How to Save on Your Electricity Bill at Home

Electricity is precious and we need to conserve the same. You can save energy in many different ways. They range from bringing about simple behavioural changes to incorporating extensive home improvements. Saving on utility bills and protecting the environment are the two major goals of energy conservation. Having said that here are some tips on how to save energy at home.

Behavioural Changes

For reducing energy consumption at home, you are not required to replace all your old items with energy-efficient products. It all starts with just putting off the lights and appliances when they are not being used. Additionally, you can reduce the usage of energy-intensive appliances by manually performing some of the household tasks. For example, hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer and wash dishes by hand.

Other behavioural changes that could result in energy savings include cutting down the usage of the heater during the winter months and the air conditioner in the summertime. The contribution of the heating and cooling appliances to your utility bills is more than 50 percent. Therefore, judicious use of these appliances can significantly cut down your energy consumption.

Change Light Bulbs
When thinking about ways to save electricity at home, changing light bulbs is one of the most important options to consider. Reduce energy consumption in lighting by using energy-saving incandescents, or LED and CFL bulbs. While energy-saving incandescent lamps or halogen lamps save nearly 25 percent energy, CFL lamps can reduce electricity consumption by up to 75 percent. In addition, they come in diffuse filters and warmer colours which go well with the ambience of your home. Typically, CFLs pay back in nine months. LED lights are also a better choice. Today, energy-efficient LEDs are finding wider use.

Solar Water Heaters
Install a hot water system that uses solar energy. The hot water coming out of the system can be utilised for various purposes. This will help you to replace the energy-guzzling electric geyser. Such a hot water system that has a capacity of 25 liters is good enough for a family of four members. The maintenance cost of a solar water heating system is generally very low. 

Minimum 3-Star Rated Appliances
While an air conditioner with three-star rating can cut down energy utilisation by approximately 20 percent, a five-star rated air conditioner reduces electricity consumption by nearly 30 percent. Any gadget/equipment with a star-energy rating has the potential to provide significant energy savings. Five-star rated appliances consume the lowest amount of energy.

Inverters Instead of Generators
Generators are less energy-efficient than inverters. In places where electrical load requirement is less or power failure frequency and duration of non-availability of power is low, inverters can be used instead of generators. Inverters consume DC power and it is proportional to power output. Additionally, they are silent compared to generators.

Gas Stove for Cooking
One unit of electrical energy saved contributes to a reduction in generation of at least three units of energy. This is to say that the use gas for cooking and heating purposes reduces the load on the electrical grid. Moreover, gas stoves create less heat overall than electric cooking appliances. Additionally, gas stoves enable better temperature control. In the case of gas stoves, the heat change is faster and more precise. Above all, the ovens designed for gas stoves heat up much faster than the ovens designed for use on electric stoves.