The key to achieving energy efficiency is to use fewer resources without reducing the quality of life of people. That is, to bring the same level and quality of life – or better – spending the same or less energy resources for it.
But efficiency is not based only on spending less energy. Ideally, recycling should also be taken into account – recycling also saving energy – responsible consumption, the use of non-polluting products and everything that separates us from the use of fossil fuels. If you can go by bike or public transport in your day to day, think twice before taking the car.
However, in the small gestures of day to day is where we can achieve significant savings, both economic and CO2 emissions, without realizing it. You are also lucky that, as a Houston electricity customer, you can choose the best energy plan at the lowest Houston electricity rates. In this article we are going to do a little review of several tips that help improve our energy efficiency enough to reduce our electricity bill and help our planet.
Tips for saving on your electricity bill
Starting with your home, the first step is the verification of the electrical installation, not only to avoid energy and money expenses, but also for our safety.
In terms of lighting, it is essential since it consumes a third of our bill. Always turn off the lights when they are not being used and you have to make the most of natural light as much as possible. In addition, a good idea is to replace the incandescent bulbs that are melting by others of low consumption technology or LED technology.
It is also important to be attentive with the doors and windows. These enclosures are where more energy is lost in our homes and whether you have electric heating or if you have gas or diesel, you should check that everything is in order. Both one and the other must have good insulation to reduce the loss of heat and cold and that the enclosures are sufficiently hermetic. It must be made clear that opening and closing them as required will not do much since you can lose between 25-30% of the heat or cold. With about 10 minutes of ventilation in the morning is enough.
In addition to these, a house should also have good insulation on ceilings, walls and floors. The lack of this can mean a loss of 30% of the energy. If your home is very cold, you may have to consider equipping it with insulation.
One of the aspects that is important but that takes less attention is the consumption of devices that are switched off but plugged in. It is what is known as vampire consumption. In a standby state, the devices can consume 10-15% of what they spend under normal conditions. To avoid this, it is advisable to unplug them or use a switch strip when they are not in operation. You can group several devices in the same strip, so that things are much easier. Some of these devices are the router, mobile chargers that stay plugged in, televisions, DVDs…
The measure of the standby is very good, but it is also necessary to look at the labeling of household appliances. When buying appliances, it is important to look at the energy label, as this will indicate the amount of energy you consume, and therefore, the impact it will have on our electricity bill. To make a decision, classes A and A with bonuses (A +, A ++, A +++) should be a priority. It may be more expensive at the moment, but in the long run, it is compensated.
Finally, we must try not to abuse the hot water when we shower. Of course, always prioritize the shower in front of the bathroom, and close the tap when we are not taking advantage of the water. Water temperature, of course, also affects the amount of energy expended. Reducing a few degrees could help our pockets nicely.
With these simple habits of common sense, in addition to saving on our electricity bill, we will achieve a better planet for all.
