While your family may be doing everything in their power to reduce your impact on the environment and prevent energy waste in your home, there are things that Americans do every day that waste energy without even realizing it. From charging electronics to watching TV, there are little energy wasters that you just don’t consider. Below you will find a few of the biggest energy suckers out there, so you and your family can do better. 

Faulty Water Heater 

While washing your hands or face with hot water isn’t that big of a deal, if you have a faulty water heater you’re not only killing the environment, your water and electric bills are probably through the roof (or soon will be). Having an energy-efficient water heater is a start, but you have to maintain that unit properly as well. This means regular maintenance check-ups and repairs when needed. If you’re in the California area, there are many water heater repair San Diego services to meet your needs in this department. Just give one of them a call. An extra tip to help lower your energy bill is to make sure the thermostat on your unit is set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. .

Not Changing HVAC Filters

While you might not think it makes that much of a difference, failing to change the filters on your HVAC unit can waste a ton of energy. Summer cooling bills are already high enough for most people, forgetting to change those filters once a month can make it even worse. A simple phone notification or sometimes scheduling a filter change on your day planner can remind you and make quite a bit of difference in your energy-wasting habits. 

Washing Clothes in Hot Water

Washing your clothes in hot water is a thing of the past, thanks to detergents that don’t require you to do so. Also, almost 90% the energy bill from doing laundry is spent on heating up water. You can cut your energy usage by more than half by simply using cold water. Your clothes will come out just as clean and smelling just as fresh, but you’ll be doing your part to cut energy usage at the same time. Unless you’re trying to get out some tough stains or grease spots, cold water works just as well to clean most clothing, towels, and sheets. 

Running the Dishwasher When It’s Only Half Full 

While it may be tempting to run the dishwasher after breakfast and lunch when it’s only halfway filled, it’s best to wait until after dinner when it’s completely full and the day is done. A normal dishwasher takes around 1800 watts of electricity to operate, and that’s whether it’s completely full or not. It’s also possible to save even more energy if you switch the heat setting to air dry instead. While it may not seem like such a simple act could save much energy, added up over time, it truly does. 

Standing With the Fridge Door Open 

Those few seconds standing with the fridge door open while you hunt for something that isn’t there add up over time. Opening the freezer and fridge only when necessary can help save quite a bit of energy. Leave the browsing for the pantry, which doesn’t cost you a dime in energy costs. These are just a few of the energy wasters you might be contributing to in your home on a daily basis. Just a few quick seconds of thinking through opening the fridge door or turning down the thermostat on your water heater can save you money and make a world of difference to the environment around you.