Tips For Saving Energy In Your Apartment
There are a lot of benefits to saving energy. A couple of the key benefits are that doing so reduces your energy bills while also reducing your carbon footprint. That means that you are being more eco-friendly, having less negative impact on the environment. There are many changes you can make which will reduce energy consumption. In this article I will point out a few easy actions you can take.
Insulate the Windows
When you insulate your apartment windows, the air stays within your home and doesn't leak out. As a result, your furnace or air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard to maintain the temperature you desire for your home. Also, you can still make full use of any sunlight during winter months. The sunlight can enter, and the insulation will help keep the associated heat inside your apartment. There are a variety of ways to insulate your windows. Simple DIY plastic coverings are a good option. As an alternative, you can also make or buy draft stoppers. These can be placed at the bottom of each window to help keep the cold air out.
Use Less Hot Water
When you turn down the hot water or switch to using cold water, you end up using less energy to create heat. One easy way to use less hot water is by washing your clothes in cold water. Laundry soaps can handle it, so there's no need to use that extra energy for most loads of wash. You can also turn down the water temperature in your shower. Especially on hot days, using cooler water will not only help you stay cool longer, but it will also reduce your energy usage.
Dry Your Clothes with Air
After washing your clothes in cold water, skip the dryer. Instead, you can air dry your clothes. This is also very easy to do. Simply get a drying rack. Then hang your clothes on the rack. Of course there are times you will have to use your dryer. In that case be sure to remove as much dryer lint as possible before each load. The lint clogs up the filter and that makes the dryer less efficient at moving the heat around to dry clothes. Also, it's a good idea to shake your clothes after you take them out of the washer. This helps each piece of clothing to be fully opened when you put it in the dryer. Doing this maximizes the surface area of each piece of clothing which means it can dry faster. Also, even when you use a dryer, you can take your clothes out when they are still a little bit damp. Place them on your drying rack to air dry. This will save more energy.
Power Off the Power Strip
Of course you know it's important to turn off any electronics when you are not using them. Doing this saves a lot of energy. However, even after you have turned off some electronics, they continue to use a small amount of energy as long as they remain plugged in. In order to ensure that all electricity consumption is eliminated when you turn off the device, you should unplug it or, if it's easier, turn off the power strip that it is connected to.
These are just a few quick tips to help you save energy in your apartment. Be sure to try these out. One or two of these suggestions can start making an impact on your energy bills.