Small bits do add up. Very small cracks and holes around window or door frames cause energy losses worth a mind-boggling 13 billion dollars annually, and this is just in America. That is enough to fund the annual budget of a small frontier economy such as Kenya. Numbers like that should be a wake up call to ordinary citizens. They should not leave everything to the government. There are several energy conservation techniques they can use to save power at the household level.
No one should take medicine without going to a doctor first. In the same way, conservation has to be preceded by an electricity audit. This is a thorough check of not just a home's physical structure, but its systems and processes too.
A complete audit will give homeowners the insight they need to reduce power consumption without affecting output. For instance, the checks may reveal several leaks. If these are sealed, the house will need less power to heat it.
Switching from the good old incandescent light bulbs is one of the easiest ways to reduce power use. These devices have been a fixture in many homes for more than 200 years and they have been showing their age for some time. While they give out pleasant illumination, incandescent bulbs are notorious resources hogs, adding hundreds of dollars to household power bills.
Lighting makes up approximately 25 percent of a household electricity bill. Switching to efficient light bulbs can reduce this cost significantly. Compact fluorescent lights use up to 80 percent less when compared to incandescent bulbs. Light emitting diodes push the envelope even further.
The next step involves a careful check of the skylight, doors and windows. These can make heating or cooling a home extremely expensive. Take windows, for example; while they cover five to ten percent of a building's surface area, they contribute up to forty percent of its losses. To avoid the risk of holes and cracks around the window and door frames, installation should be left to professionals.
Air conditioners are electrical hogs. An inefficient unit can add thousands of dollars to a home's power bill. Older models are particularly notorious for their high power use. These should be replaced as soon as possible. The thermostat should be turned down a notch or two wherever possible. This can create huge savings over the long term. Homeowners who are shopping for new units should be on the lookout for the famous Energy Star rating. It provides consumers with a quick way of gauging efficiency.
Surprisingly enough, not all energy conservation techniques need thousands of dollars in investments. Sometimes, behavior change is all that is needed. For instance, it should be a habit to unplug all televisions, game consoles, media players and other electronic devices, as they still use power in standby mode. The same thing should be done to chargers. Avoid opening the refrigerator door too often, and use the microwave rather than a traditional oven where possible. Computers should be set to hibernate after a prolonged period of idleness. Every little bit helps.
No one should take medicine without going to a doctor first. In the same way, conservation has to be preceded by an electricity audit. This is a thorough check of not just a home's physical structure, but its systems and processes too.
A complete audit will give homeowners the insight they need to reduce power consumption without affecting output. For instance, the checks may reveal several leaks. If these are sealed, the house will need less power to heat it.
Switching from the good old incandescent light bulbs is one of the easiest ways to reduce power use. These devices have been a fixture in many homes for more than 200 years and they have been showing their age for some time. While they give out pleasant illumination, incandescent bulbs are notorious resources hogs, adding hundreds of dollars to household power bills.
Lighting makes up approximately 25 percent of a household electricity bill. Switching to efficient light bulbs can reduce this cost significantly. Compact fluorescent lights use up to 80 percent less when compared to incandescent bulbs. Light emitting diodes push the envelope even further.
The next step involves a careful check of the skylight, doors and windows. These can make heating or cooling a home extremely expensive. Take windows, for example; while they cover five to ten percent of a building's surface area, they contribute up to forty percent of its losses. To avoid the risk of holes and cracks around the window and door frames, installation should be left to professionals.
Air conditioners are electrical hogs. An inefficient unit can add thousands of dollars to a home's power bill. Older models are particularly notorious for their high power use. These should be replaced as soon as possible. The thermostat should be turned down a notch or two wherever possible. This can create huge savings over the long term. Homeowners who are shopping for new units should be on the lookout for the famous Energy Star rating. It provides consumers with a quick way of gauging efficiency.
Surprisingly enough, not all energy conservation techniques need thousands of dollars in investments. Sometimes, behavior change is all that is needed. For instance, it should be a habit to unplug all televisions, game consoles, media players and other electronic devices, as they still use power in standby mode. The same thing should be done to chargers. Avoid opening the refrigerator door too often, and use the microwave rather than a traditional oven where possible. Computers should be set to hibernate after a prolonged period of idleness. Every little bit helps.
About the Author:
If you would like to save money with energy conservation techniques, click the link to www.comfort30.com. To read all about this free energy audit software tool. Visit the Comfort 3.0 site at http://www.comfort30.com today.
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