How to Save Energy When You’re Stuck at Home
Chances are, you are spending more time at home now than ever before. Maybe you work from home. Your partner works from home. Your kids are out of school. Your pets will be on top of you. And it’s hard to deal with it on your own.
But one of the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic that most of us have not yet noticed is the impact on our utility bills. While this may be a minor concern in the face of the global health crisis, some people may be worried about their income during this time at home. And a surprisingly high utility bill is the last thing you need to think about when you’re already worried about our shared situation.
We’re not going to tell you to turn off your TV or sit in the dark, mainly because TVs are quite energy efficient these days and you’ve probably already swapped out light bulbs for longer life bulbs. Here are a few energy saving strategies you may not have thought of yet.
Avoid peak periods
Log in to your utility account and see peak rates or “usage times,” advised Brett Jorgeir, CEO of Westhaven Solar in California. Your rates can double during these rush hours, so choosing the right time of day, for example to do your laundry, can affect how much that spin cycle will cost you at the end of the month.
Knowing your peak hours can help you optimize the rest of your home. Jørger recommended setting up a programmable thermostat to keep your home a little warmer or cooler during off-peak periods when you’re at home, and then economize with a thermostat during peak periods.
This also applies to your kitchen. If you want to bake a cake, you may be able to do it at 5:00 pm rather than noon, or vice versa.
Lift up your technique
Since you’re at home, why not make sure your appliances and power systems are working in perfect condition? Jørger said that everything related to the engine consumes the most energy – like freezers, HVAC units, and pool pumps – so you’ll want to optimize your energy use as much as possible.
Vacuum under and behind the refrigerator to keep the condenser coils clean and working properly. These coils dissipate heat, but if they get covered in dust and pet hair, the refrigerator has to work harder to keep your food cold.
Replace the air filter if you have a spare and are out of date (which you probably are). Keeping filters fresh in a central air conditioning system can reduce energy consumption by 5-15%, according to the Department of Energy .
Turn down the fire
Anything else to do? Finally attacking a pile of laundry?
“One of the biggest energy uses that people are usually unaware of is a water heater,” said Peter Callan, president of energy efficiency company Lantern Energy . “So make sure you only turn on the dishwasher and washing machine when they are full.”
Another quick task you can do with your own hands is to lower the temperature on the water heater. The Department of Energy says this is a two-hour project, but in my experience it is more like half an hour. A 10-20 degree drop in temperature (don’t drop below 120ºF) can reduce your energy costs by about 20% per year.
Check your fans
If you have ceiling fans, now is the time to wipe down those blades to make sure you don’t spin around the accumulated dust all day. And while you’re there, make sure your fans are in the right direction this season. If you are still using heat in the area where you live, make sure your fan spins clockwise to direct warm air downward. If it’s warm, you want these blades to rotate counterclockwise.
Fans do not require a lot of startup costs and help by making you feel cooler (or warmer), so you can save money by adjusting your thermostat a few degrees.
Turn off the tap
You’d be surprised how many people still leave the water running while they thoroughly brush their teeth for two minutes. But now is not the time for shame. If you’re one of those people, consider this: Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save you about $ 65 on your annual water bill.
I’ll leave hand washing tips to the experts right now, but another place you can save some water is in the shower. Maybe you usually shower at the gym every morning before work, which means you lather more at home. I myself am a fan of long-lasting luxurious showers, but as you sit at home, you might wonder if you should be cutting back on that amount.
If you dare, you can turn off the water while you are soaping and then turn it back on for rinsing. Or pick a day of the week by timer and challenge the kids (or yourself) to see who can shower the fastest. If this sounds like a nightmare, skip a shower every few days. If you’re not as active as you usually are, you’re probably not that disgusting.