Electrical Gremlins And Old Homes

Dropping those energy bills doesn't have to be as hard as it sounds. Here are five changes you can make right now to see a difference. 

Unplug standby electronics.

Some electronic devices click over to standby mode when they are not being used. This technically means the device is still on and still pulling electricity. Several devices have a standby feature, which is meant to make powering up faster, but you can save a little energy every day by unplugging these devices. Televisions, audio equipment, and even computers and laptops usually have standby modes.  

Adjust your sleeping schedule. 

Early to bed and early to rise was once the mantra for pretty much everyone. The reason behind this is people got up when the sun came up and usually went to sleep not long after it went down. They did this because it was easier just to do things by natural light instead of using candles and lanterns to see their way in the dark. You could actually save a lot of electricity by adjusting your own sleeping schedule to match the hours of the sun. This may be impossible for some due to work or school commitments, but if you usually stay up late at night, you are using a lot of energy that you would not have to if you were awake during the day by needing lighting in every room you are in.

Turn off your water heater when not in use.

Yoru tank-style water heater sits full of water all day that is constantly having to be heated to hold it at the preset temperature. Yet, you probably only need hot water when you get in the shower, wash the dishes, or cook. Therefore, several hours of energy are wasted daily by the water heater keeping water hot this is not even needed. You can actually get water heaters these days that have a switch you turn on and off at will, but an electrician can also install a switch for you or you could simply switch off the breaker.

Open your blinds. 

Allow in the natural sunlight and reduce the energy usage you need just to see indoors. Homes with natural lighting from windows are far better lit than those lit with artificial light anyway and the sunlight is free of charge. 

Use electricity outside of peak usage hours. 

Some electric companies charge more for electricity usage during peak usage hours. Give your power company a call or look at your bill to determine if they are charging you a different rate at certain times of the day. With this information, you can easily adjust when you do things that would use the most energy, such as doing your laundry.

For more information, contact a company like Etheridge Electric Company Inc.