Saving energy doesn’t have to be difficult and it doesn’t have to mean huge changes to your lifestyle or big investments of cash. While this might sometimes seem like the case from what we read, in fact it’s often the tiny changes we make that can make the biggest difference to our overall energy expenditure. And this is especially true when it comes to the energy we use around the home. If you want to keep your energy bill down and to do your bit for the planet too, it’s often a simple matter of routinely engaging in a few little habits. Read on and we’ll look at how you can do that…
The Habits That Save Your Home Energy
Turning Off Sockets
This is one of the biggest and most obvious examples of a small habit you can use around the house in order to save energy and save money. Many of us make the mistake of believing that a plug doesn’t use any power when it’s turned on, but actually if it’s plugged into any chargers or devices with LEDs or rechargeable batteries, then there’s a good chance that it will. Rather than thinking about which sockets are safe to leave on and which are not, a much safer habit to get into would be simply to switch off any sockets before you go to bed or whenever you leave the house. Or just whenever you’re not using them really!
Turning Off Lights
The same goes for lights. If you’re not in a room – then turn off the light! Many of us will walk around from room to room leaving every light on as we go, and while each bulb won’t use that much energy, all in all it can add up to a lot of energy wasted.
Run the Cold Water First
Taking a bath? Then run the cold water first and then add the hot water second. The reason this is such a great energy saver is that standing hot water will evaporate and create steam – i.e. wasted energy and water. Run the cold water first and you’ll thus need to add less hot water to achieve the same temperature when you get in.
Fil the Mugs First
Next time you fill your kettle, don’t carry the kettle to the sink. Instead, fill your mug with water, then pour it into the kettle and hit boil. This will ensure you aren’t boiling more water than necessary and that will save energy (and get you your tea faster!).
Shop Around
When buying things for your home, make it a habit to look at least three different options before hand to make sure you’re getting the best item. And when you do, look at the energy efficiency rating of each item in particular. This is crucial for any kind of device whether it’s a fridge or a kettle – but it’s even more important for something big like a well water system.
So there you go, some very easy habits that will nevertheless save you a lot of energy. The devil is in the details!