With the rising cost of electricity many of us are left with ballooning electricity bills. In a time where the economy is tough we all need to make savings and when it comes to those inevitable monthly bills it sure does present an opportunity to save on your electricity bills. Along with this there is another good incentive to be more energy wise. Our planet is in a global meltdown and the effects of out wasteful ways are starting to affect the planet in some serious ways. We all have to do our bit and by saving on your family's power consumption you get much more than a saving on your bills. You will do your part for the environment.
So, what can you do? Do you have to start buying candles and boil your kettle over a fire? Actually, you don't. All you have to do is to take some basic steps. Here are 3 steps that can have a huge impact on your bills.
1. Lights
Although light don't consume an awful lot of power its the combines effects of a lot of lights over a long period of time that does the real damage. The first step you can take is to replace all the light bulbs in your home with energy efficient light bulbs. These use about 40% less power and still provide the same lighting levels. For external lights you can use solar powered lights which won't use any power and they work great with the same amount of energy.
2. Water
One of the biggest "gas guzzlers" in a home is hot water. If a family of 4 each take two showers a day then that is a lot of power. Heating water takes a lot of energy and if you can cut down on shower times then it can make a big difference. You should also stop taking baths as far as possible because it uses 4 to 6 times as much hot water. If you could, look into installing a hot water system that uses solar heat to heat your water. It can save you a lot over time.
3. Appliances
One of the most basic steps you can take to save on electricity is to unplug and disconnect appliances when you are not using them. Even just leaving televisions, computers and DVD players on "stand by" actually uses (and wastes) a lot of power. The same goes for charging mobile phones. When its charges, unplug it. Don't just leave it to charge overnight as it will probably charge in 2 hours and spend the other 6 wasting power.