Home tips for Earth Day.
Around the world, people will celebrate an important date – Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22nd. Since its inception in 1970, Earth Day has become a voice to an ever-growing public consciousness about the state of our planet and the abuse we, across the globe, have inflicted upon it.
Excel Homes would like to share with you easy ways you can reduce your energy bill and thus become a good steward of the Earth.
Laundry:
Wash your laundry in cold water and your wallet will love you! Ok, most of us think dirty laundry can only be cleaned using the hot cycle, right? Well, experts now say to set your washing machine to cold, which is just as effective as using hot or warm. In fact, simply washing in cold water will save up to $70 in electricity costs over the year.
Unplug:
Unplug all of your small appliances and electronics, including the coffee maker, toaster, laptop, modem, lamps, radios and the seldom-used television in the basement. By unplugging, you can save anywhere between 5 to 10 percent on your electricity bill over a year!
Dishwasher settings:
First off, don’t turn on your dishwasher until it is full. Then, use the light setting, which most of us normally reserved for delicate dishes. Also, consider skipping the heat/ dry cycle. In the end, both rounds will perform well and save you lots of money and lessen your water usage.
Diminish your water usage in the bathroom:
Looking to save hot water and thus reduce your overall household energy usage? There’s a number of ways to do that – and it starts in the bathroom. The easiest way? When brushing your teeth or shaving, TURN off the tap. Another way is to cut your shower time to five minutes from 10 and turned off the tap while you lather shampoo into my hair; saving more water and energy.
Think of baths as an occasional treat and stick to showers. The average bath uses roughly 190 litres of water, whereas a 10-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead only uses 94 litres.
Turn down the thermostat during the winter months:
Lowering the thermostat to 20°C during the day and putting on a sweater will keep you cozy and save your hard-earned cash. When you are away from your home, experts recommend you lower your thermostat to under 20 C to save even more energy. How much? Well, winter heating costs can go up by as much as 140 percent compared to the rest of the year.
Window Coverings: Many of us want our window coverings to look good and provide privacy. Yet, window treatments, like curtains and blinds, are important for a number of reasons – they can help you sleep better, keep your house cool by preventing heat from coming through, and save you energy.
When the hot spring sun penetrates windows, the temperature in your home rises — along with your cooling bill. To make sure your windows are as energy-efficient as possible, purchase Low-Emissivity Film. In terms of saving energy losses from windows, Low-e films save about 80 percent. They can be installed in the interior windows of most homes, for between $5 and $8 per square foot.
To further reduce heat exchange or convection, draperies should be hung as close to windows as possible. Also, let them fall onto a windowsill or floor. For maximum effectiveness, you should install a cornice at the top of a drapery or place the drapery against the ceiling.
For more ways to reduce your energy consumption, visit https://efficiencyalberta.ca.
*Photo by Annie Spratt