Reducing energy use at home is possible through small steps that can lead to significant savings on your electricity bill.

With electricity prices hitting record highs for weeks now, finding ways to save energy at home is highly recommended. Factors such as taking time-of-use rates into account, choosing energy-efficient appliances, and understanding in detail how a home’s orientation affects electricity consumption can make a significant difference in your electricity bill.

However, reducing energy consumption isn’t just a matter of math. Changing your habits is one of the easiest ways to save energy at home, but there are others. If you’re determined to save electricity at home by improving your energy consumption, here are seven tips to help you do just that.

1. Power and Rate

Saving on electricity at home depends not only on how you use it, but also on how you set up your service. Beyond simply using energy responsibly, it’s very important to understand both the contracted power capacity and the rate plan your household is on.

Your bill is simply a reflection of how much it costs to power the various electronic devices in your home. That’s the first key: make sure you sign up for only what you need and use it properly. On the market, you can find plans with time-of-use rates, plans without them, flat-rate plans… You just need to review the terms and choose the one that best fits your habits and needs.

2. Energy Efficiency

Energy consumption is another key factor in lowering your bill. That’s why choosing energy-efficient appliances is a great decision. These appliances not only help you save electricity, but their efficient use of energy also reduces their impact on the environment.

In any case, if you have a time-of-use rate plan, it’s important to know when to use your appliances. Generally, electricity is cheaper at night and early in the morning. If you need to run the dishwasher or washing machine, plan ahead to save electricity by running them during those times.

3. Use household appliances properly

The kitchen is a “hot spot” when it comes to energy savings. It’s home to many of the appliances whose use can significantly increase or decrease your electricity bill . That’s why it’s especially worthwhile to adopt small habits aimed at improving energy efficiency at home.

When cooking, for example, covering pots and pans is essential so they reach the right temperature faster and, as a result, use less energy. The same goes for the oven. The oven is one of the biggest energy consumers in the kitchen, which is why it’s essential not only to use it efficiently but also to take advantage of its residual heat for cooking. It’s also important not to constantly open and close the refrigerator and freezer. Doing so undermines energy savings, so it’s best to think before you act.

4. Make the most of sunlight

It’s no secret that taking advantage of natural light helps reduce energy consumption. Whenever possible, try to make the most of this sustainable and free source of light. But be careful—the sun can also become a threat to your energy consumption, especially during the hottest months.

If high temperatures threaten to cause your air conditioning usage to skyrocket due to natural light, you need to take action. Using awnings, blinds, and curtains is essential to counteract the sun’s effects during the summer months.

5. LED bulbs

Whether or not you take advantage of natural light, your home lighting plan should include a proper approach to artificial lighting. LED lights have become a must-have for saving energy at home, but simply replacing your old light bulbs won’t do much good if you’re using them incorrectly.

The key isn’t just to invest in more efficient lighting systems. It’s also important, for example, to turn off the lights when you leave a room and, of course, to avoid leaving them on when you leave the house.

6. Reduce energy consumption by avoiding standby mode

Something similar to what happens with electricity also happens with electronic devices. “Standby mode” is one of the biggest obstacles to saving electricity at home. In this state, devices consume energy without you realizing it—just as many others do simply by being plugged in. Chargers, computers, routers… Switching from leaving them on standby to unplugging them completely can result in energy savings of up to 10% on your electricity bill.

Using power strips can make it easier to turn them all off at once. You can also use smart plugs or home automation systems that allow you to turn them on and off remotely or using timers.

7. Maintain the proper temperature

Using the air conditioner to cool the house or turning on the heat are common ways to maintain a comfortable indoor environment. However, their use is another key challenge when it comes to saving electricity. Ideally, you should maintain an appropriate temperature —which, in practice, means keeping it between 19 and 21º in winter and between 24 and 26º in summer.

Smart thermostats or programmable thermostats are great tools for reducing energy costs for heating. In fact, there are even apps that monitor energy consumption, and thanks to home automation, they allow you to control heating and cooling systems more efficiently.