Spring cleaning is an annual ritual for many people. As such, while at home during this challenging time, take the opportunity to assess simple ways you can make your home more energy efficient.
We found three opportunities to improve your home’s energy efficiency and help lower your utility bills. These can easily be incorporated into your spring cleaning.
Take an inventory of all your lighting and purchase LED replacements
Many New Yorkers have already replaced their old, incandescent light bulbs with more efficient LEDs. However, many homes use specialized bulbs, such as recessed lighting in kitchens and bathrooms or candelabra bulbs in ceiling fans, not to mention sconces and chandelier-style lighting. These specialized bulbs are less convenient to proactively replace and are often overlooked. There’s no better time to replace these bulbs than when you’re already on a step stool, cleaning your ceilings and overhead fixtures! Prior to getting started, consider taking an inventory of the required bulbs for each of your fixtures and purchasing more energy-efficient replacements.
By retiring more of your older bulbs you’ll be brightening up your space and saving money every month on your electric bill. Plus, many utilities offer discounted LED bulbs of all varieties through their online marketplaces, allowing you to save money upfront on your new bulbs too! Check your electric utility’s website to learn more.
> Learn what energy-efficient lighting options are best for your home.
Save With Smart Plugs and Advanced Power Strips
Cleaning electronics and organizing unwieldy “cord monsters” is a task often seen once a year on spring cleaning checklists. If you’re planning on dusting, polishing, or sanitizing your home’s electronics and minimizing the appearance of unsightly cords, then you may want to consider advanced power strips and smart plugs. Advanced power strips can help you better organize your cords into a centralized location while also lowering your electricity usage and protecting against power surges.
You may also want to consider smart plugs for the outlets powering your most-used electronics. Smart plugs allow you to control the power to the device they are connected to remotely by using your smartphone, meaning that you’ll never have to worry about forgetting to turn off a lamp or entertainment system or unplugging an iron.
Install Faucet Aerators as a Part of Your Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaning Projects
Basic faucet aerators are a great DIY project that can be installed in a matter of minutes and cost as little as $5, but you can save as much $110 annually per aerator in water and utility costs! Incorporating this mini project into your spring cleaning can save you money and lower your carbon footprint. Plus, aerators provide performance benefits ranging from more consistent water pressure, decreased faucet noise, and minimized splashing.
If you’re interested in learning more about your potential savings, energy.gov has developed an easy calculator that can help you determine exactly how much you stand to save in annual expenses.
Visit NYSERDA’s website for even more energy saving tips.
