To really get the most out of your solar power system, it pays to develop smart energy habits. Here are the top 5 easy but important ways to save around the house:
- Lower your thermostat – 68 degrees is generally the most comfortable during fall through spring. If you use air-conditioning for the summer months, set it around 73 – 75 degrees when you’re home and 80+ degrees when you’re not. Make your life simple by installing a programmable thermostat.
- Open/close your curtains or blinds – in the summer, keep curtains and blinds closed to block out heat. To keep heat in on chilly winter evenings, open your curtains or blinds during the day and close them at night to keep the heat in.
- Replace existing bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) – even if you only replace half your light bulbs, you’ll save nearly 37% in lighting costs. And they can last about 10 times longer than standard bulbs.
- If you’re not using it, turn it off or unplug it – do you know how many energy vampires are in your home? Computers, TVs, battery chargers – they suck energy all day and all night, as well as drain your wallet! Even if they are not turned on, appliances drain and store energy just by being plugged in. Look around your house and assess what items really need to be plugged in continuously. Computers can be set to sleep mode when not in use. Use power strips for items such as lamps to making it quicker to unplug multiple appliances.
- Adjust when and how you wash – washing machines and dishwashers should be full when washing a load. And cold water washes clothes just as efficiently as warm water; 85% of the energy washing machines use goes directly to heating.
With just a few adjustments, you’ll really start to see your savings add up!
