How Energy Efficiency Can Help You Cut Energy Costs

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Americans are struggling with high electricity bills

High energy costs are the primary driver of U.S. inflation, which reached a 40-year high this spring. A new SaveOnEnergy.com® survey of 1,012 adult homeowners in the U.S. found that 62% of Americans noticed higher electricity bills than last year.

According to the survey, 93% of U.S. homeowners are concerned about the impact of inflation on their monthly household spending. Those earning less than $40,000 a year were the most concerned about high costs impacting their monthly household expenses. Such concerns are justified since low-income earners were more likely to miss a utility payment, experience a utility shutoff, or receive late payment notices than those earning above $80K.

Due to rising energy costs, 87% of American homeowners have taken measures to reduce home energy expenses in the past year. These measures were:

• Turning off lights when not using them (73%)
• Using energy-efficient lightbulbs (53%)
• Unplugging electronics when not using them (34%)
• Using energy-efficient appliances (29%)
• Using a smart or programmable thermostat (20%)
• Sealing windows and/or doors (17%)

Household Spending Categories Where Homeowners Noticed Higher Prices

The survey respondents specified that the most impactful measures in cutting their energy costs were:

• Turning off lights when not using them (39%)
• Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs (22%)
• Using energy-efficient appliances (15%)
• Using a smart or programmable thermostat (14%)
• Unplugging electronics when not in use (13%)
• Sealing windows and/or doors (9%)
• Insulating homes (6%)

Energy efficiency tactics are one of the most effective and easy ways to reduce energy waste and costs. Small changes to your energy use can lead to meaningful savings. 

 What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency means using less energy to execute the same task. Anything that consumes energy can have opportunities for improvement to function more productively with less energy. Energy efficiency reduces waste, financial costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Household appliances, vehicles, electricity generation, construction, and cargo transportation are becoming more energy efficient. Most Americans are interested in being more energy efficient due to rising energy costs, widespread impact of inflation on household budgets, and environmental concerns about greenhouse gas emissions.

What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency means using less energy to execute the same task. Anything that consumes energy can have opportunities for improvement to function more productively with less energy. Energy efficiency reduces waste, financial costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Household appliances, vehicles, electricity generation, construction, and cargo transportation are becoming more energy efficient. Most Americans are interested in being more energy efficient due to rising energy costs, widespread impact of inflation on household budgets, and environmental concerns about greenhouse gas emissions.

How can you make your home more energy efficient?

While consumers may not have control over electricity rates, they can reduce their power bills by making their homes more energy efficient. You can take the following steps to reduce your energy costs and waste at home.

• Home energy audit and insulation. A home energy audit is a exploration of where you use energy. The audit can help you determine areas where your home is not energy inefficient. It can provide a comprehensive view of your entire home’s energy use, including how drafty your windows are, if your heating system emits more than an safe level of carbon monoxide, or if your walls or attic lack sufficient insulation. Energy-inefficient homes use more energy to retain heat during the winter and keep cool air during the summer. Simple measures like weather stripping doors and windows, and adding insulation where needed can prevent warm and cool air loss throughout the year.  
• Use energy-efficient washers and dryers. An older washing machine uses more energy and water per load than a newer, efficient one. Look for an ENERGY STAR-labeled washing machine, a federal guarantee that the product is energy efficient. An ENERGY STAR-certified washer uses 35% less water and 25% less energy than traditional ones. They also can accommodate more laundry in one load than conventional washers. Similarly, energy-efficient dryers use 20% less energy than traditional dryers. Consider a heat-pump dryer, the most energy-efficient type, which circulates heat to heat the air in the dryer. 
• Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. A light emitting diode (LED) bulb utilizes 75% less electricity than incandescent bulbs and lasts 25 times longer. LED lights are also environmentally friendly and pose no harm to health. Unlike LED bulbs, traditional lights like mercury vapor lights and compact fluorescent lamps contain mercury, which can be released as mercury vapor if they break. Mercury exposure can damage the nervous system, kidneys, liver, and lungs. The mercury leakage into the environment can end up in our food chain.
• Buy a smart thermostat because it can help you balance the temperature in your home to make you more comfortable while using less energy. An ENERGY-STAR-rated smart thermostat can save an average of about 8% on heating and cooling bills. 
• Use air conditioning mindfully. Turning off your AC when you aren’t home can save you money, especially during the summer when electricity rates tend to be higher. Before going to sleep, set a timer and sleep mode on the AC. It is recommended to set the temperature one or two degrees higher than you normally would. Every degree increase can save you up to 10% per year on energy.
• Switch to a pressure cooker. Cooking can be time-consuming and energy intensive. Foods made in a pressure cooker are ready in a fraction of the time compared to a conventional oven. A pressure cooker also uses much less energy than an electric oven. Because of the shorter cooking time, pressure cookers consume between 50 and 75% less energy, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
• Use an energy-efficient showerhead and take shorter showers because hot water requires electricity and can be expensive. It also will help you reduce your water use and water bill. You can also consider a heat-pump water heater for a more efficient way to heat water. 
• Invest in an ENERGY-STAR-rated dishwasher. Washing dishes by hand can use more than 20 gallons of water per load compared to3 gallons with an ENERGY STAR-certified dishwasher.

These are some essential measures you can take to reduce your home energy costs. Some items, such as energy-efficient refrigerators or washing machines, can be bigger investments than others. But one-time investments in energy-efficient products and mindfully using energy will reduce your financial burden, improve your health and quality of life, and reduce environmental pollutants for many years.