Time to give energy efficiency a gold star on your back-to-school checklist! Use these tips to get an “A” as you save money and energy at home.
Before you hit the books, hit the switch: As the kids leave for the school day, make sure they turn off the lights to save energy and money. You can save even more by switching to LED bulbs. They use up to 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs.
Teach your thermostat: Since you’ll have fewer people in the house during the day, set the AC temperature a few degrees higher to save on your energy bill. Better yet, get a smart thermostat and “teach” it to do this for you.
Use a smart power strip: Many plugged in electronics consume energy even when they aren’t on, which can cost you up to $100 a year. Plugging chargers, computers and gaming equipment into a smart power strip saves money by automatically shutting the devices down then they are not in use.
Load up your laundry: Getting back into gym class, sports and other after-school activities generates more laundry. Wait until you have a full load before running the washing machine. Washing clothes in cold water also can save the average household up to $30 a year.
Soak up knowledge … and savings: The average household spends about $300 a year on water heating. Lowering your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees is an easy do-it-yourself step that can save about 9% of your water heating costs.
Don’t test your refrigerator: Did you know refrigerators are opened an average of 33 times per day? An open door allows warm, moist air in, which makes the compressor work harder. Pick a snack ahead of time, so you don’t leave the door open too long.
Stick to a schedule: Contact your trusted HVAC technician to make sure your furnace can pass its yearly exam and will keep running all winter long. Back to school is also a good time to change your furnace filter.
Study up on more tricks to keep those bills in check all year.