10 Ways To Save Electricity At Home

We all want to save money, and managing electricity usage is a great start, but if you’re on the wrong plan, it won’t help much.  How do you know if you’ve got the plan that’s right for you?

Power Wizard Can Help

If you’ve spent even a few minutes shopping for electricity in Texas, you know how much of a headache it can be. Imagine if there was a service that automatically found you the best and most affordable electricity plan. There is! It’s called Power Wizard. 

Looking at your electric bill can often be a jaw-dropping experience, and if you’re like most people today, you’re probably asking yourself:

How do I save electricity at home?

The great news is that you don’t have to go much further than a few changes in your day-to-day routine to make this happen.

Look around you right now.

What do you see?

• Any unnecessary lights on?
• Computers or monitors left on?
• Fans blowing in empty rooms?
• An overly lit room?

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above questions, just taking a few simple steps could have you saving on electricity costs.

We’ve compiled the top 10 ways to save electricity at home.

Just keep reading, and you could save BIG.

You Don’t Have To Spend Money To Save Electricity

You may be thinking that you have to invest in energy-saving products to spend less on your electricity.

This simply isn’t true.

While energy-efficient light bulbs and new appliances can cut costs, there is more to it than that.

Saving money doesn’t have to cost you very much if anything at all.

Simple changes can add up to savings you may not expect.

So, how do you save electricity at home?

• Turn off the lights – This may seem simple enough, but it can be easy to move from room to room, leaving lights on along the way
• Always run a full load – Whether it’s the dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer, filling it will help save money
• Hand wash your dishes – If you don’t have a full load take a few minutes to wash those plates by hand
• Hang dry your clothes – Not only will this save energy costs, but reduce the wear and tear on expensive clothing

Many people don’t look that closely at their electric bills—after all, those numbers can be confusing.

We trust that the companies who provide us with electricity have done the math correctly, and we pay.

If this sounds familiar, then you might be surprised to know that you could be paying too much for your electricity.

But how do you know?

This is a difficult task in Texas, even for the most discerning customer.

With over 130 companies offering over 2000 different plans, the idea of narrowing it down can be nothing short of overwhelming.

And let’s face it, you’re probably not going to start reading your meter and keeping track of every kilowatt of electricity you use. So what can you do to see if the energy plan you have is right for you?

Simple. Try our Shopping Tool.

In a little under five minutes, you’ll have a better idea of how much you could be saving just by switching providers.

But first, let’s explore the top 10 ways to save electricity at home and how they can help reduce your current electric bill.

Ways Your Appliances Can Save Electricity In Your Home

Are you asking yourself the question: What can I do to save electricity?

Start with your appliances.

Appliances can make up a huge chunk of your electric bill, so what can you do to reduce this overall cost?

Making minor changes in the way you use the main appliances in your home can have a big impact on your electricity use.

Here’s a list of the main culprits for energy consumption and some ideas on how to save electricity at home:

• Heating/Cooling – consider installing a programmable thermostat
• Water Heater – check the temperature of your water heater
• Large Appliances – use your appliances to capacity
• Lights – make the switch to energy-efficient bulbs

1. Install A Programmable or Smart Thermostat

Most often, people either forget to adjust their thermostats when they’re away or sleeping, or they simply don’t do it often enough to make much of a difference.

This can be a costly mistake.

You may have heard of a Smart or Programmable Thermostat, and you may have heard that they can save energy.

The rumors are true.

These nifty devices can save an average of 10 to 12 percent on heating costs and as much as 15 percent on air conditioning.

How Will Installing A Programmable or Smart Thermostat Save Me Electricity?

What does a programmable thermostat do that yours isn’t already doing?

A regular thermostat allows you to manually adjust your temperatures.

But a programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperatures to change automatically based on the time of day.

In addition to setting it and forgetting it, your smart thermostat:

• Allows you to control the climate remotely
• Shows you your consumption in real-time
• Can self adjust based on ambient conditions
• Return to preferred temperatures before you wake or return

So unless you’re micro-managing your current thermostat, a programmable or smart thermostat will help you save electricity.

2. Check The Temperature Of Your Water Heater

According to the Department of Energy, your water heater is responsible for about 17% of your electricity use.

Water heaters are used for many of our daily household activities, such as:

• Showers
• Washing dishes
• Laundry
• Handwashing

There are two types of water heaters: tank and tankless.

A tankless water heater uses less energy as the water is heated by an internal coil as it passes through.

A regular tank heater continuously warms the water it houses.

