Don’t Leave Your Appliances On Standby

One of the most common mistakes the average homeowner makes is leaving their appliances and electronics on standby when not in use. This is most common with computers and laptops, but can also extend to things such as TVs and even ovens. Preheating your oven before you need it, setting your computer to ‘sleep mode’ without turning it off, or leaving power strips turned on all the time consumes more energy than you’d think. By turning your appliances all the way off when not in use, you could save up to $30 a year in energy costs!

Be Strategic About Your Heating Use

Comfort is key indoors during the winter months, but wearing a sweater or adding another layer is a much cheaper way to stay warm than turning up the thermostat another few degrees. We recommend keeping your thermostat at a lower temperature and programming it to activate in the mornings and shortly before you get home from work and turn off shortly after you go to bed. You should also check with your local energy supplier about surge pricing hours, as many will raise their energy prices during certain times in the evening when the demand for heat is at its highest.

Take Advantage Of Other Heat Sources

You can take advantage of natural heat sources to stay warm, too!

Northern Colorado gets plenty of sunshine amidst the winter cold, and if you have south-facing windows in your home, it’s best to leave the curtains open during the day to let the sunlight in to heat up your house a little more for free.

If you bake more often during the winter, leave your oven door open after use to let the natural heat from the oven warm up your kitchen as your oven cools down. You’d be surprised how much of a difference these two subtle changes can make in your comfort!

Wash Your Clothes With Cold Water

Another way to save is by cutting the heat out of your clothes-washing process. Most washing machines nowadays are advanced enough to wash whites effectively without hot water, and unless you’ve got some serious stains to fight, you can get away with a cold-water wash and a low-tumble dryer setting.

Clean Your Kitchen Appliances

With the increased time indoors, you should take some time to clean and check up on your major appliances. Beyond simple cleaning, it can be helpful to evaluate the placement of your appliances to ensure they have enough space to operate efficiently. Fridges, washers, dryers, and more function best when they have two to three inches of space from the wall or other surfaces to ensure adequate airflow.

Also check your fridge space to ensure you’re not overburdening your machine. A fridge’s performance will start to decline from its peak if it’s filled more than 90% full. Just like it need a little space on the outside for venting, it could use a little space inside too to ensure optimal airflow and peak performance.