Energy-Wasting Habits Your Household Needs To Break

When it comes to cutting utility bills, some habits in our households need breaking. Nearly all of us are guilty of leaving unnecessary plugs in an outlet. The problem is, this can increase your bills and isn’t great for our planet. Delve into the top energy-wasting habits your household needs to break.

Leaving the Fridge Open

One of the most prevalent energy-wasting habits for many households is leaving the fridge open while meal prepping. We often think leaving the door open for a few minutes won’t matter much, but refrigerators account for a significant portion of the home’s energy consumption. The longer you leave the door ajar, the more energy the fridge requires to maintain the desired temperature.

Pro Tip

In addition to saving energy, closing the fridge is an essential refrigerator maintenance tip. When your fridge has to work harder to keep cool, it puts more wear on the internal components.

Having Unneeded Plugs in Outlets

Nowadays, most of us have a ton to do between work, our families, and hobbies. It’s all too easy to leave unneeded plugs in outlets around the house. I can’t tell y’all how many times I’ve left my charger plugged in the outlet after my phone reached 100 percent power. It’s easy to overlook unplugging a charger as you walk away.

The problem with this habit is it wastes a fair amount of unnecessary energy. The same is true for small appliances and other devices we leave plugged in despite only occasionally using them. Look around your home and determine what you can unplug to reduce wasted energy.

Taking Long Showers

Long showers are relaxing, and that warm water feels amazing. However, this is a huge waste of water, specifically when your shower goes beyond 30 minutes. In fact, the ideal shower should only take 5 to 10 minutes.

To reduce your water consumption, consider fitting your shower with a low-flow head or decreasing the temperature of your water heater. Additionally, try to stay on task while in the shower by setting a timer and using it as motivation to finish quickly. If a physical timer isn’t your style, use music to measure time; once you’ve heard two songs, your shower should be over.

Breaking Your Habits

Altering behaviors is rarely easy, and finding the strategies that work for you takes time. Work with your household to experiment with different techniques to break your energy-wasting habits.

Some of y’all may need to make a list of reminders, such as unplugging unneeded electronics and closing the fridge door. On the other hand, some may ingrain this in their minds by adopting new ways of completing daily tasks. What’s most important is that y’all are patient with yourself as you adopt new routines.