The average American spends around 112 dollars on their power bill each month. This amount varies depending on the state you live in and the amount of electricity you use. While you may not have control over the state you live in you do get to have control of your electricity intake.
There are more energy-efficient products you can use that will help you save on power and can make life easier for you. While they may be a little on the pricey side, they’re completely worth the expense in the long run.
Keep reading to find out a little more about what these products are and how they can assist you in saving time and money.
1. Smart Power Strips
Power strips are a handy little device to have. They allow you to plug up half a dozen appliances or so at once. The problem with them is that they’re a huge power sink.
They tend to absorb energy even when you’re not using a single appliance that’s plugged into them. If you don’t want to give up having access to several plugs you can replace them with smart power strips.
They cut power to the appliances that you aren’t using and put them in a sort of standby mode.
2. Charging Stations
If you plug your phone in at night while you’re sleeping, the charger will continue to charge your phone and use electricity even after the phone has a full battery. This is not only horrible for your phone but it uses up a lot of power as well.
Many phones are coming with smart chargers in the box now. They’re chargers that stop charging your phone after it’s done. If your phone didn’t come with one of these chargers, you can save on electricity by investing in a charging station.
It’s a pad that you lay your phone on. The pad will charge up the battery and stop once it’s full.
3. LED Lights
You can save a lot of money by replacing all your traditional fluorescent bulbs with LED bulbs. LED bulbs use less power than traditional ones and they last a lot longer which makes them the greenest option. Fewer bulbs mean less glass filling up the landfills.
It is true that LED bulbs do cost quite a bit more than traditional ones but you’ll gain that money back with the savings you’ll receive by making the switch.
4. Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats are also a little expensive but they help save power because you can program them. You can set them to stay at a certain temperature during different times of the day.
For example, you can set it to be cooler during the afternoon and morning when the sun is shining through the window and heating the house. You can also turn off the heating and cooling while you’re at work and set the smart thermostat to start cooling the house off about thirty minutes before the end of your shift.
You can even play with your thermostat settings from your smartphone while you’re out of the house. The energy savings plus the convenience make this investment a no brainer.
5. Energy Saving Apps
One of the easiest energy saving products you can get is apps. All you’ve got to do to get started is to download them from your phone’s app store and answer a few questions about your energy habits.
The app will then suggest little changes you can make to reduce the amount of power you use up. For a little extra incentive, the app will show you how much money you’ll be saving by making the suggested changes.
6. Smart Kitchen Appliances
Smart fridges can cost a lot of money but they’re a great investment to make. They’re programmed to use less power during certain times of the day.
There are some payment companies that will give you some extra pay incentives for using these devices as well.
7. Efficient Plumbing
If you have a toilet that was created before 1995 then chances are it’s using up around 400,000 gallons or so of water each year. That’s a lot of water.
Consider trading out your toilet for a newer, more energy-efficient model. They use less water and have a bunch of other cool features. You can get one that flushes automatically so you don’t have to touch a germy toilet.
There are some models that have a clog detection feature. If it senses that there’s a clog it won’t try to flush. No more wet floors from overflowing toilets.
You can even get a toilet that has Bluetooth capabilities so you can listen to your tunes while you do your business.
8. Energy-Efficient Washing Machines
You’ll get serious energy savings by trading out your washing machine for a more energy-efficient model. They’re larger than traditional washers so you can fit larger loads in them.
To give you an exact number it’s around 30 towels worth. Since you’ll be doing fewer loads you won’t use up as much power and water. As an added bonus, smart washing machines are gentler on your clothes.
9. Insulation
You don’t have to invest in fancy new products to save energy (while it does help). You may just have to increase the amount of insulation in your attic.
If you have a newer home then chances are you have enough insulation in your attic already. Older homes, however, can be seriously lacking. If this is the case then that means much-needed air is escaping causing your AC to work a lot harder than it needs to.
Once you add a little extra padding to your attic the heat and air will stay right where it belongs. In your house. Your home will stay at a much more comfortable temperature and you’ll save money on the power bill.
10. New Doors and Windows
Older single-pane windows let too much air escape. Older doors do the same. You can save some energy by replacing them with newer models.
If you can’t afford to do complete replacements you can do a DIY project to decrease the amount of cold air that gets out. You can either apply some weather stripping around the door or invest in caulk.
11. Energy Saving Power Switch
Your appliances will draw the slightest bit of power while they’re plugged in. You can stop them from doing this either by leaving your appliances unplugged while you’re not using them or by picking up saving power switches.
When you flip the power to off on these power-saving switches they will stop anything that’s plugged into them from pulling power.
12. LED Nightlights
If your child still needs the nightlight to sleep you can save money by picking one up that uses an LED bulb. It will last double the amount of time that a normal nightlight will and they don’t use up that much energy.
13. LED Desklamp
As the name suggests, this desk lamp uses an LED bulb so it will last for a long while and save energy. It also has a bunch of cool features.
It will shut off automatically after one hour of use. So, if you go to bed and forget to shut it off, no big deal. It also has several different levels of lighting that you can choose from and a USB port.
14. Low Flow Shower Head
A long, hot shower after a long day of work is just what the doctor ordered. That uses up a long of energy and water though. Getting a low flow showerhead will allow you to have your cake and eat it too.
It uses less water pressure and less water so you can take as long as you want without doing too much damage to your power bill.
15. Solar-Powered Outdoor Path Lights
Solar-powered path lights will cast a bit of light on your yard so you don’t have to worry about tripping on a stray stone when you come home late at night.
They absorb light during the day and will provide about ten hours worth of bright light each night.
Energy-Efficient Products You Need in Your Home Today
The average American spends well over 100 dollars each month on their power bill. You can cut out this expense by investing in energy-efficient products. Upgrade your house with some of these great appliances and see the savings start rolling in.
Using these products isn’t the only way that you can save energy. Check out our blog daily for all the latest energy-saving tips.