Ways to Save Energy at Home

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January 10, 2022 is National Cut Your Energy Costs Day. This day is in place to encourage homeowners to lower their energy bills and help the environment by making behavioral changes or updating their home! Homeowners can do this by using less electricity, gas, or any form of energy that they pay for. Read below to find out how you can update your home to lower your utility bills and save money in the long run!

1. Adjust Your Day to Day Behavior
This is one of the easiest ways to lower your utility bill. You can do simple things like turning off the lights when you leave a room, unplug appliances you're not using, and wash the dishes by hand - if you can. You can also turn down the heat in the winter or AC in the summer. Simple routines like these can help you save money on your utility bills.
2. Replace the Light Bulbs
You may be wondering how this can help you save money, but changing your light bulbs do have a positive outcome to your utility bill! Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs) use 25-80% less electricity than regular light bulbs. Not only that, but they also last 3-25 times longer than standard light bulbs. It may seem like a small change, but it truly does make a difference at the end of the day.
3. Use Smart Power Strips
Did you know that electronics and appliances still use energy even when they're turned off? That means that your desktop computer, TV, game system, etc. still use energy when turned off. This costs homeowners $200/year. Yes, that doesn't seem like much for 365 days, but that's about $0.55/ day. Those $200 could go towards savings, a retirement plan, or fun spending money. Smart power strips shut off the power to electronics when they're not in use. They can be set to turn off at an assigned time, during a period of inactivity, through remote switches, or based on the status of a “master” device.
4. Reduce Water Heating Expenses
To lower your energy costs, you can also do something about your water heater. You can buy a new water heater, use less hot water, or insulate the first six feet of the hot and cold water pipes to help lower your costs. If you are wanting to replace your water heater, you need to have choices and look at the pros and cons of each. A tankless water heater is energy efficient, but not ideal for large families as it cannot handle multiple and simultaneous uses of hot water. This is something you will have to budget for, or take out a loan on. Check out our different loans that may be right for you!
5. Weatherize Your Home
Weatherizing your home means sealing air leaks. This is one of the best ways to reduce heating and cooling expenses, because your AC and heat isn't escaping through the cracks. Check your AC vents, attic and windows to ensure that there are no leaks to help lower your utility bill.

This is only a short list of what you can do to help lower your energy bill. These may or may not be the right fit for you and your lifestyle, but research and action can really help make a difference. If you need to make updates to your home, now is the time to do it! Check out our Home Equity Loans to help you make necessary updates to your home.

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