The Benefits Of Being Aware Of Your Energy Consumption
Most of us go through the motions of paying our electric bill every month without any idea of our energy consumption. Sadly, at least, for the most part, I do until now.
Recently, I decided to start paying attention to my energy consumption. And I am making a concerted effort to lower my electric bill and save energy too!
It Pays Learning About Your Energy Consumption.
In this article, we will discuss 6 benefits of how you can save money with some awareness about your energy consumption.
Typically, we struggle to find a way to conserve energy without sacrificing convenience or comfort.
And as temperatures rise, we turn to our AC units to cool our homes but at what expense? As we know, they not only consumer lots of energy but are very expensive as well.
Additionally, the gadgets in our homes that make life and work easier, also consume lots of energy as we watch our electric bills rise!
With that said, below, you’ll discover the benefits of energy consumption awareness. And it just might help you lower your electric bill too!
1 – When It Comes To Energy Consumption, Your Money Always Matters
Obviously, one of the primary benefits or perks in being aware of your energy consumption is to save money.
Everyone knows that high energy consumption usually equals a high energy bill.
By knowing your energy consumption, you will be able to strategize a plan to reduce your energy bills, saving you money.
You may also think of it as a way to off-set future energy costs. This is especially vital today with the rising cost of energy.
Yes, you can save money on your electric bill by paying attention to the following:
- Always replace your air filter. We replace our filter every three months. Doing so, keeps the unit running efficiently and you will keep the unit in good shape too.
- Programmable thermostat – It seems as if everyone is replacing their thermostat with a high-tech one. You can reduce energy usage when you are not home and save from 10-30% on your heating and cooling bill too!
- Be sure to lower the temperature on your water heating unit. This will also help you be mindful of your energy consumption and save you money as well.
- Wash your clothes in cold water. This is a great way to save on hot water usage and lower your electric bill.
- Check your home’s insulation. It might pay to hire someone to check your insulation and extra-insulate areas in your home they recommend.
- Unplug appliance when not in use. You can save up to $200 a year doing this. That means unplugging them from your surge protectors as well.
- Consider a prepaid electric plan. Call your electric company and ask for any discounted programs they offer.
More so, these are just some of the ways you can keep a check on your energy consumption and save lots of cash doing so!
2 – Learn How To Read Your Electric Meter
Another perk of being aware of your energy consumption is to also save on energy.
Saving energy means understanding your energy consumption through your electric bill that the utility company sends you.
This means reading a meter is a must. Whichever type of meter your home has, it is imperative to learn how to read it so you can save energy to help avoid any future rolling blackouts from happening.
Many have thought that rolling blackouts were a thing of the past. Unfortunately, they happen with an increased frequency more and more.
However, rolling blackouts are still around and sometimes occur frequently across the globe.
Understanding how to read your electric meter will help you save money and increase awareness of your overall energy consumption.
3 – Out With The Old…
Older appliances and electronics can sometimes consume a significant amount of energy, no matter the size.
For example, you may be looking at your refrigerator, dishwasher, laundry washer, dryer, older television, and perhaps that small toaster or coffee maker that you use every day.
Therefore, learning and knowing the energy consumption of these items can help you determine whether you should consider purchasing new energy-efficient appliances and electronics. This way you can utilize energy efficiently without sacrificing convenience.
In addition, as the saying goes, “out with the old and in with the new.” An energy-efficient item will not only save you money, but it may also help the home feel more comfortable while sounding quieter.
4 – Always Look For Environmentally Friendly Everything!
As briefly mentioned, rolling blackouts still do occur even in modern times. And this is because the demand for electricity far exceeds the power supply capabilities the utility company can provide.
Consequently, by learning our energy consumption, we can help prevent these situations from happening while being friendlier to the environment.
Taking care of our environment by being aware of our energy consumption is another perk for both ourselves and nature.
This is especially true when our natural resources like oil, coal, gas, and water are depleting at an alarming rate.
5 – Introduce Yourself To Renewable Energy
In line with being more environmentally friendly, utilizing another form of energy is another perk in learning your energy consumption.
For instance, many of us leave a porch light or a series of lights on overnight. These porch lights obviously use energy, which is part of the equation in saving money and saving energy.
When you learn the energy consumption of, in this example, your porch light, you can begin to plan a way to use renewable energy such as using solar panels to power it while also replacing the bulb that consumes a high amount of energy.
You may even consider it to be a future return on your investment for both your pocket and energy.
6 – Add Value To Your Home
There are times when we must move for various reasons. It could be because of our jobs, to be closer to family, or it is simply just time for a change.
Learning your home’s energy consumption will benefit you when it is time to move to another home.
How? When selling your home, the value of your property will generally be greater if it is energy efficient than it would be if it is not.
If you check the real estate market for homes that are green certified, you will find that those homes were sold at a premium compared to a standard home in the same neighborhood.
It is also an attractive feature for potential home buyers to know that the home they may be purchasing will save them on their energy bills without having to worry about costly renovations.
Empower Yourself And Increase Your Awareness
So, with these six ways to save money and increase your energy consumption, you now have the power in your hands! Pun intended!
Be sure to read Budget Home Improvement Advice From The Pros too!
And as always, thanks so much for stopping by! If you like this article, The Benefits Of Being Aware Of Your Energy Consumption, subscribe via email below and never miss a post again!
We found that a new furnace has made a huge difference in our bill.
oh gosh, that’s great! I bet your new smart thermostat rocks too and is a money saver. So glad that’s working out for you guys!