In both cases, reducing the default temperature can reduce the overall cost of electricity.

How Will The Temperature Of My Water Heater Save Me Electricity?

Water heaters are normally set to a default temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

But you can reduce the default temperature by just 20 degrees, and it will be just as effective.

You may also want to consider switching to more energy-efficient fixtures such as:

• Low-flow showerheads
• A hot water recirculation kit
• Sink faucet aerators

To further reduce the energy used by your tank water heater, you can wrap it in an insulation blanket with an r-rating. Or switch to an Energy-Star rated unit.

3. Be Efficient With Your Refrigerator

Maybe buying a new energy-efficient refrigerator is not in your current budget or plans at this time.

That’s okay.

There are still ways you can save energy with your existing refrigerator without breaking the bank.

Practicing smart habits, combined with scheduled maintenance and routine checks, can go a long way towards saving energy.

How Will Being Efficient With My Refrigerator Save Me Electricity?

Your refrigerator could be wasting your money, but with a few simple changes, you could be watching the savings add up.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can save electricity with your refrigerator:

• Keep the doors closed – An open refrigerator door forces your appliance to work harder than necessary to regain the heat lost
• Cool down your leftovers – This small detail can save your refrigerator from having to work overtime to cool down warm foods
• Check the temperature – Set the refrigerator temperature to 36-38 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer to 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit
• Clean your condenser coils – Once a year, as part of your maintenance plan, clean the coils at the back of your fridge to remove the accumulated dust and dirt.
• Check your rubber seal – The rubber seal around the door of your fridge is responsible for keeping out any unwanted warm air and works best when it’s in good repair.

By following these simple steps, you can reduce your energy usage and save money.

When the time is right, consider recycling your older fridge and purchasing an Energy Star model for even more savings.

Ways Your Power and Lighting Choices Can Save Electricity In Your Home

It’s no secret that energy-efficient light bulbs have taken over and revolutionized lighting everywhere.

But, there are other ways you can reduce your lighting usages and save electricity.

By reducing the wattage of your current light bulbs, you will not only save money but also create the preferred ambiance in each of your rooms.

Below you’ll find additional ways to save electricity by making small changes to your power and lighting.

4. Turn Off Your Lights

This may seem like a no-brainer, but in reality, many of us go from room to room without turning the lights off.

But does flicking that switch each time you leave a room save you money?

This depends entirely on the type of bulb you are using.

If you currently use traditional halogen (incandescent) light bulbs, you will save money by turning the lights out every time they are not needed.

How Will Turning Off My Lights Save Me Electricity?

Incandescent bulbs are the least efficient type of lighting.

90% of the energy they use is due to the heat they give off, and only 10% is from the actual light.

Turning off your incandescent lights when they’re not needed will also help to cool a room down, which is beneficial in the summer months when air conditioning is in use.

5. Switch To LED Bulbs

LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs are recommended as the most efficient lighting choice for saving electricity.

The lifetime of your LED bulbs is not affected by the number of times you turn them on and off.

This is especially advantageous when the LED is paired with occupancy or daylight sensors.

How Will Switching to LED Bulbs Save Me Electricity?

Because LED lights reach full brightness almost instantly, there is very little energy used to heat the bulb.

90% more efficient than a halogen, or incandescent bulb, LED’s don’t burn out or fail.

Instead, the bulb will slowly become dimmer over time.

The lifetime of an LED bulb is based on the estimated time when the bulb will lose 30% of its light output.

LED’s are more efficient and will last longer than your halogen bulbs, saving you money and electricity.

6. Install Dimmer Switches

Dimmers are an inexpensive way to reduce the wattage and output of a lightbulb.

A dimmer gives you the ability to control the amount of light produced by your lighting fixture.

This makes it possible for you to dim your lights as low as you like or as high as the lightbulb allows.

Not only are you able to create the mood you desire for each room, but you’ll be saving electricity as well.

How Will Installing Dimmers Save Me Electricity?

By reducing the amount of electricity to the bulb, dimmer switches save energy and allow lights to work with lower outputs.

Dimmer switches can also extend the life of your light bulbs by putting less stress on the light to shine brighter.

Most dimmers work the same way, but there may be some advantages to the dimmable light source you choose.

LEDs: Combined with a dimmer switch allows for maximum energy savings. Not all LED bulbs are compatible with dimmers, so always check the packaging before buying.

CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps): These lights won’t lose efficiency when dimmed, but it’s important to only use CFL’s that are compatible with dimmers, or the light could overheat and turn into a fire hazard.

