Ultimate Guide of Energy Conservation: Save $1,000+ Annually

We are often advised to take certain actions to save electricity, such as replacing energy-saving air conditioners, turning off lights, or pre-turning off ovens. However, some of the suggestions lack specific information on the amount of energy that could be potentially saved, and some numbers may even be exaggerated.

To address this issue, CouponBirds compiled various energy-saving tips and provided some practical suggestions:

• Turn off the electric oven five minutes earlier to save 52 kWh or $8.32 worth of electricity annually.

• Invest in a new energy-efficient air conditioner to reduce annual electricity usage by up to 449 kWh or $71.84.

• Use smart power strips to wash and dry clothing during off-peak hours to save $22.12 to $41.7 annually.

• Use an energy-saving dryer to reduce annual electricity usage by 70.2 kWh or $11.23.

• Switch to a home electric vehicle charger to save up to $1,192.63 a year.

Turn Off The Electric Oven Five Minutes Earlier

When cooking, it is common knowledge that the oven temperature will not instantly drop when the cooking time is over. If the oven door is kept closed, the high temperature can persist for at least 30 minutes. You can complete your cooking five minutes before the cooking time ends and utilize the residual heat of the oven.

A typical American home uses the oven three times a week. Most electric ovens draw between 2kW and 5kW. Assuming the oven has a power of 4 kW, you can save 1 kWh of electricity every week and 52 kWh of electricity annually. With the average electricity cost of 16 cents per kWh, this translates to a potential annual savings of $8.32. If you reside in California, the savings can be even higher at $15.6 per year.

Invest In An Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner

In 2022, a typical American home used 10,791 kWh of electricity, with air conditioners making up 16%. Therefore, an air conditioner in a typical American home consumes 1,727 kWh of electricity per year.

Energy Star certified air conditioners can reduce energy by 15% to 26%. By using this kind of air conditioner, you can save 259 to 449 kWh of electricity per year, resulting in an average savings of $71.84. The starting price for an Energy Star-certified air conditioner is $419.

Replace An Energy-saving Dryer

Each time a dryer is used, it runs for about 45 minutes. If a 3kW dryer is used three times a week, it would use approximately 351 kWh of electricity in a year.

However, an Energy Star certified dryer can reduce energy use by 20%, resulting in a potential annual savings of 70.2 kWh of electricity or $11.23.

Eco-friendly Energy Saving Dishwasher

If you manually wash eight dishes in two minutes, you will use the same amount of water as a dishwasher. So, it is advisable to use a dishwasher if you frequently cook at home and have a big family. A typical dishwasher uses five gallons of water and 1.2 kWh of electricity per cycle. If you run the dishwasher three times a day, you would use 5,475 gallons of water and 1,971 kWh of electricity annually.

Energy Star certified dishwashers can save 30% of water and 12% of energy. This translates to a potential annual savings of 236.52 kWh of electricity or $37.84, and 1,642.5 gallons of water or $10.02.

Benefits Of Using A Smart Power Strip

Smart Power Strip can be programmed to turn certain devices on and off, which can potentially reduce your energy in peak hours.

If you do laundry three times a week and it takes an hour for each load with a 900-watt washer and 45 minutes with a 3 kW dryer, you will use approximately 491.4 kWh of electricity a year.

Electricity rates vary between peak and off-peak hours. In the summer, rates range from 7 to 13 cents per kWh, while in winter, they are between 2 to 4 cents per kWh. By doing laundry during off-peak hours, you can potentially save $22.1 to $41.8 per year.

Switch To A Home Electric Vehicle Charger

The average American drives 13,476 miles per year. A car consumes about 30kWh of power for every 100 miles traveled on average, resulting in a total usage of 4,042.8 kWh over a year.

The average electricity rate in the US is around 16 cents per kWh, but at Electrify America, high-speed charging costs 41 cents per kWh. Some Tesla Superchargers are charging as much as 50 cents per kWh. You can save $1,010.7 if you charge your electric vehicle at home instead of high-speed charging. By using a home electric vehicle charger during off-peak hours, you could save two-thirds of the time and $181.93 to $343.64 of electricity each year, resulting in potential total savings of $1,192.63 annually.

The total cost of an electric vehicle charger at home, including both the product and the labor, ranges from $528 to $1,317, with the national average being $923. You will be able to recoup this investment within a year.

Solar Panels Cost And Payback Period

When talking about solar panels, people often have questions about the cost and lifespan. The price structure and electricity usage in each state impact the federal tax credit program, leading to cost variations.

The average US household uses around 30 kWh of electricity per day, which would require a 5 kW to 8.5 kW solar system depending on sun exposure to offset 100%. To calculate the payback period by state, we factored in the product and labor costs for a 6 kW solar power system after deducting the federal tax credit, along with the average electricity usage of a typical American home. The data show that most of the initial investment can be recovered in 6 to 8 years, and solar panels can last 25 to 30 years. Overall, it is a smart investment decision.

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