If you want to stop paying exorbitant electricity and energy bills, keep in mind some simple recommendations to spend less and, in passing, help curb climate change. Do not despair with bills and learn to spend much less without changing your way of life.
Citizens have to face increasingly excessive costs of electricity and light without this being translated into having their rooms illuminated as if they were a football field. But apart from the policies and regulations regarding energy consumption, the truth is that saving energy is not just a matter of money.
Light accounts for 20% of the energy expenditure of most households
Although acquiring lighting solutions at Select Lighting is an excellent step towards the right direction, there are plenty of other measures you can also take into account when looking to drop your energy bill as low as possible.
- Request an energy audit
To be sure about what we need to do when our main goal saving money does not seem that the most appropriate is to recommend paying an expert to analyse our house in case of air leaks and to check the status of heaters and electrical appliances. But yes. It is a small additional expense that will hardly take us a couple of hours and the auditor will indicate the areas of the house where energy savings could be improved by proposing solutions.
- Isolate your house
To achieve an efficient consumption of energy it is important that you control the possible air leaks in windows, doors and even around extractors or ventilation ducts. For certain escapes it is better to leave them in the hands of professionals, but you can also fix some and seal them with a silicone gun or some putty and prevent air from entering or leaving.
- Replace traditional light bulbs
Halogen lamps use 10 times more electricity than energy-saving light bulbs or LEDs. Of course, they are more expensive, but they are amortized long before the end of their useful life (between 8,000 and 10,000 hours). It is one of the simplest changes you can make.
Replacing traditional light bulbs is essential if you want to save money on energy costs, contact us for more information.
- Put curtains and carpets
Both cold and heat are transmitted through the windows and floors. During the winter, use curtains and carpets to eliminate cold spots can save up to 25% on the heating bill. You do not need to buy a Persian carpet; several studies have shown that thickness and lower cushioning is more important than the type of material.
Our actions could have a big impact not only in our pockets but also in the environment
When the cold is over, you can get significant savings in air conditioning and use of fans keeping the house cool and protected from the sun by throwing curtains and blinds during the day and opening them when the sun goes down.
- Unplug everything whenever it’s possible
Turn off everything that consumes energy when you are not using it. You are not going to unplug the fridge, of course, but you can do it with the computer screen or the television when you go to sleep. On laptops and other electrical devices, use the sleep mode and they will shut themselves off completely when you do not touch them for a while.
- Take short showers
Yes, the jet of hot water for the head is relaxing, but you should not take to shower more than 7 minutes. Let yourself be carried away by the pleasant sensations and take 20 minutes under the shower can translate into hundreds of dollars a year, so, if you see it necessary to not delay, start timing how long it takes. If you also
have the possibility of contracting a nightly billing, it is better to take a shower at night and you will notice how little by little the energy consumption decreases in your receipts.
If you enjoy the shower singing a great song, you will see the bills that come to you. If you enjoy the shower by singing a great song, you will see the bills that come to you.
- Turn off the lights
Try to take a tour of your house to make sure that all the lights that are not necessary are turned off and, of course, whenever you leave a room and it becomes empty, leave it in the dark. Light represents 20% of the energy expenditure of most households, so this small action will translate into real savings over the course of a year.
- Wash with cold water
Modern detergents are formulated to remove dirt and oily stains from clothes even in cold water. In addition, at these temperatures you will take better care of the fabrics and the colours of the garments will last longer. Only advantages when cleaning in an energy-saving way.
- Lower the water heater
Often, heater manufacturers set the average water temperature at about 60 degrees Celsius, which is hot enough for you to burn, as well as harmful to pipes. Lowering the temperature to about 40 degrees and regulating it with cold water to scrub or shower, you will notice how you save energy and money.
- Do not heat or cool the house when it is empty
We all like to get home and that it is at the ideal temperature. Atwood recommends setting the thermostat to start cooling or heating the house about 20 minutes before we arrive. Leaving the heating on or the air on for hours if we’re not going to be is one of the most common ways to waste energy and waste a lot of money.
Here at Select Lighting we take pride in providing you with premium lighting solutions that are not only very functional but also visually appealing. Our products will help you save a lot of money and also provide your house with a touch of elegance. Visit our store!