With spring cleaning done and summer just beginning, we thought now would be a good time to give families some energy-saving tips for 2020. Cutting down on energy costs can mean more money for other fun activities around town or at home, there’s no better time than now to start saving. Home Energy Saving Tips for 2020 research shows that summer and winter are the seasons in which households use the most electricity. The average home consumes 1,207kWH in spring, but by summer, it will increase by 153kWh.
If you start following these tips today, you’ll be able to reduce your electricity costs during the warmest parts of the year. Here are our eight top energy-saving tips for summer 2020:
1. Service Appliances Like Your Air-Conditioning Units before you start depending on your AC full-time; now is the opportunity to have all your units serviced by a technician. Air conditioning requires regular maintenance to ensure it continues to work properly. And the longer it goes without a service, the worse it will get while consuming more electricity. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), you can save between 5 and 15% on electricity by regularly servicing your AC.
2. Clean Your Fridge’s Coils and Mechanical Parts because refrigerators are big electricity consumers in homes. By cleaning the coils and mechanical components, you can improve the unit’s efficiency and save up to 30% in reduced consumption. Roll the fridge away from the wall and use a vacuum to suck up all the dust and debris at the back. You may also want to defrost the unit, as ice buildup will also influence its energy efficiency.
3. Adjust Your Water Heater, you’ll still need hot water during the summer, and now is a great time to maintain your water heater. To ensure you enjoy hot water without scalding, set the temperature to 120°F to conserve energy and save on electricity costs. Water heaters account for roughly 18% of a household’s electricity consumption.
4. Open Doors and Windows to Create Natural Ventilation to create a natural cooling effect in your house, open doors and windows on opposite sides of rooms or hallways. The breeze flowing through the house will help you use your AC less, reducing electricity bills.
5. Plug Gaps and Cracks by caulking cracks and gaps in walls and doorframes, you can prevent cold air from escaping and warm air from entering the home. Your AC will perform better, and you can maintain a more comfortable environment inside without your electricity bills skyrocketing.
6. Control Your Thermostat, if you set the thermostat to maintain a comfortable 78°F inside, you can save as much as 8% on your energy costs over spring and summer. To save even more, change the setting when you leave the house to start cooling once the temperature reaches 88°F.
7. Use Your Dishwasher and Microwave, instead of cooking in your oven, use your microwave whenever possible. Microwaves use less energy to cook food because they don’t waste heat. The same applies to your dishwasher, so use it instead of handwashing dishes, which uses more hot water.
8. Upgrade Your Appliances to ENERGY STAR® Devices, ENERGY STAR® rated devices can help you cut down on your energy bills over the entire year. These units use less energy to do the same work as other appliances. You can find a list of ENERGY STAR® products here.
Cut down on your energy bill with Starion Energy. We strive to help our customers save money while also providing reliable service. By following these energy-saving tips for summer, you can save money while still staying comfortable over the coming months. You may also want to read this blog about using electricity safely in your home.
For more information about Starion’s services and benefits, contact us today to see how we can help you save money on your electricity bills.