Easing into Energy Efficiency

Electrical savings can add up, both in terms of conservation and money when the bill arrives. While researchers say that the US wastes about 61% of the energy consumed, the statistic covers all sectors of society. Only homes and businesses are within the control of the average consumer. Some of the typical culprits are incandescent bulbs, outdated HVACS, and older appliances. Others are appliances left running unnecessarily or lights on in an empty home.

There are ways to curb excessive energy loss. Here are a few changes which can help a homeowner save on their electrical costs:

Change to LEDs

If you are still using traditional incandescent bulbs for your lighting purposes, now might be the time to switch. The advancements in fluorescent and LED technology have rendered the high energy consuming bulbs a less attractive option. On a broad scale, it appears that LED and other new technologies have a higher cost ratio, which is only because of the slightly elevated initial cost of investment. An incandescent bulb six times more watt usage per hour compared to a LED. That means an LED of the same capacity would require just $3 rather than the $18 needed for an incandescent bulb in the same period. The average lifespan of a standard LED lighting system would be close to 25,000 hours compared to the measly 1000 – 1200 hour lifespan of an incandescent bulb. CFL’s could be a viable option with efficiency close to that of LED bulbs. But due to the continued dramatic decrease costs of LED costs, they now stand as the go-to product for lighting systems.

Efficiency guaranteed appliances [Energy Star]

Though we presently have a plethora of choices when it comes to buying electrical appliances or equipment, we have to take care to choose the efficiency of a particular product over the aesthetic and less essential qualities. Energy Star has been the standard to judge the energy-efficiency of equipment for more than 20 years; hence, it would make immense sense in valuing the applicable product rating. The high initial cost is again an inconvenience here. But the payback time frame from the energy savings because of higher efficiency is just two years. Energy Star is hands down a natural choice to make if you can afford the capital outlay.

Smart savings

The majority of the energy wasted in our homes is due to lack of supervision, i.e., all the times we forget to switch a light or an appliance off. Through cutting-edge development in the field of home automation, this is no longer a problem. Smart home technologies could save you thousands of dollars in the long run, even though it would cost you more than using traditional methods in the beginning.

These touch the surface of the developments in energy efficiency. Smart home integration with solar panels and solar heaters reduces the average daily usage of energy for lighting and heating by one-half. Insulating your home with regularly maintained central heating minimizes the temperature-dependent wastes. Taking these steps will not only help you protect our resources and environment, but it also boosts the ambiance of your living conditions.

If you’re considering implementing these or other energy-saving electrical changes, why not give us a call? We can make sure your electrical needs are met safely by a professional electrician.

When you need a licensed electrician for commercial or residential electrical needs, call Zimmerman Electric at 310-378-1323.