How to Save Energy in Spring
Power usage in Spring can be tricky to manage as it isn’t overly hot or cold. Fluctuations in temperature can mean you have the heater for one minute and air conditioning on the next, leading to higher energy costs.
The first step is to get organised with your energy bill and investigate what is your biggest reason for usage, even looking into your previous Spring periods to understand this period further. This will help you to assess your energy use patterns so you can start to plan the changes that need to happen to help you save. You can not only reflect on the period as a whole but see at what time of day you use the most energy and whether this can alter as well.
Also, you can work out which are the best areas for you in your home in regards to when the weather is either hot or cold. There are usually certain spots that you are able to heat easier or cool down quicker due to their placement or the access to doors. For example, your living room may have carpet so it is usually warmer in there, whilst another room would have tiles. Move to the relevant areas of your home when the day is particularly hot or particularly cold.
Check out the 6 things you can do to cost effectively lower your energy bill.
1. Wash clothes with cold water. Hot water can be a power guzzler, so try sticking to the cold wash setting for day-to-day laundry if possible.
2. Switch off appliances at the wall. Standby appliances can cost a typical household over $100 per year in wasted electricity, appliances like televisions, dishwashers and phone chargers consume electricity when they aren’t being used. Get into the habit of switching off appliances at the wall when you are finished with them.
3. Use natural ventilation and sunlight. The harder an air conditioner has to work, the more power it will use and the higher your bills will be. In spring the temperature can change from hot to cold, it is important on the warmer days to let any breeze come through by opening doors and windows but trying to keep the natural light reduced by lowering the blinds. On colder days, make sure the sunlight is coming through and the windows are closed. It has been recorded that up to 40% of the heat in a household can leak out through windows. Try and only use one heater and have everyone come to that general area, by keeping the doors shut around one area, such as your living room, the heater does not have to work as hard to heat up the space.
4. Be Conscious. Lower your water heater’s temperature and install low-flow shower heads to reduce water heating bills. Also, for any future purchases of appliances make sure you buy energy-efficient appliances.
5. Invest in energy-saving lighting. Replacing light bulbs such as LED lighting that operate at cooler temperatures that last longer than regular bulbs, could reduce your lighting’s energy expenditure by 75%. Also, be aware of what lights are on during the day, make sure that once you leave the room you turn off the relevant lights.
6. Open windows on warmer days. With the varying temperatures, turning off the heat and opening doors and windows when the temperature rises can help lower your heating costs.