Creative Ways to Cut Down Your Home’s Energy Consumption

For the most part, everyone knows how to save electricity: turn off lights, don’t crank the AC and unplug electronics. But there are even more ways to cut down your home’s energy consumption, some you may have never heard of. Saving money on the power bill sometimes takes a little creativity. Here are some creative ways to reduce your home’s energy consumption:

Showers For The Win

While baths can be relaxing, you should consider opting for showers over baths for a couple of reasons. The first is that it’s more energy efficient. According to Energy Star, taking showers instead of baths can result in you saving $145 on your electricity bills yearly. The second is that showers use significantly less water, saving gallons of water each time. When there’s less water to heat, less energy is used. It’s a win-win! Plus, for even more savings, you can install a low-flow shower head and take shorter showers. Who knew you could save so much in the bathroom alone?

How You Fill Your Dishwasher is Key

Sometimes, we’re told to avoid using the dishwasher altogether because it contributes to a significant portion of our energy and water consumption. It’s common to think that handwashing is better, but this is false. Dishwashers help people save thousands of gallons of water and a lot of money on electricity per year—if they’re used correctly. 

First, you should opt for energy-efficient appliances, preferably ones with an ENERGY STAR rating. These are designed for optimal performance and the highest level of energy efficiency. Even so, you should always fill your dishwasher completely before running a cycle. Place dishes in the dishwasher in an organized and efficient way, maximizing the space and load for the most energy-efficient wash each time. You can also pop open the door and air dry the dishes instead of using the heated dry setting. If you only have a handful of dishes to wash, don’t run them through the dishwasher. It’s better to handwash in this case.

Laundry Hacks 

Washing your clothes with cold water is a well-known tip, one that’s effective in helping you save money on the electric bill. A lesser-known tip would be to put your clothes through an extra spin cycle before transferring them to the dryer. Although it may sound counterintuitive because the washer uses electricity to do this, it uses significantly less than the dryer, which relies on heat. Clothes that have gone through an extra spin cycle tend to dry quicker, meaning less power is required to fully dry them in the dryer. Make sure you clean the lint trap after every cycle to reduce how hard the dryer has to work. To avoid using the dryer altogether, try air-drying your clothes. Even though this is slightly old-fashioned and may take longer, it requires no electricity.

Cook Smarter

There are countless ways to reduce energy consumption in the kitchen, many of which you’re probably familiar with, like using countertop appliances when possible. But there are a few other, less common ways, as well. For example, you may not know that each time you open the oven, a significant amount of hot air escapes. This forces the oven to use more energy to stay heated at the right temperature. Avoid opening the oven while your food is cooking. If you have to, try opening it only once, about halfway through your cook time. 

When you’re using the stovetop, turn the burner off a few minutes before the meal is fully cooked. Burners stay hot long after the heat is turned off. If you switch it off just a few minutes before your food is done, you can still take advantage of the heat that’s being produced, finish cooking your meal and save electricity. 

If you want to save energy around your home, all it takes is a little creativity. With these few strategies, you can reduce your energy consumption and see significant savings on your power bill. Pronto Power is all about helping you save. To get started with prepaid power from Texas electric company, Pronto Power, give us a call at (844) 621-2852 or contact us online!