The United States Department of Energy states that as much as 12 percent of the average income goes toward paying utility bills. Devices such as water heaters and lights are constantly in operation, constantly using energy. Installing timers throughout the home allows you to run certain devices only when necessary. This cuts energy consumption, translating to cuts in the amount of money spent on energy bills.
The Cost of Hot Water
Completing a laundry cycle using hot water is common in most homes. Many are unaware that ninety percent of the energy consumed by the washing machine goes towards heating water alone. Many people are also unaware that water heating accounts for 14% to 25% of residential energy use. “Standby heat loss” refers to the energy being consumed by the water heater while hot water is not in use. For example, the water heater is in operation even while occupants of a home are gone out to work or school, contributing to standby heat losses.
A water heater timer can be programmed to automatically shut the water heater off during specific hours of the days. An Intermatic timer is especially useful in homes with older water heaters, manufactured before 1998. Installing a timer on an older water heater would save a family of four approximately 14kWh/month.
Leaving the Lights on When Nobody is Home
Do you find yourself leaving the lights in the house on overnight or while gone on vacation? For many, this action provides a sense of home protection. After all, one would assume a thief is more likely to burglarize a home that looks unoccupied, right? While this is a great idea in terms of home safety, lighting on average already contributes to 11 percent of all residential energy use, and this number is likely higher in homes where lights are left on for an extended period of time. The Intermatic timer for lights reduces the amount of energy lights consume while providing that sense of home protection.
A lamp timer is simple to install and operate. The Intermatic timer manufactured for lighting fixtures plugs right into a 2-prong electrical wall socket. The timer provides as many as 24 different on and off settings for each day. The lights come on when the tripper is pulled out, and when the tripper is pushed in, the lights are turned off. It really is just that simple to reduce the amount of energy used by lighting while maintaining that sense of protection while you are away from your home.
Appliances Can be Energy Wasters Too
Heavy duty appliances, including heaters and air conditioners, can easily be left running for hours at a time. Intermatic timers are available for energy consuming appliances such as these. As with a water heater and lamp timer, appliance timers provide an array of settings that allow the heavy duty appliances to only be in operation during certain periods of the day.
The current energy crisis the world is facing has many people interested in “going green” and learning how to save more energy. At the same time, people may be afraid to go outside of their comfort zones and make the necessary changes to reduce their energy consumption. Installing Intermatic timers throughout the home where necessary allows one to maintain that sense of comfort while reducing the amount of residential energy being consumed. In addition, using less energy means spending less money on energy bills, and who doesn’t want that?