How To Reduce Energy Consumption While You Work From Home
Are you wondering how to reduce energy consumption while you work from home? Let’s take a look at what we can do.
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The last year has seen the vast majority of us working from home and, for those who have managed to find balance though the change, this is now a tempting option even after the pandemic is behind us. After all, now that we’re working from home, we can spend more time with the family, enjoy an office space 100% tailored to us, and generally enjoy a better work/life balance.
The trouble is that as much as this new way of working saves us on things like commuting and eating lunch out, many of us have found our energy bills rising steeply since the home office became our new norm.
This spells bad news, especially if those energy expenses overtake the savings you otherwise stand to enjoy. But, there are ways to work from home without any notable energy increase, and we’re going to consider them here.
Reduce your consumption where you can
Working from home inevitably increases energy usage, but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to keep this increase as minimal as possible. Unplugging whatever you can is the best way to make that happen, especially considering that continually plugged in devices leach as much as $19 billion per year in the US alone, some of which is guaranteed to come out of your pocket if you aren’t careful. So, make sure that you’re taking the time to unplug your printer when you don’t use it, or your desk lamp when it isn’t turned on. You could even unplug your laptop when it’s fully charged to ensure the least possible spike in electricity, despite being home all day long.
Reconsider your energy provider
Regularly reconsidering your energy provider is generally beneficial for keeping costs at bay, but now is the ideal time for your next assessment. Most importantly, you want to look for providers offering the best deals. With options like those offered by https://www.choosesolar.com standing to save you as much as 10% off your energy bills, shopping around like this could even see you offsetting WHM energy costs altogether. Many energy providers are also tailoring deals towards this new working normal right now, so taking your change of situation back to your original providers might even lead to notable savings, ensuring that you don’t have to worry.
Work out what you can claim
It’s also vital to remember that, when you’re using increased energy for business purposes, you may also be entitled to some tax deductions. Most notably, home office tax deductions allow you to claim on things like energy and internet bills in a working capacity. Admittedly, this benefit is largely for self-employed professionals but, even if you work under an employer right now, doing your research could just see you enjoying some tax breaks that make this energy increase easier to manage.
Working from home can be wonderful, but it can also get pricey. Make sure that isn’t the case by taking steps to keep steep energy bills at bay and keep your home office looking like an attractive option.
Are you ready To Reduce Energy Consumption While You Work From Home?
Turn off electronics when not in use, especially at night. Turn off lights and use LED bulbs. Use a power strip to reduce the load on your outlets.
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Other items to reduce energy consumption
- turn the light switch off (save on that utility bill)
- energy efficient appliances (energy star label) like refrigerator, dryer, oven, dishwasher, freezer, washers, air conditioner, microwave, water heater
- Use cold water instead of hot water when you can
- use natural light and sunlight instead of light bulbs – incandescent bulbs
- smart thermostat
- Use solar lights for outdoor lighting
- Air dry your clothes
- close your blinds in the summer and use your ceiling fans instead of your air conditioner
Think about our planet and renewable energy. It starts with us.
See also – Whole House Solar Generator: Why And How To Choose
