April 22nd will mark 51 years of Earth Day celebrations. It’s a wonderful opportunity to take small steps toward changing your consumption habits. The ability to positively impact the environment around your home through simple fixes can mutually benefit your family, neighborhood, and ultimately our world. Let’s look at some ways to get involved besides classic Earth Day activities like picking up trash and tree planting campaigns. Here are eight eco-friendly home tips to save energy and natural resources.
Fix Leaky Faucets
A slow drip from one leaky home faucet can waste 7-10 gallons of water every day. That’s over 3,600 gallons a year, increasing your water bill by over 10% each month. That’s more than 60 showers annually! In other words, learn how to stop the drip and call in the experts, like Cool Blew, to ensure the water is only flowing when you want it to.
Turn the Faucet Off
What’s the best way to save up to eight gallons of water a day? Shut off the sink faucet when brushing your teeth! You can also conserve water while washing your hands. Turn off the tap when scrubbing your hands with soap before washing for 20 seconds.
Clean Refrigerator Coils
The condenser coils on the back of your refrigerator should be cleaned every six months by dusting or vacuuming. Keeping your freezer and refrigerator full helps to retain cold air better, utilizing less energy. Inspect and clean gaskets periodically to help your refrigerator operate more efficiently.
Vary Cooking Times
By cooking early in the morning or at night, you’ll reduce energy consumption especially if you’ve signed up for off-peak hours energy plans with your local utility company. When using your oven, turn it off 15 minutes before the timer is up. Your food will continue to heat up.
Turn on Ceiling Fans
According to Energy.gov, when using air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees Fahrenheit with no reduction in comfort.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Did you know you can save up to 8% on home cooling costs for every degree set above 78 degrees? By replacing your thermostat with a smart thermostat, you can earn even more energy savings with an environmentally friendly system which pays for itself.
Wash Laundry in Cold Water
Your washing machine uses almost 90% of its energy-related consumption towards heating the water. Choose the energy saving setting for your clothes. Hot water also can fade, shrink, or wrinkle certain fabrics. So stick to the cold.
Turn Dishwasher Heat Dry Off
One of the easiest ways to save about 15% of your dishwasher’s energy usage is to turn off the heat dry function. The air-drying cycle will dry your dishes and save money. If your dishwasher doesn’t have this function, simply crack open the door to let dishes dry once the load has finished washing.
It makes good sense for Earth Day to implement these simple, cost-effective, home lifestyle changes. It’s more important than ever to be environmentally friendly, and every tiny bit helps to save planet Earth.
Not everyone wants to take a DIY approach for Earth Day 2021. We get it! That’s why Cool Blew offers a team of licensed professionals to help you. Call the experts at Cool Blew today at 623-872-2900.
