Easy Ways to Make Your Home Energy Efficient
In the United States of America the leader in electrical energy source is natural gas with 38%. Most homes are then not powered as efficiently as many of us would hope. To combat the amount of natural gas or other nonrenewable resources used to power your home try some of these tips.
I live in an off grid self converted van so all of our energy is from solar (we can’t “plug in” anywhere even if we wanted too). When you have a finite amount of power every night figuring out how to make it last is important for the integrity of the batteries. We’ve never run out of power so I guess we’re doing pretty good with our routines! Unlike a lot of homes we don’t have a microwave, a toaster, a hair straightener, air conditioning or anything that requires tons of power. Heating or cooling are huge draws. To say I’ve never missed anything is not true as the Florida heat and humidity had me wanting more airflow but other than that we haven’t felt inconvenienced with our lifestyle. Here are some tips we’ve collected the last couple years!
Charge your electronics when you’re not using them and unplug them when they’re charged. A laptop that is charging while being used is consuming more energy than one that charges while not in use. It is trying to make up for the energy already used in the battery as well as the energy you’re currently using. Try to make charging while not in use a habit and it’ll help with cables restricting your work space as well!
Washing your clothing in cold water is much more energy efficient than in hot water. As always heating something takes a lot more energy than keeping it at it’s original temperature. The amount of wears you get out of your clothing before washing also matters. Washing before the clothes are dirty isn’t good for the longevity of the clothes or for the energy used.
Line drying clothes over a year reduces your footprint as much as a short flight. Even if you’re in a rainy place you can dry clothes inside using hangers or a movable rack that you can bring in when the weather changes. We dry most of our clothes on a line in the van. It’s hard to move around but our clothes will last longer and it’s much better for the environment. Keeping clothes as long as possible before replacing them is also good for the rights of the people making your clothes. If we stop buying into cheap semi disposable clothing companies will stop making them.
Man, I hate air conditioning. I hate how when it’s 97°F outside I still have to carry a sweater for homes and businesses that are kept too cold. Keeping your inside temp just 2°F warmer in the summer will save you 10% on energy consumption. Imagine how much energy you’d save if you kept it closer to the temperature outside. I firmly believe if you are in the heat or cold more you can acclimate to the environment easily. Turning on the air conditioning too low will make the outside temperature seem much hotter than it really is, making trips outside next to unbearable. Fans circulate the air perfectly and are more energy efficient than air conditioning. Right now we have two roof fans, one intake and one exhaust and when they’re on the van cools down easily. We also have fans that are rechargeable so we can save energy by charging and then using at the hottest part of the day. Air conditioning makes living in many places an option when it wouldn’t normally have been but keeping the temperature too low is a huge energy draw and won’t help you when you’d like to walk outside. If it’s becoming too warm in your home try peeling off some layers or when it’s cold throw on a sweater or use a blanket. There’s no need to be wearing tank tops in the winter or sweaters in the summer.
Switch out the light bulbs. Next pack of light you buy should be energy efficient. They are an easy switch that last longer and use less energy than normal light bulbs.
Insulate your windows. I made covers for our windows to trap the heat in the winter and to keep out the sun in the summer. In the winter the draft is real without them. Try using something you already have like blankets, curtains or quilts. You can even install snaps to the top of the window frame and onto the fabric to help it stay, we found some at the hardware store. In the summer the we try our best to park in the shade but if one of the windows is in the sun it becomes a mini green house on wheels. Putting covers on the windows drastically keeps the temperature down.
When it’s time to buy a new appliance trying opting for the more energy efficient ones. Maybe even thinking outside the box like research RV fridges that naturally have to be more efficient for off the grid living. Our fridge is shaped like a cooler so it keeps the cold better than the closet door type. It’s perfect for just the two of us but a family might need more space.
Anytime the dishwasher is used it should be at max capacity. When we lived in the apartment this would never happen because I would only eat dinner at home and it’s only the two of us so we washed all the dishes in the sink which we still do because there’s no dishwasher in the van. Using the dishwasher could be more efficient than hand washing depending on the dishwasher but only if it’s full.
Before we moved out of our apartment and into the van we got an kill-a-watt meter and tested all of our electronics to see which would be impossible to run. We had to ditch a lot of our favorite appliances but we found a much simpler way of life this way. I’ve never missed the toaster and I still get to eat my avocado toasts, we make much tastier coffee on the stove and I’m a professional at braiding my hair to make it look curly. Finding the biggest draws and looking for solutions is a great way to lower energy consumption.
These are a few great ways to lower your energy consumption but always be on the lookout for more ways to keep your energy bill and carbon footprint low!
We made an app, Boycott That! Available for iOS and Android devices!
Boycott That is the app to start becoming a healthier consumer. For the wannabe zero waster, Boycott That has achievable sustainable switches for everyday items. The app is also perfect for helping to avoid companies that partake in animal cruelty and violate basic human rights.
