6 easy upgrades that save $ 1000 a year
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Want to pocket an extra $ 1000 every year? Make your home "smarter" by installing devices that reduce energy consumption.
Some of these six simple upgrades can be done without even hiring an electrician and everyone will save money, make your home more comfortable and help the environment. Total energy savings vary depending on the size of your home.
An investment in advance is necessary. Some changes cost as little as $ 4 each, while other upgrades will run as much as $ 300 per piece, plus labor costs from an electrician. But the savings in the first and the half year will probably save the investment. According to it's savings.
Replace your bulbs
A low-investment, high-yield upgrade simply shifts all of your old incandescent bulbs with LEDs. Seven in 10 US households have no LEDs, according to a 2015 Energy Information Administration survey.
LEDs use 75 to 80 percent less energy than regular bulbs, and replacing five bulbs will save you around $ 35 a year, says Tim Palange, Mr. Electric's operations manager, a North Carolina neighborhood. The average house has 30 to 60 light bulbs.
(Photo: Getty Images)
These bulbs also have a longer life, which is convenient because you do not need to replace so often the "solely bulbs as outside floodlights or cathedral ceiling hats," he said.
Neither do you need to worry more about aesthetics either. "The LEDs have come a long way from the beginning," says Palange. "They are now dimmable, and you don't look like you're in a fluorescent lamp office."
Savings potential: $ 210- $ 420 per Year
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Warm and cool better
An easy way to save money on heating and cooling bills is to install smart thermostats, such as Nest, these thermostats heat and cool your home more efficiently and can be remotely controlled, a great function for holiday homes, each of which can save close to $ 200 a year, which can v re big savings for large homes with multiple thermostats.
Saving potential: $ 200- $ 800 per year
Turn off your light switches
You can get more from your light switch than just one that dimmers. Consider a Wi-Fi enabled switch that lets you turn the lights on and off remotely via an app on your mobile phone. This can be useful if you want light at night when you get home or you want people to think you are at home while on vacation.
Each smart light switch can save $ 20 to $ 25 a year, Palange says, and most homeowners use at least two: one for exterior front lights and one for exterior lights at the back.
Savings potential: $ 40- $ 50 per year
Getting plugged in
Most appliances, electronics and other equipment connected, draw energy even when not in use or after they are fully charged. This idle power provides up to about 1,300 kilowatt hours per year, according to a 2015 National Resources Defense Council study.
"Think about how often do you leave your mobile all night?" Palange says. Smart outlets can reduce waste by allowing a plugged device to use power only when it needs it. [19659000]
Saving potential: $ 165 – $ 440 pr. Year
Using smart fans
Installing Wi-Fi ceiling fans allows you to reduce heating and cooling costs. These fans are linked to smart thermostats and automatically adjust their speed and direction based on room temperature. The ceiling fan moves the air around the room, which is cheaper than depending on the central heating or cooling system to do so, Palange says.
Saving Potential: $ 140 – $ 250 per year, depending on the size of your home.
Remember your water
A typical electric water heater will heat the water in your home even when nobody is. If you install a lighting sensor for your electric water heater, it will not heat the water without knowing that someone is in the house.
"It's similar to which hotel rooms are used," says Palange. "It can save anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of hot water costs."
Saving potential: $ 200-300 per year for a family of four
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