Every year, millions of people create New Year’s resolutions. These lists include a wide range of goals like getting in shape, eating better, learning new skills, changing habits or saving money. One sure way to save money is by reducing your energy consumption.
Here are the top three things you can do.
1. Turn off lights and devices. Leaving lights on in empty rooms or leaving the TV on when no one is watching is an easy habit to form. Start breaking it by making an effort to shut things off when you’re not using them. To save even more, consider installing smart bulbs to program and manage lighting or use motion sensors in closets, work rooms or the garage.
2. Unplug when you can. Many devices continue to use energy even when powered off, known as phantom or standby power. You can unplug phone chargers, toasters, coffee makers and similar devices when not in use. Make things easier for yourself by plugging multiple devices into a power strip to make powering on and off easy or investing in an advanced power strip or smart plug to help detect standby power automatically.
3. Reduce water usage. Using and heating water can require a significant amount of energy. Take shorter showers, scrape the dishes instead of rinsing them and wait until you have a full load before running the washing machine or dishwasher. Save even more energy by installing WaterSense-labeled low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators or upgrading to Energy Star-certified washing machines and dishwashers.
MidSouth Electric Cooperative offers home improvement rewards to residential members, including up to $150 off Energy Star-rated appliances.
Did you know you can have your home audited for energy use? A home energy audit is one of the best ways to identify energy inefficiencies and provide solutions to save money this year. To learn more visit midsouthelectric.com/energy-audit.
