x10 Home Automation - Control Lights, Irrigation, Appliances

10 Ways To Save Energy Around Your Home

Everyone is looking at way to save the energy they use, and if your not now is the time to start. Not only can these steps help the environment, but they can also help to put some extra money in your pocket. Here is 10 easy ways you can do it today, starting with an easy one anyone can do.

1. Turn off your lights

To really reduce energy wastage and cut your bills, always remember to turn off the light when you leave a room. Turning your lights off is one of the simplest ways to reduce your energy usage and carbon footprint. Make sure you make it a habit for the whole family.

2. Switch to energy saving light bulbs

Good quality energy-saving light bulbs can use over three quarters less electricity than normal bulbs and last twelve times longer. That's a saving of up to $18 a year for a typical 100W bulb, or a massive $200 over the bulb's lifetime. All this and you'll also reduce your carbon emissions.

3. Turn that thermostat down

Turning your thermostat down by just 18C could cut your bill by ten per cent. You should also keep furniture away from radiators as the foam in upholstered chairs and sofas acts as an effective heat insulator, effectively stealing your heat.

4. Take care of your appliances

Limescale makes them less efficient, using more energy to heat the water. For an easy, yet environmentally friendly, way to remove limescale, leave a little vinegar in your kettle overnight. Maintain your washing machine by adding 200ml of vinegar to an empty 60?C cycle every couple of months.

5. Insulate your loft

A great way to save energy and you can easily do it yourself. Good loft insulation could save you around $300 a year.

7. Use solar-powered alternatives

Going solar powered does not mean you have to cover your home in solar panels. You could switching a few everyday items, such as mobile phone chargers, to solar-powered alternatives will help cut carbon emissions and reduce your electricity costs.

With no wiring required, solar powered gadgets for the home are also easy to install and work from daylight, even on cloudy days.

8. Switch off your appliances

Leaving your TV and Computers on standby will still waste electricity

Turn off all your electrical devices when your not using them. This includes mobile phone chargers that continue to use electricity even after the phone is fully charged. You can now get also get power bars that detect if the appliance is in standby mode, and cut the power to it.

If we all turned appliances off when we are not using them, we would save a massive amount of electricity each year, the equivalent of around two power stations worth per annum.

9. Load up the washing machine

Only put full loads in the washing machine and use the lowest setting possible. Today?s washing powder more than adequately cleans your clothes on a 40?C cycle, saving up to three quarters of the cost of the hottest cycle.

9. Get green in the garden

A compost heap produces a nutrient rich soil using natural waste, such as left over food, helping to reduce your weekly rubbish quota. You can also install solar-powered garden lights and shed lights. Take advantage of the sun

10. The sun is the most readily available source of heat there is; and it's free! Make the most of it by opening up doors and windows on hot days to let in warm air that to heat up your home naturally. Hanging clothes out to dry on sunny days, instead of using the tumble dryer or a radiator, is also a great way to take advantage of the earth's natural heat source.

Just take one small step at a time, and you'll be amazed at how much money you could be saving.

Gavin Dye is the webmaster at http://www.solar-power-4u.com where you can learn more about how to use solar power around your home and garden

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