Electricity

  1. Turn off unnecessary lights – Two 100-watt incandescent bulbs switched off an extra two hours per day could save you $15 over a year. Better yet, switch to LED.
  2. Switch to LED lights
  3. Use natural lighting – A single south-facing window can illuminate 20 to 100 times its area. Turning off one 60-watt bulb for four hours a day is a $9 saving over a year.
  4. Take shorter showers – Hot water is expensive. If two people in your home cut their shower time by a minute each, you could save $30 over a year.
  5. Turn off the water when shaving, washing hands, brushing teeth – Reduce your hot water usage by 5% to save about $19.
  6. Fix the leaky faucet – Fixing a hot water leak in your faucet can save up to $9 per year in energy costs.
  7. Unplug unused electronics – Standby power can account for 10% of an average household’s annual electricity use. Unplug unused electronics and save $50 a year.
  8. Manage your thermostat – If you have electric heat, lower your thermostat by two degrees to save 5% on your heating bill. Lowering it five degrees could save 10%.
  9. Be strategic with window coverings – Promote airflow through your home and block the afternoon sun. You could save you up to $10 (2 fans) or $45 (1 window unit AC) during the summer.
  10. Run full loads – Cut one load of wash per week, even if you’re already using cold water only, and you could save $18 a year on your laundry costs.
  11. Wash laundry in cold – By switching from hot to cold water for an average of three loads per week, you could save up to $22 per year on your energy bill.
  12. Hang dry laundry – If you do eight loads of laundry a week and use your clothesline for 50% of those clothes, you could save $65 a year.
  13. Toss a towel in the dryer – A dry towel added to your dryer load can significantly reduce drying times. If you’re doing seven loads a week this could save you $27 a year.
  14. Skip the heat-dry setting for the dishwasher – That heat-dry setting is expensive. De-select it and, based on one load of dishes a day, save up to $27 for the year.
  15. Beat the summer heat –
    1. Close blinds and drapes to block the sun’s direct rays during the day
    2. Close the windows during the day when the inside temperature is cooler than outside.
    3. Position fans to move warm air out and cool air in during the evening.
    4. Position a fan to cool yourself when sitting or sleeping.

 

 

Some of these great tips are from: https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/residential/savings-and-rebates/everyday-electricity-saving-tips.html