Tag Archives: Water Bill

Tips to Make Your Bathroom More Energy-Efficient

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The recent intense and repeated heat-waves suggest that we stop taking our environment for granted. In fact, it is now high time for us to ‘man up’ and pay attention to our environmental responsibilities so that our planet can regain its much-needed equilibrium. Today we live in an otherwise environmentally conscious era. So it is imperative that we all pay due attention to our overall energy usage.

There is sound reasoning behind this strategy. In fact, essentially lowering our overall use of energy means that we can reduce our ‘environmental footprint,’ that is, the overall impact of our energy usage on not just the environment alone, but also lessen the burden on our wallets as well, great deals on https://www.bellabathrooms.co.uk/

It is pertinent to note that the bathroom is one of the single most wasteful places in the house, in terms of prolonged energy usage.

When you take those long, warm sand luxuries showers, Flush the commode all too frequently or have plenty of dripping faucets, then all of these activities conspire and contribute towards putting a substantial dent in your wallet in the form of hefty bills, that just keep racking up at the far end of the month.

Now, the question arises how precisely, can we go about substantially reducing this almost inevitable use of such energy?

Making a few small changes is not very difficult but doing so can help you save a ton in terms of energy-related bills. Here is how:

Changing the shower head as well as sink mixer

Changing to a high-efficiency showerhead and sink mixer and faucet combo can effectively slice your shower and shave water consumption by half. As a matter of fact, newer models of faucets and showerheads can now easily provide the same sense of luxurious ‘feel’ of various other models while simultaneously using considerably less energy, in the bargain.

With the help of these models, you will not only be able to enjoy the same showers you had before but will be able to tell the difference only and only when you get your water bill at the end of the month!

Saving electricity with energy savers and solar panels

Many, if not most people are completely unaware of the fact that those extra bright lights above their sinks are actually power guzzlers, in every sense of the term. This is why it would be prudent to figure out if there are actually energy efficient light bulbs in your bathroom, or not.

The thing is that most people use at least 4 to 5 light bulbs in their bathrooms to make the place nice and bright. However, not using energy savers can be a huge waste of energy. This wastage can efficiently be curbed with energy efficient bulbs as well. It will be well worth it, since it is possible to curb energy usage by as much as 80% when using energy savers, in lieu of ordinary bulbs as such. If you want to go further into the picture, then you can also opt for solar panels to run your bathroom lights.

Curtail these really bad energies wasting habits

From using a hair dryer to an electric razor and trimmer combo, the odds are that the average house owner probably uses a lot of electrical appliances in the washroom on a more or less daily basis. If such is the case with you as well, then you should always unplug every device once you are done using it to see the huge amount of energy savings on the next monthly bill that you receive.

A rule of thumb: Even if the appliance has been powered off, it will nevertheless still continue to consume minute amounts of energy. This is why it is standard best practice to unplug the devices from the mains outlets to ensure that there is no additional drain on your power resources.

Always turn the faucet off whenever you can

One of the most harmful things you can do while being in the washroom is to keep the water running at full blast while you wash your hands and face or brush your teeth. The prudent thing to do is to turn off the water tap when you do not need all that water. Remember, should you leave the water running even as you brush your teeth, then you will almost certainly end up using between an estimated 4 to 5 gallons of water, every time you do so.

Now, just imagine that you repeat this behavior at least three times a day each and every time, you either wash your hand and face or brush your teeth. That is an estimated 12 to 15 gallons of precious water wasted just because you leave the faucet open.

Being environmentally responsible means being completely conscious of all of your bathroom related energy usage, so that you know when you should turn off the tap and save your water supply (and decrease your water bills as well, in the bargain).

Get into the shower when you open the faucet

If you are guilty of opening the shower and letting the water flow while you prepare breakfast or try to find your socks, when going for work, then this is something that you should really take care of, post haste. Apart from that, you can also get a smart meter installed so as to keep track of your energy usage.

Conclusion

In the light of the above, we can safely conclude that taking care of these small issues can lead to great benefits not just for the environment, but also decrease your power bill burden as well. So whether you are renovating your home or moving to a new house, these ideas can help you make your bathrooms more energy efficient.

How To Save Energy at Home

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Utility costs keep rising by the day, and the situation may persist in the coming years. There are small things that can be done, such as sourcing environmentally friendly trash disposal or turning off gadgets when they’re not being used – but, if left unchecked, utility bills can add up significantly and eat into your home budget. Thankfully, there are small actions you can take to save energy and ultimately lower your utility costs. Here are simple tips to save energy at home:

How Energy-Efficient Technologies Can Contribute to Sustainability

1. Turn Gadgets Off

The gadgets you leave on all day long consume a lot of energy. So, make sure your TV, PC, video game consoles, video recorders, and cable boxes get turned off or completely unplugged when not in use. Chargers for tablets, cell phones, and other cordless devices consume electricity even when not in use.

