8 Future-proof Ways to Start Saving Home Energy Instantly

Even though there are many ways to save energy at home, ultimately, they fall into 2 categories - one contains all the methods that can be implemented without paying any sort of cost, while the other includes those that require some funding. This article will describe and explain some methods from each of these two categories.

No-cost energy saving techniques:

1) Unwanted heat escape. The escape of heat through your home can be minimized by closing windows and curtains at night time so warm air stays inside your home. No extra heating, and so no extra money will be needed.

2) The temperature of your thermostat. You can also reduce your heating thermostat temperature by 1 degree. You will hardly notice this change, but it can save you up to $80 a year, and 10% of your energy bills.

3) Turning off appliances after use, rather than leaving them on or on standby. Always turn off your appliances when they are not being used. Your television and computer, for example, can consume 60% of their normal required energy when they are in standby! Other appliances, like your microwave, can even consume energy when they are not being used since they have an digital time display on the front face. You can unplug your microwave when they are not being used.

4) Fix leaky faucets. If the tap in your sink is left to leak at a rate of one water droplet per second, by the end of the year, you will have wasted 2000 gallons of water. I'll leave it to your imagination to work out how much that would cost you.

Low-cost energy saving techniques:

1) Use energy-efficient lighting. Replace your current light bulbs with new-generation energy-efficient lighting systems. These operate up to 10 times longer than normal filament bulbs, have a bright white light, and are cheaper to buy. Making this change can save you about $55 a year on your energy bills.

2) Insulate hot water pipes. Hot water pipes are normally not very well insulating - the heat from the water traveling through them can pass out of the pipe which means you will need to put more energy into heating the water for it to reach the require temperature. Insulating your water pipes can reduce your energy bills by a further $16 a year.

3) Additionally, you can buy Hot water jackets, which cost under $20, that allow your water to remain at a high temperature for much longer amounts of time. This can save you over $50 a year in addition to insulating your hot water pipes.

4) Holes in your home structure. An important source of energy (and money) waste is the heat that escapes from your homes, through cracks and holes in your exterior walls, and through the gaps around the edges of your windows and doors. Cold air can enter your home through these, making your home colder, while hot air from inside your home can escape at the same time. You can solve this by investing in draft excluders, which can be used to trap warm air inside your home. You can save $30 - $50 on your energy bills a year.