Summer is the time of
the year when electricity consumption spikes the most, according to Energy
Information Administration’s data. And it is no wonder. With summers getting
hotter, our AC units work around the clock and with increased intensity. This
increased electricity spending, of course, means higher electricity bills.
Is there anything we
can do to offset the unpleasant surprise when the monthly electricity bill is
due? There are some interesting ways of conserving energy even during a hot
summer such as this.
The worst offender in
the category of energy waste are lights.
People tend to forget to turn off the light far too often, or they believe it’s
not a big deal if it stays on for a long time. While it is not a problem from
the technical standpoint, it is energy waste, especially if you are using wasteful
lighting options. So, the first step you can make is to be a bit more cautious with the lights, and turn them off
when you are out of the room.
If you feel like you
should do more, you can replace your regular lights with LED or other kinds of
energy saving lights to cut down on your electricity costs. LED light fixtures
are much more energy-efficient than any other option currently available to us.
If you want to learn more, people at Greenshine New Energy
talk about LEDs in this article here http://blog.streetlights-solar.com/index.php/led-101/.
There are some
appliances which waste electricity even when they are not turned on. Phone
chargers are a good example. Even if your phone is not charging at the moment,
the charger is still using some amount of electricity. Even if it is not much,
consider how many chargers you have in your household. And then think how many
days they are plugged in doing nothing.
The same thing goes
for TVs and gaming consoles. Even if they’re not on, keeping them plugged in
uses electricity. This cumulative effect costs you money, and over time it can
add up to quite a sum.
Washing and drying
machines are another big spender because they need a lot of heat to function.
As for the washing machines, there is little you can do, except maybe reducing
the washing temperatures. However, dryers are somewhat unnecessary during
summer. Clothes can dry fast and efficiently in the sun without the need to
turn on another appliance.
Your AC Unit spends a
lot of energy. However, with high temperatures of the summer, it is impossible
not to turn it on. What you can do is manage it a bit better, though. For
instance, turn your AC off during the night if the temperature drops in the nighttime. Instead, open the windows and let
your home cool naturally. You can turn the AC back on in the morning.
Another thing you can
do is turn the AC off when you are out of the house. Some people dislike this
idea because that means returning to a hot home after work. But if you install
a smart thermostat, you can program it beforehand, or control it via your
If you have some money
to invest, consider installing solar panels. They can help you reduce the cost
of the electricity by simply using the current produced by the panels. And if
you produce a little extra, you can feed it into the grid and get paid for
Even if you don’t have
a big budget, you can still make use of solar power. Solar lighting is far
cheaper than installing a solar panel and it can still save you a lot of money
if you light your home and property only with solar lights.
To contact Greenshine New Energy,
72 Fairbanks, Irvine, CA 92618, USA