Who can budget their expenses without considering the electric bill? It is one bill that will never go away and must be paid every month. There is good news though as the marketplace has discovered new ways to reduce the costs of energy through alternative sourcing and production of goods that are energy efficient. Here are ten products that can lower your energy bill.
1. Ever hear of a LED light for your home? From exterior flood lights to interior dimmable light bulbs, LED’s have come to the front of the line for energy saving power and longevity. They have less harmful chemicals than a fluorescent bulb and have become a trending favorite for all their benefits.
2. The big buzz of energy for homes is solar power, and water heaters are now designed to work with solar energy. There are many types of water heaters that are energy efficient, but the cutting edge of technology has produced a water heater that can operate from the suns power.
3. Game systems are a surprising consumer of energy in homes. Installing a time switch on the units’ outlet will reduce energy consumption while the system is not in use. The Appliance Standards Awareness Project has noted that the total wasted energy for gaming systems in America while they are not in operation is equal to the amount of power consumed by the city of Houston, Texas!
4. Energy efficient washers and dryers are fantastic with threefold benefits. They save electricity, water, and extend the life of your clothes. The prices on the units have gone down substantially, and any electrician can wire them.
5. An often overlooked appliance is the microwave. In 2016 microwaves will finally be held to a standard of electric consumption monitored and regulated to comply with new legislation. Most homes never look to change out the microwave as they seem to last indefinitely and are a laborious challenge for homeowners. With the projected savings, this may be one item to assistance from a professional.
6. Energy efficient ceiling fans are an absolute must. Ceiling fans, when used by a homeowner, are often running for longer periods of time than they are powered off. With friction resistant materials and fantastic energy management they are an excellent way to cut down on energy use.
7. Pool Pumps have now achieved energy star ratings that should grab the attention of any pool owners. With the option of solar powered pumps and energy efficient engineering, the Energy Star compliant pump is an absolute must have.
8. There is such a thing as a solar powered backup power supply for your home. If the power goes out you can still power for computers, radios, fans and other small appliances. With low equipment costs, the peace of mind this item provides is a great deal.
9. Solar powered attic fans reduce the amount of stored heat in the attic and drive down cooling costs of central air units. With the amount of savings on these units, it is of great wonder that they are not a mandatory component of building code requirements.
10. The green movement has caught much flak from skeptics, but the facts speak for themselves as solar powered homes are taking over. It is entirely possible to have your home 100% green certified with solar panels powering your appliances, gadgets, central air systems, and any other electric unit in your house.
While a good portion of the above items have high upfront costs, the technology and mass production of unit components has driven the costs way down. With the government subsidizing the green movement, more contractors have gotten certified for solar power and the market is materializing direct consumer benefits as the crunch for energy continues to empty everyone’s wallet. As the technology improves the opportunity to become a truly net-zero energy-use home will be extended to more and more energy conscious individuals. As with all things, make sure you have a qualified and highly trained professional installing these units and do not cut corners. It does not pay to be overly frugal on some of these systems as they will have direct cost saving for home owners, and the investment will be recouped over time. Most power companies will provide a homeowner with a free energy waste inspection and guide them in a direction that will result in immediate rewards. With smart use of technology and wise selection of products, you can drive your energy costs down and raise the value of your home. To go green is to save green, and that makes it all worth it!
Sources:
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Light-Bulbs-LED-Light-Bulbs/N-5yc1vZbm79
http://www.aceee.org/consumer/water-heating
http://www.appliance-standards.org/product/game-consoles
http://www.affordablecomfort.org/sites/default/files/cmhc_nze_exisitng_henderson_full_2008_s60376_w_.pdf
https://www.energystar.gov/certified-products/certified-products
The author, Ray Donato, is an electrical engineer living in Orlando whose expertise focuses on enhancing sources of green energy to improve the efficiency of those poducts. For his own home green energy project, he went to www.bobheinmillersolar.com for his solar energy needs. You can learn more about Ray on Google+.
