Transform Your Home with These 5 Money-Saving Energy Hacks

With rising energy costs, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re cutting back on your winter consumption. But it doesn’t have to mean major home renovations or expensive purchases. There are plenty of hacks you can do to help lower your energy bills and save money. Here are five you should consider:

1. Unplugging Electronic Devices: When people come back inside after the summer, the number of gadgets plugged into outlets around the home can significantly increase consumption. Everything that is plugged in uses energy whether it is actively being used or not. To help conserve electricity, you should unplug devices like televisions, home theatre systems, computers, and game consoles when they’re not being used.

2. Adjusting the Thermostat: One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy bills is to adjust the thermostat. Most thermostats can be set on a timer and you can save 3% of electricity usage per degree you decrease. It’s recommended that you keep your thermostat at 68 degrees when you’re home, and a few degrees cooler when you’re sleeping or away.

3. Setting the Hot Water Tank: The default setting for most hot water tanks and tankless heaters is higher than it needs to be. Setting the temperature of a tank heater to “hot” instead of “very hot” can save 5% on your next bill, or 120 degrees on a tankless heater instead of 140 degrees.

4. Seal Up Drafts: Drafts from exterior doors and windows can significantly increase energy bills and make it feel much colder inside the home. You can seal up drafty windows and exterior doors with door sweeps and foam strips, and use caulking or spray foam to seal up any gaps. This can save you up to 10% on energy bills.

5. Add Curtains and Blinds: Installing curtains or blinds on your windows can cut energy costs by up to 35%. Thermal or thick curtains tend to be more effective than sheer drapes, and you can open them up during the day to let in natural sunlight, and close them up at night to trap the heat.

Using these five hacks, you can make a significant difference in your energy bills and save money over time! However, if you’re looking to save long-term, it’s a good idea to put any savings towards bigger HVAC system, insulation, or window upgrades.