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7 Tips for Eco-Friendly Living That’ll Help You Save Electricity

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There are so many reasons why you should turn on your energy-saving mode. Being more energy-savvy will not only reduce your bills but also allow our aching planet to catch a break and recover. So, if you want to improve your eco-friendliness, here are a few tips that will help you save electricity in your home. 

Turn off lights

This is probably the easiest and one of the most effective ways to save electricity. If your parents didn’t teach you to turn off the lights when leaving the room, your energy bill will definitely make you develop this habit. Every time you leave the room or your house, make sure all your lights are off. This will minimize unnecessary energy loss and reduce your utility bill. However, there’s another benefit! Artificial lighting can also boost the temperature in your home, which means you’ll blast your AC without any reason. By keeping your lights off, you’ll have a much more pleasant environment that requires less cooling. 

Rely on sunlight

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Try to boost the use of the natural light coming through your windows, skylights and doors instead of relying solely on electricity. Sunlight can also keep your home warmer during the chilly months. When the weather outside is sunny, make sure to let the warmth inside and turn down your thermostat. This will reduce the amount of energy you spend on heating and make your home pleasant and showered in relaxing lighting. It’s a win-win situation!  

Insulate your home

If you want to easily maintain the ideal temperature in your home, boost your insulation. A proper envelope will keep heat loss in the winter at a minimum and reduce the need for excessive cooling the summer. This is especially visible in hot climates where people use air conditioning almost all year long like Australia. Many homes that are not properly insulated tend to overwork their HVAC system and waste a lot of energy in the process. So, make sure to boost insulation in your home and reduce your need for heating and cooling. However, arm yourself with experts when tackling big projects like insulation. Have everyone from builders to decorators at hand. Having an experienced electrician in Sydney will ensure you can battle any sort of electrical emergency as well. Later, they can even do a small audit of your installation and ensure your property complies with current Australian Standards. 

Invest in energy-efficient doors and windows

room windows
Your home insulation can be additionally improved with energy-efficient doors and windows. It’s amazing how much energy you can lose in the winter if your windows and doors aren’t properly sealed! On the other hand, these openings can provide you with natural ventilation. Instead of relying too much on your AC, you can open the windows and allow a natural stream of air to cool your space. 

Unplug

You might think that it’s enough to just turn off your appliances and gadgets when you leave the house, but they can still draw energy. These so-called “vampire devices” constantly use electricity unless they are unplugged. So, all those devices you don’t use all the time (think DVD players, video game consoles, printers, lamps, kitchen gadgets) should be unplugged from the wall to ensure no energy is wasted. 

Maintain your appliances

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There are only so many places in the world that can go without heating or cooling. If you don’t live in one of them, you’ll need your HVAC system to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. However, if you don’t maintain your system properly and follow the repair schedule, you could be wasting more energy than necessary. And that’s not all! If your systems are not well-maintained, you won’t get even cooling and heating throughout your space or you can risk a malfunction. So, keeping your appliances in top-shape will save you electricity and money and ensure much more pleasant living. 

Consider going solar

Solar panels are more popular, available and efficient than ever before, so you can try going solar. The clean and usable energy you’ll get will reduce your reliance on the grid and save you money. Sure, installing solar panels is a big investment, but the energy and the money you can save in the long run are worth it. Plus, some places also offer tax credits if you use solar! 

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If you want to save electricity, you must change some of your habits and improve your home. However, once you get used to it and once your home is properly equipped, you’ll notice results right away. Your wallet, your planet and the future generations will be more than grateful for your sacrifices.

Derek Lotts is a Sydney based writer and researcher, a regular contributor at Smooth Decorator blog. He writes about décor, gardening, recycling, ecology and business. He thinks all of these topics fall under the self-improvement category. He believes in the power of sharing ideas and communicating via the internet to achieve betterment.

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