Nashville, the capital and the largest city in the gorgeous state of Tennessee, is a symbol of natural beauty. The climate is temperate, and there is almost never extreme weather. However, it is still necessary to maintain both heating and cooling in your Nashville home, and you might encounter soaring energy bills in the process.
In order to achieve low monthly utility bills, certain steps can be taken. These are necessary as maintaining a sustainable and energy-efficient system in your household can save you hundreds of dollars by the end of the year. Nashville is a vastly eco-friendly city, and the citizens tend to contribute to it. This article provides a comprehensive guide on various methods to reduce your energy bills—and not just in Nashville, Tennessee.
Use Natural Light During the Day
Having your lights on during the day can be a complete waste of electrical power if the sun is out. The skies of Nashville tend to be clear most of the time, with sunshine almost every day. If you have an open, spacious house with lots of doors and windows, chances are, you will never have insufficient lighting in the interior.
Try installing a skylight and be amazed at the level of illumination this brings to your home. This can directly replace some of the brightest, primary lights in your house during the daytime. You can also replace a few wooden door panels with transparent glass to let an ample amount of light in. Specific materials can be used to conserve the heat inside, but more on that later.
Saving energy is mostly due to your choices and habits. Make sure you turn the lights and fan off before you leave a room. This not only cuts down energy costs but also avoids any accidental electrical hazards. For modern, automated homes, keep an eye on the timers of appliances and set them according to your needs only. Perform an in-depth audit of the entire energy system in your house before making any major decisions regarding structural changes.
Ensure Efficient Usage of Electrical Appliances
As mentioned above, a substantial amount of money can be saved by using electrical appliances sparingly and only according to specific needs. Surely you do not need your refrigerator set to sub-zero temperatures when 40 degrees will preserve your food perfectly well. Make sure you purchase electrical appliances that have energy-saving features or are designed to conserve energy. Take professional guidance from a Nashville electrician in case you need any help planning and implementing your power-saving plans.
Refrigerators, washers and dryers, dishwashers, dehumidifiers, microwave ovens, and water heaters are some of the common appliances found in most homes. Having energy-saving versions of all these can put a major dent in your monthly expenses. However, the way you use these devices is also crucial, as no amount of energy-saving features can truly save you money unless you change your habits.
Make sure you do not keep the doors of your oven and refrigerator open for long, as the interior of these devices quickly adjusts to the surrounding temperature without the barrier (door) in between. Try using cold water in activities like washing the dishes or mopping the floor. Dry your clothes outside on the lawn during the summer, instead of using a dryer. Purchasing newer appliances to replace older ones can potentially be a great step to reduce utility bills if you are wise enough to buy the energy-efficient variants. Nowadays the latest devices are mostly manufactured keeping energy costs in mind.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats, although relatively more expensive, have the edge over the regular ones when it comes to saving energy in households. The temperature is kept constant by programmable thermostats despite any fluctuations in the surroundings. Timers can be set in these devices to maintain desired temperature levels for different times of the day. Frequent manual configuration is not required if a proper routine is set up in the thermostat. This saves a lot of power, especially while you are not home.
You can install a fan to cool down the air without really changing anything in the thermostat. Use blankets when going to bed to keep the heat at a minimum without suffering. The closer you keep the interior temperature to that of the exterior, the lower the incurred energy costs at the end of the month.
Use the Water Heater Efficiently
A water heater is one of the biggest contributors to the month-end utility bills of a household. Heating and sustaining the temperature of water requires a lot of electrical power and is not always efficiently managed. Wash your clothes with cold water. The dishes in your kitchen mostly do not need steaming hot water to be cleaned. Start taking cold showers, and try keeping it short. This not only reduces power usage but also saves a considerable amount of water, and is a good practice for health reasons. Make sure you disconnect the water heater when you stay out of your home for a long time.
Final Words
Saving on energy costs is mostly a matter of your habits. In a city like Nashville, attempting this can be greatly beneficial and is considered a standard by most citizens. If you are moving into a new home, make sure the house is suitable for some of the aforementioned energy-saving steps. After all, a little awareness and effort are enough to ensure cost-efficient energy usage. The money you save can eventually be implemented to develop other aspects of your house.