These days, the energy and electricity needs of a household can be quite expensive. The price of consumers' household energy needs has been trending up and homeowners continue to face steep energy prices because of supply and demand in the global wholesale energy market.
Datacenter infrastructure management is a formidable tool for businesses. Just like DCIM needs certain elements to be productive and efficient, so does your home. Your home provides protection from the heat of the summer and cold of the winter, provides for bathing and laundry needs, allows for the production of meals and sees that lighting, entertainment and loads of other needs are met.
The other salient reason to reduce energy consumption in the home is to help protect the planet and the atmosphere. Traditional energy sources like coal, oil and natural gas promote climate change, which has negative and lasting effects on the planet. The good news is that there are lots of impactful changes that you can make to reduce your home's energy consumption.
1. Use Passive Energy
Using natural light instead of a lamp is an easy habit to develop whenever the sun's still got some strength. This might mean rearranging your furniture so that the chair that you tend to read in is adjacent to the window to fully receive the sun's light. Two 100-watt incandescent bulbs turned off two extra hours per day will save you money.
Another way to employ passive energy is to hang your clothes out to dry on the line, rather than using the electric dryer. It takes a bit longer to use the sun and the wind to dry your clothes but could save you 10 to 20 percent on your utility bill annually.
2. Use Solar Energy
Today, the number of homes in America equipped with solar panels is increasing by about 32 percent per year. There are currently over 2.7 billion residential solar energy systems in America. Using solar energy can ensure that you take less from the power grid, thus saving money. If you get a battery bank installed, you can store energy and sell that which you don't use back to the power company.
3. Look To Save Water Where You Can
When you lower your water usage, you'll save money on your energy bills because less water will need to be heated and/or pumped for use. One change you could make is to use shorter washing machine cycles using cold water. You could also wash your dishes by hand, instead of running the dishwasher. You can certainly control the amount of water that you're using when you shower and simple things like turning the faucet off when you're brushing your teeth can help, too.
4. Seal Your Windows and Draft-proof Your Doors
Sealing your windows can prevent drafts in the winter. In the summer, the cool air will stay in. You'll be increasing your energy efficiency and saving money. Draft-proof your doors in the winter with a draft blocker is an easy, cost-effective way to keep the cold outside.
5. Keep Everything Clean
When you make sure that your warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators are kept clean and clear of debris, you ensure that you're not losing any heat. For the same reason, make sure that nothing is covered or blocked by carpets, drapes or furniture.
All in all, cutting down on the amount of energy that you produce in your home is a good decision that will benefit both your pocketbook and the planet. Making choices that rely on alternative energy sources, such as passive energy or renewable energy, can positively impact these things in a way that isn't so disruptive to your family's needs. As more people begin making these changes, the world will continue to shift to easily accessible, affordable energy sources that don't have harmful environmental side effects.
