{"id":1400,"date":"2020-12-28T16:09:32","date_gmt":"2020-12-28T22:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/?p=1400"},"modified":"2020-12-28T16:09:32","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T22:09:32","slug":"new-years-resolutions-to-save-energy-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/new-years-resolutions-to-save-energy-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"New Year’s Resolutions to Save Energy at Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Resolve
Spending more time at home doesn’t mean you have to spend more on your PA electric bills. Resolve to save energy at home this New Year!<\/em><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reduce Energy Usage at Home<\/h2>\n

With all the electric appliances and technology equipment we use at home daily, especially during the current pandemic, it\u2019s no wonder our energy bills can be a bit shocking. The good news is there are ways to save energy at home. Plus, you’ll also save on your\u00a0electricity bills<\/a>. As one of your New Year\u2019s resolutions this year, add reducing energy usage to the list. The following tips will help you get started.<\/p>\n

10 Tips to Reduce Energy Usage<\/h3>\n

1. Use an advanced power strip.<\/h4>\n

Make sure your electricity bill isn\u2019t bloating from \u201cvampire loads\u201d. That’s when electronics aren\u2019t fully turned off. Put a stake in vampire loads by purchasing an advanced power strip<\/a>. This special type of power strip fully turns off electronic devices so they don’t draw power when they’re not in use.<\/p>\n

2. Turn off lights in empty rooms.<\/h4>\n

It may seem simple, but turning off lights<\/a> when you leave a room will reduce energy use and save energy and money on home electricity bills. To put it into perspective, each 100-watt lightbulb uses 0.1 kWh of electricity each hour it\u2019s on. If your electricity company charges 10 cents per kWh, you\u2019ll save $0.01 for every hour that light stays off. Over the course of a month and it can add up. But if you turn off this light plus any other lights when they’re not in use in your home, then you’ll see savings.<\/p>\n

3. Use a programmable thermostat.<\/h4>\n

Heating and air conditioning can really drive up costs. When you use a programmable thermostat in your home, you can rest easy knowing these systems won’t run unnecessarily. By turning down your thermostat<\/a> 7-10 degrees from its normal setting 8 hours a day, you can save 15% a year on heating and cooling costs.<\/p>\n

4. Keep an eye on your energy usage.<\/h4>\n

To reduce energy usage<\/a>, keep an eye on how much you use and then take the necessary steps to reduce it. Look around your home and use the energy use calculator<\/a> on the U.S. Department of Energy website to evaluate your usage. You can see how much energy you use and then make changes accordingly.<\/p>\n

5. Use energy efficient appliances.<\/h4>\n

From kitchen appliances to electronics, manufacturers offer the latest and greatest in energy efficiency products to help you save energy at home. When it’s time to upgrade your home appliances or electronics, choose EnergyStar appliances<\/a>, instead. For example, you can buy an energy efficient water heater<\/a> that doesn\u2019t even use electricity which will help you save money on electricity bills.<\/p>\n

6. Weatherize your home.<\/h4>\n

Cracks in the window frames and foundation of your home can easily let in cold and hot air. By filling in these cracks, you can inexpensively weatherize your home<\/a> and reduce energy usage caused by running heating and air conditioning units. In fact, sealing these leaky areas can save you 20% on your energy costs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7. Fill your dishwasher and washing machine.<\/h4>\n

Running your dishwasher or washer and dryer with just a few items in them is using energy carelessly. Make sure these appliances have full loads before hitting the start button. The average washing machine and dryer run equals about\u00a070 cents in energy costs<\/a>. Therefore, think of how much you can save by throwing in as many items as possible in one wash\/dry session!<\/p>\n

8. Adjust appliance temperatures.<\/h4>\n

If you want to reduce energy usage with appliances, check and adjust the temperatures<\/a> of your refrigerator and water heater. You might find they are higher or lower than they need to be. For example, a refrigerator temperature of 35-38 degrees is ideal.<\/p>\n

9. Take shorter showers.<\/h4>\n

Hot water usage<\/a> can drive up energy costs. By taking shorter showers, you can save some money on your energy usage, about $30 or so a year!<\/p>\n

10. Use low-energy use appliances.<\/h4>\n

If you have a choice of using a microwave or crock pot instead of the oven, do so. This easy appliance switch<\/a> can help save you money on energy costs. Follow this strategy a few times a week and you can save around $13 a year.<\/p>\n

Save More Money with Cheap Energy Plans<\/h3>\n

These tips can help you save energy at home as well as help cut \u00a0those high electric bills that give you a jolt. You can save even more money by signing up for a cheap electricity plan<\/a>. Visit https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com<\/a> to review electric plans and companies in your area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reduce Energy Usage at Home With all the electric appliances and technology […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mbp_gutenberg_autopost":false},"categories":[41,2,3,4,5,63,6,9,12,49,39],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1400"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1400"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1413,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1400\/revisions\/1413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paenergyratings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}