Energy consumption in the home tends to be largely concentrated in electricity and water charges with natural gas prevalent in many homes for heating, too. Other than using less of each, there are other ways you can save money while also making your home safer at the same time.
For most homes, electricity and water bills can be reduced by using newer energy efficient technology and making a few changes to the way you do things along with more efficient use of appliances and reasonable use of heating and cooling options.
How To Reduce Electricity Bills In Homes
A major use of electricity in the home includes the air conditioner which we’ll specifically discuss below. But even if you don’t have AC, you will have other appliances that do use electricity which adds to your costs. Here’s how you can help to reduce your electricity consumption:
Water heater: Replace an old water heater with a newer more energy efficient one. Adjust the water heater temperature down if it’s too high and experiment until you notice the water is hot enough for you. Many water heaters are set at 140F by default but you may find that 120F is more than enough for you. Or less. Less hot water saves you money. Use the Holiday or Vacation mode when going away to turn the temperature down when the home is empty and hot water is not required.
Insulation: Wrap the hot water pipes in the basement with foam rolls or other padding to retain heat. You can also wrap the pipes leading to and from the water heater for the same reason and the water heater itself can be wrapped in a jacket to retain heat, too.
Shop around: As time goes on, more jurisdictions move away from one single utilities provider to a market with multiple competitors. Shop around and reconsider your utility provider(s) every so often to see if you can get a better price from your current company or from a competitor.
Modernize your home: Old windows with deteriorated seals. An old style water heater. A 20 year old furnace. These all contribute to higher energy usage costs. Although it costs money to replace each, if you’re planning on staying in your home for the future, it may make sense to consider replacing any that needs modernizing. Check to see if your local town or government offers rebates and incentives to switch to energy efficient products that can save you money.
How To Reduce Electricity Consumption Of An Air Conditioner
Ideal Thermostat Temperature: 78F (26C). This is the ideal suggested thermostat temperature inside the home in summer according to the US Department of Energy. Program your AC to 78F during the day but then consider programming the temperature a few degrees higher overnight and use some of the suggestions below like a ceiling fan to make up the difference.
While the obvious answer to reduce electricity consumption is to turn the thermostat up to keep the temperature a bit higher inside the home, there are a few other key things you can do that people often neglect.
Close the drapes: If you have drapes or louvered shutters, close them during the day on the side facing the sun to keep the light out. It really does help to keep the heat out. You can open shutters on the side of the house or wherever the sun is shielded to let light in but keeping them mostly or entirely closed when the sun is high will help to keep the temperature down.
Keep doors and windows closed: As best you can, keep doors and windows closed and when leaving or entering the house and try to limit the number of times you open doors during the hottest time of the day.
Install a ceiling fan: While a ceiling fan uses electricity too, it uses much less than your AC unit. When installed in your bedroom or other room, it circulates air and will help to make the temperature feel up to 4 degrees lower than it actually is by pushing cool air down towards you.
NOTE: Most ceiling fans come with a forward and backward setting. In summer use the forward or counterclockwise setting to push air down towards you. In winter, use the backwards or clockwise setting which draws air up and pushes warm air down.
How To Reduce Water Consumption
While newer energy efficient models can save on both electricity and water usage often with specific energy saving settings, there are other things you can do to reduce water costs in your home.
Reduce actual water usage: Install low flow toilets, faucets and shower heads. Low flow toilets can especially reduce water consumption. We switched 3 toilets to low flow ones and water consumption immediately dropped dramatically on our bill. We also received rebates from our town to switch so the cost of the new toilets was almost nothing. Look for similar programs in your town. Also use full loads of laundry rather than half ones. Use your dishwasher when it’s full as opposed to half full. Clean the aerators in your taps too.
Shower over bath: Quick showers instead of a hot bath can reduce water consumption and hot water costs. You actually save both electricity and use less water.
Pool: If you have a swimming pool, your main water consumption will come from refilling the pool due to evaporation and pool use. If you have a sand filter or DE filter that requires back washing you’re also losing water that needs to be replaced. Fix known leaks as soon as possible and limit back washing to as little as possible.
