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Sep 29, 2016
Home Energy Usage: Prepare to be Shocked
October is "Energy Management is a Family Affair—Improve Your Home Month." I learned this only recently. It’s also "Bat Appreciation Month" and "American Cheese Month," but never mind.
Disregarding the cumbersome name, "Energy Management is a Family Affair—Improve Your Home Month" at least gives us the opportunity to talk about the exorbitant amount of energy used—and money spent—by homeowners each year.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration found that space heating accounts for 42 percent of energy usage in the home, as opposed to only 6 percent for cooling (remember, this is nationally, not just Texas).
Eighteen percent of our energy usage is from water heating, 5 percent from lighting, 5 percent from refrigeration, and 24 percent from "other."
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical U.S. family spends at least $2,200 a year on utility bills. Ouch. Fortunately, they also suggest ways to lower those bills. For example:
- Install a programmable thermostat to lower utility bills and manage your heating and cooling systems efficiently.
- Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
- Turn things off when you are not in the room such as lights, TVs, entertainment systems, and your computer and monitor.
- Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use—TVs and DVD players in standby mode still use several watts of power.
- Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F.
- Take short showers instead of baths and use low-flow showerheads for additional energy savings.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
- Air dry clothes.
- Check to see that windows and doors are closed when heating or cooling your home.
- Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving such as speeding, and rapid acceleration and braking, wastes fuel.
- Look for the Energy Star label on light bulbs, home appliances, electronics, and other products.
For more information, download the U.S. Department of Energy’s free Tips on Saving Money & Energy at Home.
Incidentally, October is also "National Toilet Tank Repair Month." Perhaps we’ll cover that in a future blog post. No doubt you’re flush with excitement.
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