How many appliances do you have in your home or office? Do you know how many watts each device consumes? Or are you unaware of the “pollution” that is happening beneath your walls? Don’t be left out in the dark, we’re here to shed light on how you can become more energy-efficient. But first, let’s discover how much electricity you are using right now.
One kilowatt is equal to that of one thousand watts. Now what does the “kilowatt-hour” on your bill mean? The kilowatt consumed over a period of one hour is your kilowatt-hour. Take for example the wattage of your device; multiply it by Work Related Electrical Injuries the number of hours you’ve already used it and divide it by 1000-this is your kilowatt-hour. But be careful! Not all appliances show their full wattage consumption. So how do you kill off some kilowatts? Easy, just follow these tips!
1. Insulate! You will be able to reduce up to 30% of your average expenses on your heating bills. Insulate your walls and ceilings to keep the cool weather out on wintertime, and keep the cool wind in during summertime.
2. Turn your refrigerator down. Your refrigerator should be your worst fear as it can account up to 25% of your electric bill. Turn it down to 37 degrees and keep your freezer at 3 degrees. Even the smallest change can help decrease or increase your bills.
3. Dishwasher over hand washing. This might come as a surprise to some people but loading up your dishes on the dishwasher is actually more energy-efficient than hand washing. The water that you use in your kitchen and bathroom is pumped to your house, and when you’re done using them, it is pumped and cleaned out again. You waste more water when you wash your dishes in the sink, and in turn, use more electricity for the pumping process. Also, don’t forget to air dry your dishes!
4. Switch it off! If you keep forgetting to switch off light switches, electronic devices or the air conditioning system-add a sticky note. Never forget to turn off anything when you’re not using them. You can even opt to use a power strip to turn off multiple appliances at one time.
5. Reduce your water heater temperature. Most homes will have their water heaters set at 140 degrees, but according to the U.S. Department of Energy lowering it down by 20 degrees is the recommended temperature. Also, remember that each reduction of 10 degrees will save 450 pounds of CO2 per year.
Now that you understand what the terms kilowatt and kilowatt-hour mean, you can start tweaking your lifestyle to fit your energy consumption. These tips that we’ve given you are not only energy-efficient, they’re also great for cutting How To Start A Small Electrical Contractor Business back on your electrical and heating expenses. So what are you waiting for? Start working on these easy tips, and you will find yourself more adept and conscious of conserving. Remember, don’t forget to turn off your lights!