Over time, the consumption will add up and balloon your energy costs. The devices you use should get plugged into a power strip so that you can switch them off at once. You may also want to set your computers in sleep mode when taking breaks in-between work.

2. Install Smarter Bulbs

Your home’s light bulbs stay on for hours on end. As such, they use a lot of electricity. Having your lights on is sometimes inevitable, so consider installing smart, energy-efficient bulbs. For instance, an LED light bulb, which costs around $5 at a home improvement store can save you over $100 over its lifetime.

LED bulbs use up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs to deliver a similar amount of light. They also come in different colors, shapes, and intensities and reach full brightness immediately. LED light bulbs are compatible with dimmer switches, so it’s easy to set lower illumination levels and save energy.

Energy-Saving Tips for Small Businesses

3. Only Use the Energy You Need

Your energy consumption could be high because you use more than you need. For instance, it’s needless to run a half-full dishwasher because it will consume the same energy required to do the dishes when it’s full. Set the washing machine to the recommended water level when doing your laundry. Unless you’re handling a dirty load, always use cold water.

The refrigerator is another heavy energy consumer in your home, but that doesn’t have to be the case. The refrigerator temperature should always be set at 28 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit, while the fridge needs to be set at 0 to 5 degrees. Avoid opening them regularly and keep them sealed tightly.

If you have a clothes dryer at home, only use it when you have to. When running at full capacity, clothes dryers consume as much energy as a dishwasher, washing machine, and refrigerator combined. For this reason, air-dry your clothes when possible. If you must use the clothes dryer, clean the lint filter after each session. Also, use the moisture-sensor or auto-dry setting and avoid adding wet items to partially-dry loads.

4. Monitor How Much Energy You Consume

You won’t know how much energy you consume until you monitor your consumption. Electricity monitor meters measure the energy consumption of each gadget in your home when on and turned off. Most electricity monitor meters cost less than $30 and will provide an insight into your home energy use. For instance, it could reveal that your video game console is drawing 20W even though you’re not gaming.

5. Seal the Cracks

Adding up all the cracks around doors and windows in an average American house leaves you with a nine ft² sq hole in the wall. It shows just how much heat escapes from your home. When checking out homes for sale in San Antonio, energy efficiency is often a key priority. That should be the case even after moving into the house, and there’s no better way to ensure that than sealing cracks that cause draughts.

In this regard, weather-strip and seal off cracks that cause air to escape from your home. If there are gaps around your window panes, use putty to seal them. Attaching shoes or sweeps to the bottom of your doors can also prevent cooled or heated air from escaping.

Better insulation in the attic, around the hot water pipes and heater, in crawl spaces, and under your floors can help you save energy. You can benefit from something as simple as covering care floors using rugs or replacing old windows. Undertake an energy audit regularly so that potential areas of energy loss get identified and fixed.

6. Keep Your Curtains Closed at Night

It’s a no-brainer that drawing the curtains during daytime allows natural light and heat into the home. This will light and warm your home naturally without requiring you to switch on the bulbs or AC. When dusk falls, it’s advisable to close the curtains since it helps retain the heat in your home. You won’t need to keep the heater on for long hours. Nonetheless, avoid draping the curtains over the radiators.

7. Use Energy-Efficient Appliances

Your energy consumption could be high because you use old and outdated appliances in your home. Newer appliances have energy star ratings and considerably lower energy consumption. Although they are somewhat costly, they help you to save costs in the long run. Appliances with a high energy star rating use up to 50% less energy than older appliances. Over time, the energy savings will make up for the initial cost.

how to make your home energy efficient

8. Turn Down the Thermostat

During the colder months of the year, we like to keep the thermostat on for far too long. Likewise, we tend to overcool during the hot months. Keeping the room temperature at 19 degrees may be pleasant. However, many people still find themselves turning the heat up to 25 degrees, translating into higher energy costs. Turning your thermostat down by as little as one degree can cut your energy consumption by 5%. You may also want to install a solar cooling and heating unit to save energy.

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9. Reduce Your Water Consumption

You can save energy and reduce your water bill by minimizing water consumption. For instance, taking shorter showers or only washing clothes and dishes when you have a full load reduces your electricity and gas bill. You should also consider investing in a solar hot water system since it provides many energy-saving benefits.