Easy ways to improve energy efficiency at home, while saving time and money. Help the environment and your wallet at the same time with these ideas!
I hope with Earth Day coming up this month you’re feeling inspired to make changes at home to be more environmentally friendly! The great thing is, many of these green changes will also save you money. We’ve been focusing on improving our energy efficiency to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels and also save money on our monthly energy bill. It’s been so rewarding to see our energy bill decrease by almost 50% with the easy changes we’ve made.
Ways to Improve Energy Efficiency at Home
1. Get a free 5 minute home energy checkup.
PG&E offers a free 5 minute Home Energy Checkup that gives customized energy-saving recommendations for your home. It will tell you how much of your household’s energy goes into different things like heating and lighting and give you targeted suggestions to cut down on your energy use. To access the checkup, all you have to do is set up an online account. Once you are logged in, you’ll be able to view the customized tips, as well as pay your bill online, sign up for paperless statements, and see your account balance. We also use our online account to track past and current energy uses to see where we can improve. An online account also allows you to compare your current rate with other rates to make sure you are getting the best value.
2. Use and switch off power strips.
Even when your electronics are off, many of them still draw power. A small investment in power strips can lead to exponential savings. Look for a power strip with a surge protector, and even better, a timer to automatically power it off.
3. Switch to LED lightbulbs.
Swap out your regular incandescent light bulbs for super efficient LED lightbulbs. You have the potential to save $30 per bulb and bulbs can last up to twenty years! We have all LED lightbulbs now and we’ve seen our energy bill drop by about a third. Right now PG&E has a website that makes it easy to shop for LED bulbs – check it out here.
4. Air dry your laundry.
Invest in a drying rack and skip the dryer. This has the added bonuses of making your clothes last longer and reducing allergy symptoms. We have this laundry rack and it can fit two loads of laundry! It’s easy to set up inside, so we can air dry our clothes all year round.
5. Do laundry with cold water.
Speaking of laundry, while you’re at it, save additional energy by washing with cold water. 90% of the energy laundry takes is used to heat up the water! You can even buy special detergent made for cold water cycles.
6. Air-dry dishwasher dishes.
Turn off the ‘heat dry’ function on your dishwasher. Also make sure you load it completely full before running.
7. Close shades in the summer.
We cool the house down by keeping the windows open at night, and then seal in that fresh cool air by closing the blinds as the sun comes up. It’s so easy and so effective!
8. Clean your refrigerator coils.
Dirty refrigerator coils means it takes more electricity for your fridge to work. It only takes a few minutes to clean. Start by vacuuming the coils and then use a (super cheap) refrigerator coil brush to remove remaining dust.
9. Check the seal on your fridge.
A leaky seal on your fridge can lead to increases in your energy bill. I love this tip recommended on PG&E’s website to shut a dollar bill into the door and try to pull it out. If there’s no resistance, the seal on your fridge needs to be replaced. They also have instructions for replacing a bad seal so you can save even more money and do it yourself.
10. Install an efficient shower head.
Energy-efficient shower heads can cut water usage without compromising water pressure, and save you money in the process! Less water = less money and energy used to heat the water. Look for a shower head with a low flow rate and an integrated pressure compensator.
Tell me, what things are you doing to improve your energy efficiency?
Thank you so much for reading A Side of Sweet! For more Sweet in your life, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Bloglovin‘, or Twitter. You can also subscribe to receive a weekly email with new posts.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PG&E. The opinions and text are all mine.
candy says
I don’t have a dish washer and always hang out the laundry when possible. Need to start turning off the power stripes.
Patrick says
I love my led bulbs! Brighter, instant on, and never wear out… and cutting back on other forms of power means less $. And you’ll also be electively for the California Climate Credit.
Cynthia says
These are such great tips. I’ve just started to air dry my laundry and I’ve noticed a difference in my electric bill. Will definitely take your advice and check my fridge too!
Ilana says
I had no idea about the fridge coils! I’m gonna get on that. Great tips!
Jay Colby says
These are such great tips. Saving energy is always important which can save us a few dollars on our bills!