Top Home Energy Efficiency Tips

Many families across the United States are struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis.  From cutting costs at the grocery store to managing a budget, families are always trying to stretch their money as far as it will go.  Amazingly enough, one of the largest expenses home owners have to worry about is their energy bill.  Although the cost of electricity rates is on the rise, there is still hope when it comes to finding affordable energy options.  Not only will you be able to stick to your budget, but you can enjoy all of the pleasures that affordable energy has to give.  Here are a few energy saving tips from New York gas provider Plymouthenergy.com.

Update Your Appliances

One way to save on the cost of energy is to swap your older, traditional appliances for newer models which are designed to consume less energy.  While it may seem like a costly investment at first, you will be amazed at how quickly you’ll be able to pay your return on investment.  This is due mainly to the decreased cost of your energy bills.  Not to mention that the cost of energy-efficient appliances aren’t much more than buying newer traditional models.

The Department of Energy estimated that the cost of energy-efficient appliances would increase from 1998-2010; however, they have actually decreased in cost, making them a great, affordable addition to any ‘green’ house.

Which appliances are best to update first?

If your budget doesn’t allow for you to update all of your appliances, concentrate on the ones that are left on for an extended period of time, such as the refrigerator.  This isn’t to say that the appliances used intermittently aren’t large consumers of energy, but they do use less energy than those left constantly running. 

After the refrigerator, studies show that the clothes dryer is the second to consume the most residential electricity in the house.  Next to hanging your clothes out to dry, purchasing an energy-efficient clothes dryer that has an automatic shut-off sensor is your best bet. 

After these two major updates, you can work on replacing your dishwasher, clothes washer, and oven to maximize your energy savings. 

What other measures can you take to save energy?

There are other ways to save energy usage in your home, including:

• Install motion sensor lights in rooms where the lights are often left on.  
• Select appliances with automatic timers.  From coffee makers and clothes dryers, to curling irons and toasters, it is important to have appliances that will turn themselves off.  Also, unplug the appliances when not in use.  Not only is this a serious energy saving issue, but it may just save your home from a catastrophic fire.
• Use LED light bulbs in all lamps and light fixtures.  These energy-efficient bulbs have an extensive life span, saving you from having to replace your light bulbs often. 

Saving on your residential electric bill begins at home with the simple things.  Don’t be surprised with another astronomical energy bill that you can’t explain.  By taking some simple steps to improve the energy-efficiency of your home, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars in reduced energy bills.  Not to mention the energy saving tax credits that you may be eligible for.  There are many ways that you can save money, save energy, and save the environment.