Submitted by guest blogger Nicole
Environmentally friendly tips not only help save the environment, but save you money too! So take a couple of minutes to read ways to save energy in your home and decrease your bill at the same time.
Energy-Saving Tips from SDG&E:
- Wash full loads of laundry- Average number of loads of laundry done in a household per week is around 7-8. And the average washing machine uses 55 gallons of water per load. So help save water during a drought by washing full loads only. The best time to do laundry is in the morning and evening hours.
- Turn off lights!- This is the one of the easiest things to do to save energy! Don’t be lazy; just walk across the room to turn off the light. Replace old bulbs with LED lights that last 10 times longer.
- Refrigerators- Don’t keep the door open for a long time while you stand in front of it, deciding what to eat. Replace cracked seals.
- Heating- Turn the thermostat down. Heating can account for almost 16% of your monthly energy bill.
- Cooling- Make sure all doors leading to the outside are closed when the AC is on. Fans are a good replacement for air conditioner units.
- Rebates Available!- SDG&E has numerous home rebate options for purchasing energy efficient appliances such as dishwashers that save up to 25% less energy, water heaters, furnaces, and more.
- Maintenance Checkups- Get monthly or yearly maintenance checkups on your appliances. Fix or replace old and worn parts. You may have a leak somewhere that you don’t even know about.
- If your not using it, turn it off!-Leaving appliances on can equal up to 5% of all residential energy use.
You don’t have to spend money to save energy by buying new products or appliances. Just be smart with what you already have in your home. At sdge.com, you can take Home Energy Efficient Survey to see how much energy you are using in your own home.