Also rely on rain during the summer to help refill your pool rather than always filling it with your hose. You’ll most likely find that your garden hose is much cheaper to use to fill your pool than ordering water from a truck service.
How To Reduce Gas Consumption
You may or may not have a gas connection in your home. Typical uses include the furnace, fireplace and pool heater.
Dress warmly: I’ve occasionally been guilty of this…Wearing shorts or a short sleeved shirt around the house in winter and wondering why I’m cold. Dress warmly in the house to limit the amount of heating you require. Wear socks or slippers to keep your feet warm too.
Furnace: Your gas-fired furnace heats your home during cold winter months and expenses add up when temperatures go down. Get your furnace serviced as required to keep it running optimally. Change furnace filters as needed as the dirtier ones can restrict air flow and increase gas costs while making the furnace work harder. Keep curtains and shutters closed at night during winter and during the day to retain heat. If you have a sunny day in winter, open the shades to let the sun in to naturally heat the home.
Fireplace: Use the fireplace at night only when the sun is down if possible. Let the sun heat the home during the day even in winter and use the heater sparingly at night when required.
Pool heater: If you have a pool with a gas heater, you probably already know how high gas bills can get when trying to extend the use of the pool particularly early in spring and late in the fall before closing. If you want to learn more about my personal experience with pool care, check out my other website Salt Water Pool Report
for more information including on pool heaters.
Control Humidity And Mold Inside Your House
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends keeping humidity levels in the home between 30% – 50%. Mold tends to begin growing at around 55% humidity.
Humidity is moisture that occurs in your home and can’t escape. Humidity enters the home because of:
- Things that occur inside the house like steam from cooking, hot showers, breathing and other regular activities.
- Air leaks that allow moisture and warm air into the home from cracks and small spaces in window areas.
- Dampness coming up from the ground in your basement. If your basement also smells and feels musty and you have black spots (mold) on walls, you need to get this looked at asap.
You will see humidity on your bathroom mirror after a hot shower and sometimes on the inside of your windows in the morning during winter when the heat is on and it’s cold outside. In the summer, if your AC isn’t working correctly or you don’t have one, you’ll also have high humidity in the home which can make it unbearably warm and causes you to sweat.
Humidity Problems
Humidity can also cause health issues because it can lead to bacterial growth on walls leading to mold spores. High humidity leads to a number of side effects:
Uncomfortable environment: Humidity makes you sweat and it can be hard to sleep at night due to the heat and moisture in the air.
Dehydration: The more you sweat, the more you’ll need to drink fluids or you’ll become dehydrated. Severe dehydration can lead to tiredness, lethargy, and headaches among other side effects.
Breathing problems: High humidity can lead to breathing problems and may lead to snoring. High humidity can also trigger asthmatic symptoms for sufferers of asthma or other breathing related health problems.
House problems: Excessive humidity leads to mold growing on walls, can damage and warp hardwood and excessive moisture can also cause rust and oxidation. High humidity levels can be a breeding ground for bacteria, dust mites and cockroaches among other problems.
Controlling Humidity And Mold
- Use your bathroom fan when having a shower and keep it running for 15 minutes or longer afterwards if the bathroom is foggy.
- Use your oven fan when boiling water or other liquids that produce steam.
- Keep shades and curtains down during hot summer days to keep heat out and humidity down. This will also save on electricity.
- Address air leaks in the home as soon as you notice them. If you have foggy windows inside the house during winter, this could be a sign that window seals are deteriorating.
- Use a dehumidifier if needed to further keep humidity down. You will tend to require a dehumidifier in summer when the temperatures and outside humidity is high.
Summary
Utilities costs tend to add up quickly during periods of extremely opposite weather: Hot sunny weather in the summer and cold, icy weather in the winter. Even if you live in a climate that doesn’t get particularly hot or cold, chances are you will still need heating or cooling options at some point because you may also live in a home that was not built for extreme weather. If your home has no or little insulation, you will feel the cold at some point.
For most people, you can save money on utilities through multiple means including reducing your usage through adjusting the way you live, sealing leaks around the house and even by changing utilities provider to get a cheaper option. Energy efficient appliances and replacing an old outdated furnace and upgrading your windows can help too albeit with an upfront cost.