What Homeowners Can Do To Save On Energy Costs

Have you ever wondered what makes that pesky energy bill get so high every month? Appliances and electronics alone account for about 20% of energy consumption in the home!

Let’s be honest - it’s rare that anyone is unplugging their appliances the second they’re done using them, but it helps more than you think. 

Who Are The Main Energy Bill Culprits?

Ow, it may be difficult to identify right off the bat who are the main targets that are making our energy bills make us never want to turn on another light switch again. 

If you really think about it, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll be able to name a few of the culprits behind those stronger hits targeted at your bank account. 

To start, we can name just a few a few to get the ball rolling for you:

1. Air Conditioning and Heating

Now, the HVAC system is a true menace to households all over - accounting for 45% on average of home energy consumption. While that may seem like an unbelievable number, on second thought you can understand how it may hike up the energy bill quite quickly. Especially with Ontario’s renowned 30+ degree summers and -30 degree winters. 

2. Appliances and Electronics 

Accounting for anywhere around 20% of average home energy costs - this is truly a difficult one to counter and unfortunately fairly easy to rack up against you. This can be anything from your refrigerator being over packed to using mainly hot loads in your washer to anything as simple as letting your television run for hours on end. 

3. Lighting

Now this is a tricky one - we can’t see if we don’t turn on the lights after all right? While this is an absolutely fair point, that doesn’t mean that there are no solutions to saving on lighting costs, especially when they account for around 10% of monthly energy costs a month!

You Can Always Find Ways To Save 

While all of these factors play into the bulk of the energy bills you’ve probably been receiving until now - there are in fact some simple, every day steps you can take to insure lighter (pun intended) costs every month. 

1. AC and Heat Yourself Up!

Now back to that 45% energy usage number, scary to even think about - we know. For starters, don’t leave the AC and heat on 24/7. While this may be more difficult with heating in the winter, investing in some big warm blankets and some wooly socks will do wonders when considering blasting the heat at all hours of the day and night. On the other hand - don’t be afraid to layer down in the summer and get a ceiling fan if needed, it’s the little things that end up stacking up.

2. Don’t Forget About Those Appliances and Electronics 

Taking simple measures when watching your appliance usage is a great way to see that utility bill number go down. Simple things like making sure not to overpack your fridge or overfill your washing machine even. Or even just remembering to clear the lint after each load or mainly washing clothes with cold water. A big yet easy thing to remember is to always turn off electronics like TVs or video game consoles - even putting them on rest/energy saving mode always helps.

3. There Are Even Lighting Alternatives!

While you may think we’re about to tell you to keep your lights off as much as possible - there really are other alternatives. The obvious one is of course not forgetting to turn the lights off when you leave a room - a seemingly annoying yet small step for you you’ll reap the benefits of. Using energy efficient LED light bulbs as well as being mindful of utilizing natural light as much as possible, especially in the summer months when it’s lighter for longer out is another great alternative.

Now, while a great long term goal would be to invest in a solar power system for your home as a more permanent alternative solution, for now these simple steps may seem like too much but you will be grateful for what you have saved in the long run. 

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