How To Waste Less Energy In Your Home (And Save A Lot Of Money)
I don’t think it’s too crazy to suggest that a lot of us don’t really think about how much energy we use in the home. Normally, I find this is because we’re quite consistent with how much we use. So, our energy bill is never really a shock to us, and we can pay it comfortably every month.
Saying this, the majority of people still waste way too much energy, meaning they pay more than they need to for energy in their home. Bearing that in mind, here are a few simple ideas that will help you waste less energy in your home. By doing this, you’ll a) save loads of money every month, and b) have a much more comfortable and practical home. Check out my tips down below:
Dry Your Clothes Using A Dehumidifier
I find that drying clothes is really annoying. One option is to dry them in a tumble dryer, but this uses up electricity, thus meaning you use up a lot of energy. The second option is to hang them outside and let them dry in the sun. The problem with this is that it’s cold and wet at times, meaning you can’t do this. So, you try hanging them indoors, but they take hours, sometimes even days to dry. What do you do then? You turn your heating on and place them next to your radiators. Now, they dry quicker, but you use up loads of energy with your heating on for hours on end. Instead, you can make life so much easier by purchasing a dehumidifier. Hang your clothes on a clothes horse, then turn your dehumidifier on. What’s the point in doing all this? Well, a dehumidifier extracts moisture from the room, meaning it can turn your wet clothes dry in a matter of hours. Plus, there are companies like Meaco that make low-energy dehumidifiers. So, having this plugged in and turned on for a few hours is way more economical than having a radiator on or using a tumble dryer. Therefore, you save money, and dry your clothes quicker; a win-win!
Run Your Dishwasher Cycle On The Lowest Setting
Immediately, some of you have read this point and scratched your heads. Surely dishwashers use up more energy than washing by hand, so wouldn’t the best advice be to not use one? Well, the thing with dishwashers is that you don’t have to run them every day, whereas you have to wash up by hand every day. Secondly, washing by hand often requires you to run your hot water tap, which requires energy from your central heating. But, your dishwasher can use much colder water, and still get the clean effect. How? To start, there are companies like Better Life that provide dishwasher gel that’s very effective at powering through tough stains. You can learn about Better Life here, but all I’ll say is that a powerful dishwasher gel means your dishwasher doesn’t need to be turned up to the highest setting possible. Cold water can still clean thoroughly thanks to your powerful gel. Secondly, the force with which the water attacks the plates is greater than it is when you wash by hand. Again, this helps get rid of tough stains, while saving energy because you use up less hot water every time you wash up.
Keep Your Lights Off As Much As Possible
Most people find that the majority of their energy usage comes from their lights. You turn lights on without thinking and keep them on by accident. Clearly, there are times where you can’t avoid turning your lights on. For example, it’s dark outside, and you’re in the kitchen cooking food. In which case, you need your lights for safety purposes. But, there are loads of times where we use our lights and really don’t need to. For example; any time during daylight hours. If you have your lights on during the day, then you better have an amazing excuse. Ideally, you should use daylight to your advantage, and let it light up your home. Open your curtains/blinds, and illuminate your rooms with natural light. Another idea that I quite like is using candles in the evening to light up a room. Or, using battery powered fairy lights as well. Doing this can create dim lighting, which is perfect in the evening when you’re trying to wind down. I find it’s best suited to your living room or bedroom, meaning you can avoid having the lights on once more!
Take Cold Showers From Time To Time
If you shower every day, then you can use up a lot of energy via hot water. Everyone loves a hot shower, and we all tend to freak out when the water is anything other than piping hot! The thing is, a cold shower is actually very beneficial for you. It wakes you up and provides plenty of additional health benefits. Of course, it also means you don’t use any hot water, which is a big bonus! So, my idea is to substitute in a few cold showers during the week. If you want to fully commit to cold showers every day, then be my guest! I think two or three a week is enough to save a lot of energy over the course of a month. Essentially, if you have three cold showers out of seven per week, then you use up half the hot water every month. Be warned, it takes time to adjust to this, particularly if you’re used to hot showers! My best tip is to start the shower warm, then gradually make it colder on your first time. Then, you’ll slowly get more accustomed to it, and it’ll be fine.
Using up less energy in your home is handy for a variety of reasons. Mainly, you will save money every month on energy bills. But, you can also live safe in the knowledge that you’re actively trying to help the environment. By using less energy, you have a greener home, and you create fewer greenhouse gases in the atmosphere!
