Top 10 tips to conserve energy and reduce energy bills
There are a number of simple, practical ways to save energy and reduce utility bills.
A smart thermostat is a great way to manage your HVAC system more efficiently and to conserve energy. Configure schedules to automate when to switch your system on or off. Save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling simply by turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from the normal settings. Save energy easily in the winter by setting the smart thermostat to 68°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.
A big energy saver in the summer months is to switch off your HVAC when you are not at home. Typically cooling occurs quicker than heating and switching the AC on 30 minutes before you get home will have the temperature at a comfortable level for your arrival. In addition to saving energy, there are many benefits to being able to remotely control and monitor your HVAC system remotely via the App or Portal.
Check out the TrickleStar® Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat™ to optimize your comfort and maximize savings.
#1 Install a Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat is a great way to manage your HVAC system more efficiently and to conserve energy. Configure schedules to automate when to switch your system on or off. Save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling simply by turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from the normal settings. Save energy easily in the winter by setting the smart thermostat to 68°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.
A big energy saver in the summer months is to switch off your HVAC when you are not at home. Typically cooling occurs quicker than heating and switching the AC on 30 minutes before you get home will have the temperature at a comfortable level for your arrival. In addition to saving energy, there are many benefits to being able to remotely control and monitor your HVAC system remotely via the App or Portal.
Check out the TrickleStar® Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat™ to optimize your comfort and maximize savings.
#2 Install an Electric Water Heater Controller
An electric water heater controller is a great way to save money. Heat your water at night or when power is cheap. Water tanks are thermally insulated so they keep the water hot for hours. Many electric utilities offer Time Of use rates where power is significantly cheaper. An electric water heater controller allows you to optimize energy use, schedule when to heat water, take advantage of these lower costs and to avoid peak periods where power is more costly. Check out the TrickleStar® Electric Water Heater Controller™ to optimize your comfort and maximize savings.
#3 Weatherization
Ensure that your windows and doors provide a good seal to prevent heat escaping in the winter months and heat entering in the summer months. Heat gain and loss through windows accounts for 25% to 30% of residential heating and cooling energy use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Even if your windows are in good condition, window insulation kits are easy, do-it-yourself solutions that will keep you comfortable and help with energy efficiency all winter long. Most electric utilities have programs where home performance contractors will do this for you at low / no cost as part of an overall energy audit. In addition to sealing doors and windows, roof insulation can be a great way to achieve further savings and improve the thermal properties of your home.
#4 Install LED lighting
Good quality, well-priced LED lighting is readily available. Apart from saving energy, LED lighting provides a nicer, less harsh light than most CFL bulbs and lasts much longer.
#5 Install a TrickleStar® DryerSaver™️
Drying clothes with an electric clothes dryer is especially power intensive. Many older electric clothes dryers are installed with simple timers and have no humidity sensors, so they run for much longer times than needed, wasting power and spoiling clothes. Many newer electric clothes use old generation temperature and humidity sensors which are less accurate and can foul, again leading to wasteful over-drying. A TrickleStar® DryerSaver™️ is a simple retrofit device to all-electric clothes dryers and prevents overdrying and reduces energy bills.
To save even more energy, ensure your dryer exhaust duct is cleaned regularly
a) to reduce the risk of a duct fire and
b) to speed up drying times with good ventilation.
#6 Enroll in your utility Time Of Use (ToU) and Demand Response (DR) Programs
Most utilities provide attractive incentives to shift to Time Of Use rate plans and participate in Demand Response programs. There is often little impact to users if an appropriate rate plan is selected, but it provides the utility companies with much-needed flexibility and ability to manage peak loads at critical times in the year. A short inconvenience a few times a year can deliver meaningful savings annually.
#7 Adjust your behaviour
Switch off lights when not in use. Set back the setpoint on your HVAC system in the winter a few degrees and wear warmer clothes. Switch off your AC in the summer and use it sparingly only when you really need it. If you have children, make sure they close doors and windows to avoid heating or cooling the neighborhood. Try to use hot water sparingly. Heating water is one of the largest consumers of power in the home. Taking shorter showers can substantially reduce energy consumption required to heat water and lower utility bills. Simple behaviours can have a substantial impact on lowering your utility bills.
#8 Service your appliances
Ensure your HVAC system, refrigerator and appliances are serviced in a timely manner according to the recommended manufacturer guidelines. Compressors need to be regassed every few years. Typically owners only do this when they notice that it is taking too long for a room to cool or the refrigerator is not cold enough. Regularly servicing extends the lifespan of appliances and conserves energy.
#9 Install a TrickleStar® Advanced PowerStrip
If you have a TV with a number of peripheral devices, an Advanced PowerStrip is an excellent, low-cost solution to eliminate standby power and reduce energy bills. Most homes have at least 2 -3 TV’s, so install an Advanced PowerStrip with each TV. Apart from reducing energy waste, Advanced PowerStrips also provide surge protection for sensitive electronics and can help extend their lifespan.
#10 Install a TrickleStar® USB Motion Sensor™
If you have a desktop PC or a notebook with a large external display(s), a TrickleStar® USB Motion Sensor™ is a simple, easy to install solution that can optimize energy at the desktop and pay for itself in less than a year.
