Do you find yourself questioning how your utility bills have increased? If so, ask yourself some of these questions: did you leave your computer turned on? Did you take a long, hot shower? Did you do your laundry during peak times?
Quite often, people do not take into consideration the simple solutions to reducing their energy usage.
Follow our CLV Group tips and tricks for reducing your energy costs!
Lighting
Do you leave your lights on for long periods of time? Consider using LED lighting.
LED lights provide a multitude of benefits including their long life span, energy efficiency, ecological friendliness, low voltage and more! For more information on LED lighting and how it can benefit your apartment, visit Toronto Hydro, or your local hydro company.
Turn the lights off when you leave your home! Our in-house Energy Manager, Danny Smith, says, “leave yourself a sticky note near your front door to remind you to turn off the lights before you leave the house”.
Alternatively, consider using natural light. Do you have a lot of windows in your apartment? Try leaving the curtains open to let the natural light shine rather than turning your interior lights on (thanks Mother Nature!). However, the second that it’s overcast, you aren’t receiving any solar again, so Danny suggests closing your blinds to help keep heat in.
Unplug Your Appliances & Accessories
A high majority of individuals leave their appliances and accessories plugged in 24/7 for convenience. However, a simple way to reduce your energy consumption is to unplug or switch off the items you are not using.
Are you done using your computer for a while? Shut it down and unplug it! Are you done making coffee? Turn your machine off and unplug the power cord!
To easily turn off multiple items at once, or to place them into standby mode, consider using a power strip! Danny’s tip: get your power bar OFF the ground! If you keep it in plain sight, such as on top of a desk, you are more likely to turn it off more frequently.
Alternatively, if you know you will be using your appliance or accessory soon, consider placing your computer in “sleep mode” or enabling a screensaver.
Be Cautious of Everyday Activities & Routines
Do you peek inside the oven while it’s turned on? Do you pre-wash your dishes? When do you do your laundry? Asking yourself these questions and being cautious of how use your appliances can help you make efficient choices.
– Try not to preheat or look inside of the oven as much as possible
– Use lids whenever possible. Not only does this help seal in flavor, but they also reduces the amount of energy and time needed to cook
– Consider a microwave oven when heating smaller items, or cooking multiple items in your oven at once
– Limit how often you pre-wash dishes before placing them in the dishwasher
– Wait to use the dishwasher until you have a full load
– Consider air drying your dishes
– Try to take shorter showers and be mindful of the hot water you have running
– When doing laundry, remember to set the appropriate water level for your load size and to always set your wash to cold. According to Danny, warm water does not kill bacteria any more than cold water. Your detergents will work fine either way, as warm water does not make anything cleaner or more sanitary
– Consider air drying your clothing as opposed to using the dryer
– Close both your windows if you have double paned windows! Closing one pane, in terms of saving energy, is identical to just leaving your windows wide open. You are losing SO much heat!
– If you hear your water running in your bathroom non-stop, Danny says your toiler may be leaking! This means you could be losing hundreds of litres of water EVERY day! Give your Property Manager a call right away if you think your toilet is leaking, and we’ll work with you to get it fixed.
Being cautious of your energy consumption is not only beneficial to your wallet, but is also beneficial to the planet. Knowing how to limit your energy use will help to reduce your carbon footprint while taking a step towards sustainable living.
Helpful Tools:
Find out how much it costs to run appliances around your home during different time periods here.
Calculate your electricity cost here.
Power bars that can count your watt usage.
*STAY TUNED! Our buildings have a new energy-saving feature coming their way very soon! Gas, hydro and water monitoring of the entire building, will provide you with minute-by-minute updates of the power usage happening in your building. This will give you everyday tips and tricks on how to reduce your energy consumption.
Do you any suggestions for reducing energy costs? Send us an email at social@clvgroup.com!
Thank you so much for these tips when choosing LED lights. Very valuable.