestyle, you must read the following lines because you will learn how to save energy at home.
Use energy efficient appliances
What you must do when you go shopping for new appliances is to look for the Energy Star label. The appliances that are certified by Energy Star consume between 10% and 50% less energy and water than their conventional counterparts. Therefore, make sure that you replace all your appliances with energy efficient alternatives. For example, instead of using a space heater that raises your energy bills, switch to using an infrared heater. Modern infrared heaters save a lot of energy because they are inexpensive to run. Also, they are safer to use than other types of space heaters. The otakutheater.com website provides useful information on the energy consumption of several infrared heaters to help you determine which one will reduce your electricity bill. You will find out how much electricity the infrared heaters use, whether or not they come with an Energy Star label, and which are the energy saving features they boast.
Change the light bulbs
A very effective and inexpensive change that you can make in your home in order to save energy is to replace the light bulbs. The best choice to go with is compact fluorescent light bulbs because they save about $30 over their lifetime. Therefore, they basically pay for themselves in less than 6 months. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use about 75% less energy than standard light bulbs. Also, their lifespan is 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.
Be efficient with washing
One of the most wasteful household chores is washing the clothes. Almost 90% of the washing machine’s energy expenditure is spent on heating the water in order to wash your clothes. Therefore, wash your clothes at 30-40 degrees Celsius to save significant amounts of energy and money. Also, give up on drying your clothes in the dryer. When the weather allows it, air-dry your laundry in order to save energy.
Insulate your home
Insulating your home is a great way to help save energy. Measure the attic insulation with a ruler, and if you have just 3 inches of insulation, upgrade to 12 inches. This will cut about 20% on the heating costs, and 10% on the cooling costs. Also, make sure that you add pieces of batt insulation to the rim joists. In case that the basement is unheated, you must install a blanket of insulation in between exposed floor joists. Make sure that you fix the roof if it’s leaky, and that you make your basement waterproof. Otherwise, the insulation that you install will prove to be worthless.
