A look at home energy consumption in Florida makes for an interesting read. A typical household spends approximately $2,000 annually on energy. This includes the cost of fuel for vehicles, but about 90% of it is the cost of electricity. These costs escalate substantially in commercial buildings.
To make substantial savings on the cost of energy, therefore, you need to set your sights on power consumption. There are ways in which you can reduce your power and you don’t even need a commercial electrical company to draw the strategy. The following are some tips on how to save energy in Florida.
Use alternative cooling and heating options
Every commercial electrician in Tampa will tell you that cooling and heating consume approximately half of a household’s energy. If you can reduce the amount of power you consume in these two areas, you will slash your bill considerably. One of the things you need to do is replace your air conditioning unit with a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans consume much less energy when compared to air conditioning units.
If you decide to keep the AC and heating units, replace their filters regularly. When the filters are not working effectively, the systems labor to function, leading to an escalation in energy consumption. These replacements are certainly not a job for an enthusiastic DIY-er. You need to find a professional from a commercial electrical company to do it for you.
You should also remember to set the thermostat to the right temperature, as having the temperature set too high causes energy to be consumed unnecessarily. For every degree of heat reduced on the thermostat for eight hours, there is a 2% reduction in the amount of heating you need. This reduction in energy consumption translates to savings in power bills.
Install demand type water heaters
When you have a hot water tank, you have to keep water hot at all times so that you do not have to wait for it to heat when you need it. When you have an on demand water heater, you only use power to heat when you need to. This will significantly reduce the cost of your energy consumption. You can get these instant water heaters from a reputable commercial electrical company. You should also hire them to install the heaters for you.
Insulate your home and use electronics efficiently
One of the cheapest ways to make your home comfortable while saving on energy is by sealing off your house. This is a relatively low-tech affair for which you do not need the input of a commercial electrical company. However, you may need the services of an energy auditor to help you identify the areas that need to be sealed. Energy auditors can be found in organizations that offer energy conservation services.
If you intend to find the heat leakages yourself, the following are some of the places you should look first.
- Electrical outlets and receptacles
- Baseboards
- Mail slots
- Around mounted air conditioners
- The weather stripping on the doors
- Window frames
- Fireplace dampers
Seal the doors and windows with rope caulk. Rope caulk is easy to use, it is also the cheapest option for such an undertaking. Unlike a commercial building, your home doesn’t require commercial lighting. This means you can use natural lighting where possible, which helps reduce the cost of lighting.
Make sure that your electronics are properly arranged. If, for example, your freezer is near the stove, the two will reduce each other’s efficiency. This causes them to spend more energy than they should. You will need to move them further apart. Purchase appliances that are highly rated for efficiency by the EPA. You can get advice on the meaning of the ratings and their implication for your energy consumption from a local commercial electrical company.
Commercial buildings
Energy saving in commercial buildings may require industrial electrical work to be done. In this case, the entire electrical system installation would need to be audited to see whether the installation causes the loss of power in any way. You would, however, need to carefully consider the cost of repairs to determine if the undertaking is worth it.