With concerns about global climate change and rising energy costs, saving electricity is a big deal. Most people are trying to find ways to reduce their energy consumption without significantly changing their lifestyles. Fortunately, there are a lot of simple steps that can be taken to use less energy. Here are just a few ways to reduce your power consumption and your global footprint.
The biggest culprit in most homes when it comes to excess energy use is the heating and cooling system. Out of date furnaces and air conditioners use more electricity than they should. Replacing them with more efficient models can make a big difference. If you can't replace your heating and cooling appliances, be sure to have them services regularly and keep filters clean.
If you've got an efficient heating and cooling system, keeping that comfortable air from escaping is your next job. Drafts, leaks, and cracks in your home can let heat enter and leave your home when you'd prefer it didn't. Try holding a lit stick of incense or a candle next to windows and doors to detect leaks. If the smoke or flame moves erratically, you may need to seal the area. Check the attic, too.
Turn the thermostat up a few degrees in the summer and down in the winter. You could save as much as ten percent for a change of five degrees. Most people don't even notice a small change in temperature. Use fans to move air throughout the home in the summer, and you won't have to sacrifice comfort for energy savings.
How long have you had your appliances? Refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and other major appliances may be big energy hogs. Now that Energy Star rate appliances are available, consider replacing your old ones with new, more efficient models. Be sure to dispose of your old ones responsibly, though.
Turn down the temperature on your water heater. Most water heaters are set above the recommended temperature of 120 degrees. By turning them down, you'll save money and reduce the risk of burns. This is an especially big concern if you have young children.
Turn off your computer and other electronics when they're not in use. Keeping them on doesn't actually make them last longer, and it can cost you a lot of money over time. If you have electronics with Energy Star features, make sure they're enabled, or you won't see the benefits.
Replace light bulbs with new compact fluorescents. These are a little more expensive per bulb, but use a lot less electricity and last a lot longer, so in the end, they'll cost you less. When disposing of compact fluorescent bulbs, be sure to take appropriate measures, as all fluorescent lights contain small amounts of mercury.
Ceiling fans are an excellent way to cut your energy bill. During the summer month's people are paying a lot of money for cooling. Truth is air conditioning is expensive and so is heating. You might be wondering how would a ceiling fan help reduce my energy costs? Aside from that you might be wondering how would a ceiling fan help reduce my energy bill both in the summer and winter. Studies have shown that using ceiling fans in the winter can help reduce your energy costs about 10% in the winter and a lot more in the summer. The way ceiling fans work is by moving masses of air upward or downward. In the winter a ceiling fan can be calibrated to keep the warm air down instead of it rising. It is not very common to hear about using ceiling fans in the winter. Nevertheless, it is highly feasible and cost effective. Let's see how you can reduce your energy bill by using ceiling fans in the winter. Ceiling fans spin their blades clockwise. That means that the manufacturer has made sure that when the ceiling fan spins it will help warm air rise. To reverse this operation and keep the warm air down in the winter a ceiling fan can be modified by changing the direction of the spinning blades. Most ceiling fans have a simple switch that does that. Using a chair or a ladder to reach the ceiling fan is the most common way to do so. Once the spin is reverses the warm air is pushed down by the ceiling fan. To get the best heating results make sure that the speed is set to the lowest so it won't create a chilling effect. Therefore, in the winter the secret is low speed and reversed spinning to keep warm air masses closer to the floor and prevent them from rising.
The summer set up of a ceiling fan is pretty straight forward. Keep the ceiling fan running and spinning in a clock wise direction and thus having the fan pulling the warm air upwards faster. Ceiling fans and fans in general do not actually reduce the temperature in a room. What they do is create a wind chill effect that can be up to 10 degrees cooler. They lift warm air high, and thus cooling your room's living space. In other words, if you have an air conditioner working in conjunction with a ceiling fan you can actually go about increasing the temperature on the thermostat because your ceiling fan contributes some of the work. It might not seem like you are saving a lot of energy but you are actually are. Days that it is not that hot to run your air conditioning you can just have your ceiling fan cool the room. To set up your fan, make sure that your blades are spinning in a counter clockwise way. The best cooling results will occur when your fan is running at the highest speed. For maximum cooling put your fan on the highest possible setting. By using a ceiling fan in conjunction with your cooling system or an air conditioner you can save up to 40% off your overall summer cooling bill. And that is one great reason why to use ceiling fans in both the summer and winter months.
Both Andrew Wroblewski & Constantine Jameson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Andrew Wroblewski has sinced written about articles on various topics from Advertising Guide, Kitchen Home Improvement and Family. Find out how to earn an income by teaching others how to inform people about reducing their utility bills at: and. Andrew Wroblewski's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Constantine Jameson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Photography, Mortgage and Life Insurance Annuity. Find the right ceiling fan for you. Many popular ceiling fans to choose from like , or the. Constantine Jameson's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.