Halogen: The least efficient of the lightbulbs, halogens will use 20% less energy on a dimmer switch; however, they will lose efficiency if dimmed too low.

While dimmers can save you electricity overall, it makes more sense to install a lower wattage bulb if you plan to have the lights dimmed all the time.

At full power, a low wattage bulb will use less energy than a higher wattage bulb that’s been dimmed.

7. Use Smart Plugs or Smart Power Strips

Smart plugs or smart power strips are an emerging new product designed to save you money by minimizing wasted energy.

A smart plug is controlled by an app and allows you to turn on or off any appliance that you plug into it.

A smart power strip can be equipped with a timer, activity monitor, or a remote switch. All of which allow you to turn off your outlets when not in use.

Both smart plugs and smart power strips can help lower your electric bill.

How Will Using Smart Plugs or Smart Power Strips Lower My Electric Bill?

Smart plugs offer energy monitoring which can allow you to see peak energy usage and energy used over time for each appliance you have plugged in.

Many smart plugs allow you to turn off appliances at your convenience or to program appliances to turn off at particular times to save energy.

Smart power strips come in three different types:

• Timer – turns off outlets on a programmed schedule
• Activity Monitor – scans your room for activity and turns off outlets accordingly
• Remote Switch – uses a remote to manually turn off outlets when not in use

When used properly, these devices cut off energy consumption to unused appliances, thus reducing your electric bill.

Ways Your Habits and Lifestyle Can Save Electricity In Your Home

Daily habits play a big part in energy consumption at home.

By making small changes to your routine, you can reduce energy, save electricity, and lower your electric bill.

8. Take Shorter Showers

Who doesn’t love a long, hot shower after a hard day at the office?

But can the length of your showers make that much of a difference?

You bet.

Your water heater is a major player when it comes to energy consumption, so taking shorter showers can add up to big savings.

How Will Taking Shorter Showers Save Me Electricity?

Your water heater is responsible for about 17% of your household energy consumption, so spending a few fewer minutes in the shower can help reduce the load on this appliance.

Less water being heated results in less energy being used.

9. Be Smart With Your Laundry

Washing and drying clothes use about 10% of the total electricity in a household.

While there’s no escaping the inevitable loads of laundry your household currently produces, there are ways you can be smarter with your laundry, saving time, energy, and money.

Wash Your Laundry On Cold Cycle

About 75% of the energy needed to do a load of laundry goes into heating the water.

Washing your clothes on the cold water setting will drastically reduce the energy consumption of your washing machine.

Hang Dry Your Laundry

Your dryer uses a considerable amount of your household energy.

Possibly one of the easiest solutions to saving energy is to simply eliminate it and hang your clothes instead.

Wash Only Full Loads

Your washing machine is going to use the same amount of electricity no matter how big your load is.

Filling it means less running time, which means less energy used.

Put A Towel In The Dryer

Putting a dry towel in the dryer for the first 15-20 minutes of your drying cycle will reduce drying times.

The towel absorbs some of the moisture from the clothing, which in turn helps the clothes to dry faster.

How Will Being Smart With My Laundry Save Me Electricity?

It’s no secret that laundry is a costly chore.

Most households wash at least a few loads a week, so following these tips will reduce the overall workload of your appliances.

When your appliances work less, you spend less.

10. Use Natural Light

Taking advantage of sunlight is a great way to reduce your energy costs.

North and south-facing windows provide the best opportunity to use natural light without greatly affecting the temperature of your home.

If you have the benefit of windows on all sides of your home, it’s best to keep curtains drawn on east and west-facing windows, especially during the extreme seasons.

If your space allows, installing skylights is a great way to capture natural light while also maintaining your privacy.

How Will Using Natural Light Save Me Electricity?

Using natural light will limit the need to use energy on artificial lighting and can save you as much as 22% on the cost of lighting and cooling your home.

Bonus: Let Power Wizard Evaluate your Electric Bill for Possible Savings

Taking steps to lower your electric bill means becoming aware of how much energy you’re using at home and then making changes.

Maybe you’re already making changes to your daily routine and replacing inefficient bulbs and appliances, and you still want to save more.

Power Wizard can help you do that.

Find Out In Less Than 5 Minutes Using Power Wizard’s Shopping Tool

Power Wizard’s Shopping Tool will analyze every available electricity plan in your area and choose the one that best fits your lifestyle while saving you money.

Coupled with these 10 easy ways to save electricity at home, you could be saving the maximum amount on your electricity bills.