The current COVID-19 pandemic has most of us staying home more than usual. While staying home most of the time, and working from home might be a nice break from the rest of the world, it can have unforeseen consequences. Many people working from home or isolated at home have noticed their electricity bill is higher than usual. Staying home more than usual means you are likely to use more energy than usual. During these turbulent and uncertain times, no one wants to spend more money on their monthly energy bill. Thankfully, there are things you can do to reduce your electricity bill while staying home. By changing some simple habits and or committing to more substantial changes, you can lower your monthly electricity bill while staying home during the pandemic.
Home Generators
When you are using more energy than usual, you can use less energy or generate more electricity. When most people think of producing energy at home, they imagine roof-mounted solar panels. While solar panels are an option, they are a serious commitment that not everyone is ready for. There are other ways to generate energy at home with smaller generators for home use. There are two common residential generators, solar and propane.
Propane generators are permanent home installations praised for their quiet operation noise, fewer emissions than other fuel types, and reliability. A propane generator can supply an average home with electricity for a few days in the event of a long-term power outage. Propane is an inexpensive, non-toxic fuel that doesn’t degrade over time, making it safe to store in your generator’s tank.
Solar generators are typically not designed to power an entire house. Solar generators with larger capacities can power a refrigerator, but those are not the most common. Most solar generators are portable and have the capacity to charge smaller electronics like smartphones.
Changing Smaller Habits
If you are not interested in spending more money to combat a higher electricity bill, you can change smaller habits in your daily home life to use less energy. While each of these changes might seem insignificant, they can make a significant difference, especially if you combine multiple changes.
Heating and cooling your home often uses the most energy. You should, of course, be comfortable in your home, especially while you are spending more time at home than average, but by adjusting your thermostat a little, you can reduce your energy bill. Instead of cranking your AC up, leave your thermostat at 78 and turn on a ceiling fan or a small desk fan to cool off. The same rule applies for heating. Instead of turning up the heat, leave it a moderate temperature, and grab a blanket or sweater to keep warm. Don’t turn to your thermostat right away; look for other ways to be comfortable to save money on your monthly electricity bill.
When it comes to laundry, wash your clothes in cold water and avoid using your dryer if possible. Washing your clothes in cold water doesn’t require extra energy to heat the water as a hot water wash would. Dryers use a lot of energy to generate enough heat to dry your clothes, so opt to air dry your clothes instead. Hang your clothes to dry overnight, and you will have fresh, clean clothes in the morning without raising your energy bill.
You may think the most energy-efficient way to wash dishes is to clean them by hand, but that is not always true. Washing a lot of dishes by hand uses more water and energy to heat the water than using the dishwasher to clean the same amount of dishes. It is more energy-efficient to run your dishwasher with a full load. However, if you want to make your dishwasher even more energy-efficient, you must turn off heated dry. Heated dry is an optional feature that uses more energy than it is worth. Run your dishwasher after dinner and let it finish overnight so your dishes will be clean and dry by morning.
Everyone wants to save money, especially during this pandemic. Staying home more than normal can raise your energy bill, but by changing some habits and adding a generator to your home, you can combat your higher monthly bill. Whether you opt for a generator or commit to being more energy conscious in your everyday tasks, taking active steps to reduce your energy bill is always a good idea.
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