Easy Ways To Reduce Energy Use Around Your Home
More of us are starting to think about our use of energy around the home. Whether you want to reduce the amount of energy you use in order to live a greener life, or just to reduce your energy bills, then try some of these easy ways to reduce the amount of energy you use.
Turn Off Your Appliances
All those appliances designed to make our lives easier to use a lot of power to run. If you’re trying to cut your energy use, you need to cut back on using them as much as you can. Wash the dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher, and save the dishwasher for occasions when you’ve had people for dinner and have a lot more things to wash than usual.
Instead of relying on the tumble dryer, hang your washing outside on a line wherever the weather is good enough, or onside on a clothes horse if you have space.
Power is sometimes priced according to demand, so if you do need to run something the washing machine or the dishwasher, run it at night. Use a timer switch to turn the appliance on when you need it and be charged less.
Consider Alternative Power
Could you add some ways to use alternative power in your home? Solar power is the most common, and easiest method of producing energy for domestic homes. You can learn more about solar power at choosesolar.
Fitting solar panels is a bigger change, but there are often grants available to offset the cost of fitting them. See if this is available in your area. After the panels have been in place for a while, they will pay for themselves too, with what they save you on your energy bills.
Save Water
Save on your water bill by reducing the amount of water that you use around the house. Showers use less water than baths, but only if you don’t stand under there for hours. Try to keep your showers short, and encourage the rest of the family to do the same. For washing the dishes, use a washing up bowl instead of the sink. This needs less water to fill, and that small saving adds up each time.
If you have a garden that needs a lot of watering, don’t run the hose or fill the watering can from the tap. Instead, use used or ‘gray’ water for the garden. This could be rainwater that has been caught in a waterbutt, or the water from washing the dishes or cooking. Used water is perfectly fine for watering the plants, and will mean you can use a lot less water.
Some small changes around the house can make a lot of difference to the amount of energy and water that you use. By making these changes, you can reduce your utility bills and make your home a little greener at the same time. Start with a few changes, and build up to more over time.
