Useing Less Electricity, Please Let Me Know What Else Can Cut.?
We live 6 to a single family house, 3 generations. I am the daughter in law. In any room we use to ourselves I have everything on power strips, all but 2 desk lamps with dimmers are cfl, I turn off fans, power strips to tv’s, and all lights as much as I can. I use my computer during the day, so it stays on, but I make sure the strip is off before I go to sleep. We had an extra microwave & dorm sized fridge in our living room, I disconnected those & put in the garage because we didn’t expressly NEED them. We have 2 reptiles I have limited to 8 hours a day on incandescent bulb heat (40w) & put their under the tank heaters on a timer for the rest of the time. I just feel like I could do more, but i don;t know what is left to cut, I even got rid of our led nightlight because It wasn’t 100% necessity.
My Father in law is willing to embrace this style of living but my mother in law isn’t. I can count 3 incandescent electric night lights she runs 24/7 in the kitchen alone with 2 led ones, these all have daylight sensors, but she has em unter the cabinet & uses for light there. One of thise incandescent bulb touch lamps runs 24/7 in another room for night light too, also a indoor fountain runs 24/7. 3 tv’s not turned on all the time but not on power strips & left plugged in, mil’s computer runs 24/7 along with the 50 strands if incandescent christmas lights she has running (only for 3 hours a day but still) and 3 outdoor fountains.
I am guilty myself of leaving my husband’s shaver plugged in 24/7 cause I can’t figure out how to get a timer in the bathroom safetly. I leave one power strip truend on 24/7 that has the baby swing plugged in to it. The entiere house has 4-5 things pulgged into battery chargers like power drills 24/7. Mil/fil’s side of the house also has lights on in the garage 24/7
I am stressed because I don;t think we can make out power bill this month even. I have done everything short of go back to handwashing my clothes and turning my mil psycho because I turned off *her* stuff. I just don’t know what else I can cut from my side of the house with out hurting us.
Suggestiions are needed & welcome, please help
i agree with the above poster, although make sure that they are actually checking your meter. Often times power companies will just estimate your usage rather than actually check (awful right?). Also, if heat is a problem, insulation will always help. Using a little caulk on the windowsills and any open areas will help insulate. Also, replace ALL incandescent bulbs with the new coiled energy saver ones. Turn off the fountain. Fountains outside put on timers. Otherwise you’re doing very well, congrats and good luck.
I dont see anything that is being used that uses that much electricity. If your electric bill is sky hi then I would go to your utility and have them check your meter and see just how much you are using and if it fits with what you have running which is minimal. I have lived in places where I have let the AC run continuously for the summer and not ever used the minimum useage so cant see where your power is going.