National Cut Your Energy Costs Day
January 8, 2016 | Posted by The Rocca Sisters & Associates
This Sunday is ‘National Cut Your Energy Costs Day’ – an annual reminder to make your home energy efficient in an effort to help the environment and lower your monthly energy bills.
It is important to identify old, wasteful energy habits around the house. By being aware and making small changes, you could see a noticeable reduction on your energy bills.
Consider the following tips on reducing energy consumption in the home:
Crank down the thermostat by 2 degrees and wear a sweater if it is on the cooler side. To be honest, you won’t even know that it is 2 degrees colder in the house.
Economize your dishwasher. Research has found that a dishwasher does a much better job at cleaning dishes and with less water than hand-washing, but make sure it is fully loaded before you switch it on.
Change your furnace filter – by doing this everyone 2 months, it can increase its efficiency by up to 50%. An easy way to remember to do this is by setting up a reminder on your phone.
Know your off-peak period & set a timer. Plan to do energy-intensive activities during off-peak periods such as showers & running appliances. You can also set a programmable thermostat so that the heat is reduced when you are not home and while you are sleeping.
Keep the heat in by weatherproofing your home – check for drafts and make sure your windows are insulated. If you see any cracks, chalk them up!
Unplug those electronics when not in use. If you leave computer & phone chargers plugged into the wall when they aren’t in use, they are still using electricity. Either take them out of the wall or use a power bar with an on/off switch.
Energy efficient lighting – replace incandescent light bulbs with CFL or LED bulbs. The lower wattage uses less power and doesn’t let off as much heat.
Be sure to check out your energy providers’ website for their own tips on conserving energy.
If you are considering selling your house, please give us a call at 905-335-3042 or email us at info@roccasisters.ca to find out what buyers are looking for in terms of an energy efficient home.