By Theresa Ficazzola
Children are usually not included in discussions about home energy usage, but they sure do use up a lot of power. So why not get them more involved? October is a good time to start, or expand that discussion, because it’s Energy Management is a Family Affair – Improve Your Home month.
Granted, home energy use is not the most exciting topic to raise with your kids, but conserving energy is a lifelong lesson. Hopefully, as a parent, you’re leading by example, but your kids might not notice the little things you do at home that impact your energy use, like turning off the light when you leave a room.
Having an open conversation, not only about what to do, but the why behind those actions, can impact your entire family. Aside from helping the planet, another important “why” which directly affects your family is cost savings. According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2015, the average home spent close to $1,900 on their energy bill and prices have increased considerably since then.
Before exploring ways to save, let’s take a look at where the bulk of that money goes. More than half (51%) of a home’s energy use is for heating and air conditioning. Next comes water heating, lighting, and refrigeration at 27%. And lastly, devices such as televisions, computers, cooking appliances and washers/dryers account for 21%.
Every person in your home has an important role to play in conserving energy, saving money and helping the planet. You can even give your children rewards for good “green” manners. Here are some ideas for electricity savings:
Electricity Savings
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
- During a sunny day, take advantage of sunlight; don’t even turn the lights on.
- Charge phones, iPads and computers during dinner, so these devices are not plugged in all night, saving hours of electricity. Plus, it reinforces the “no phones at the dinner table” rule. Take advantage of the quiet time and practice having a conversation and making new memories.
- If watching TV at night, turn off the lights.
- Replace light bulbs with Energy Star certified bulbs or CFLs. These bulbs use 75% less energy than standard light bulbs and last 10 times longer.
- Unplug devices and appliances when not in use. Even if an appliance is not turned on, it still drains a limited amount of electricity.
- Read with a small lamp that is more energy efficient, rather than larger, overhead lights.
- Limit the number of times you open the refrigerator, especially in the summer. For maximum efficiency, your refrigerator should be set at 38-42 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0-5 degrees.
- Turn off all electronics for a set time each day/weekend and go play outside or create a family game or movie night.
- When not using computers and phones, turn them off or switch to sleep mode.
- Open windows or use fans to cool off your home before turning on the air conditioning.
- Close blinds and shades in the summer to keep the heat out and your home cooler, saving money on air conditioning. Open blinds and shades in the winter to let more heat in to reduce your heating costs.
- Mix a lesson in math with your energy savings. For example, for every degree you move your thermostat up or down, you save about 2% off your annual heating and cooling costs.
- Take your kids on a treasure hunt around your house, looking for air leaks that can be plugged up before winter, saving on your heating bill.
- Talk to your kids about the many benefits of solar panels. Did you know that you can go solar for $0 down, save thousands of dollars on your electricity costs, and do your part to conserve energy and save the planet? Contact SI Solar today for your free, no obligation solar assessment.
Don’t forget to remind your kids about the money savings aspect of good energy management. You can even set up a friendly competition between all your kids to see who can conserve the most energy and save the most money. Perhaps you can establish an end of year reward for their help in contributing to the family’s cost savings or throw a special “green” party on Earth Day.
Just remember, every family member has a role to play when it comes to conserving energy. Every little bit helps…and adds up to a lot.
