Tips to Reduce Your Household Power Bill and Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Does your household suffer from enormous power bills? Energy expenditure can easily be reduced around your home without impacting your quality of life; all you need are a few simple tricks to start saving energy and dollars.

There are many different ways to make your home more energy efficient, ranging from the simple to the more complex. You might choose to make use of natural ventilation to cool your home in summer, or you might make a conscious effort to close your drapes and blinds to keep out the cold in winter. There is a huge range of practices as well as appliances that can make a difference to lower your energy bills. Here are some simple tips to reduce your household power bill and make your home more energy efficient.

Install energy-efficient lightbulbs

LEDs are the most common and efficient energy-saving lightbulbs. They use semiconductors that transform electricity into light. While they are the most expensive energy-saving lightbulb to buy, they use so little energy that they last far longer than regular lightbulbs, so LEDs can often end up being far cheaper than other lightbulbs in the long run.

By installing energy-efficient lightbulbs, you will use far less energy to light your home. As a bonus, energy-efficient lightbulbs don’t need to be replaced as often, saving you money on replacement lightbulbs.

 

Install solar panels

Solar panels are a great long-term investment. While there is an initial outlay of funds, you will likely make that money back in the long run when your power bills get less expensive. You can be confident that you’ll save more money than you’ll spend over time – in fact, some people are able to install enough solar panels to conduct sufficient energy to allow them to go completely off-grid. Installing solar panels is essential for any household looking for clever ways to reduce their power bills and make their home more energy efficient.

Insulate your home

Installing proper insulation is one of the best things you can do to reduce your power bills because you will use far less heating or cooling to make your home comfortable. A well-insulated home holds a consistent temperature far better than a home without the proper insulation. An excellent place to start is by insulating your roof. 

Double glaze your windows

Much like insulating, double glazing is another effective and energy-efficient way of keeping your home at a constantly comfortable temperature. Luckily, unsightly double glazing is a thing of the past with today’s technological advancements in this field, so it is often tough to tell the difference between traditional glass and double-glazed glass.

You’ll notice the difference in your power bill when you install double-glazed windows; you will save money in the long run and keep your home well insulated.

 

Cover your windows

Another way to cut your power bills and make your home more energy-efficient is to install quality window coverings. Install heavy curtains to keep out the heat in summer and cold drafts in winter. They can be a great energy conserver by not letting outside air in through the windows, so long as you remember to close them before the temperature outside becomes uncomfortable. To further protect your home from the heat of the summer sun, outdoor blinds are another great solution that can help your house to stay cool.

Another effective window covering solution for keeping out UV rays – thereby reducing your household power bill – is installing window tinting in your home to reflect the sun’s energy. A quality window film can provide up to 82% solar energy rejection compared to untreated glass.

Create natural ventilation

Letting outdoor air circulate through your home can help to remove built-up heat in summer as well as chill in winter. It eliminates the need to run artificial air conditioning sources, even if just for a portion of the day.

To make use of natural ventilation, you will need to be able to keep your front and back doors open to create a cross breeze. However, doing so will leave your home vulnerable to intruders, so you will need to start by installing security doors to protect your home.

Bugs and pests can also be a problem when letting outdoor air inside, so it’s also smart to cover at least one window in each room with flyscreens.

Invest in smart heating and cooling

All the window coverings and natural ventilation in the world won’t keep you comfortable in extreme weather conditions – there is undoubtedly a time and place for electric heating and cooling. In that case, it’s worth looking into installing heating and cooling in your home with smart features that can sense when your home is empty, can use weather forecasts to make energy-saving adjustments, and, better still, can control from your phone or tablet!

Fitting your smart thermostat with sensors in different rooms can also help you save energy. The sensors let the thermostat automatically adjust to other conditions. For example, it could take advantage of passive solar heating in rooms with open, south-facing windows.

Install a low-flow showerhead

While showering certainly saves water compared to having a daily bath, you still use up to 20 litres of water every minute using an older-style shower head. By replacing your existing showerhead with one that is energy efficient, you can cut your water usage down by more than half! Don’t forget; a showerhead can only do so much. Make mindful changes to your shower routine by cutting your time under the water and turning off the shower when lathering up.

There are so many efficient ways to reduce your household energy bills – all you need is careful planning. Even if installing solar panels is outside your budget right now, there are small changes you can make that will significantly reduce your home’s power usage, and why not put those savings towards some more significant energy-saving investments? If you would like a quote from Jim’s Electrical for small electrical repairs and installations around the house, contact Jim’s Group today on 13 15 46.

Related Jim’s Group News

– 8 Tips for Keeping Your House Warm This Winter.
– How Much Money Can I Save With Solar Energy?
– A Beginner’s Guide to Solar Power in Australia.
– What’s the Best Time of Year to Get Solar Panels Installed?
– Everything You Need to Know About the Australian Government Solar Rebate.