Dropping temperatures and snow flurries don't just signify the start of the holiday season — they also mean it's time to start winterizing your home. Luckily, one Instagram user is here to share tips on keeping your energy costs low during winter.
The scoop
Summer Dean (@climatediva) shared her tips in a reel posted on her Instagram page. She recommended weatherizing windows by running a piece of clear weatherproofing tape down any window sills to prevent air from escaping.
Dean noted that residential energy use makes up 20% of dirty energy pollution in the United States, which means that these hacks can not only save you money but also help save the planet. "Air sealing and insulating your home can save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs," she explained in the video.
Another way she shared to boost energy efficiency in your home included hanging your clothes to air dry rather than relying on a clunky dryer to do it for you. "Not only does this save a huge amount of energy, it also helps your clothes last a lot longer because the drying machine causes a ton of wear and tear," she said.
Dean also recommended unplugging "energy vampires," or appliances that pull energy despite being off, like coffee makers and TVs. These pesky energy-suckers can make up 20% of your bill, and unplugging them until you need them is an easy solution to cut down on costs. Her final tip was to make a compost pile to recycle food waste.
How it's helping
All of Dean's suggestions are tried-and-true ways to reduce energy expenditures in the home. This translates to real money that is saved for homeowners, as well as less dirty energy pollution being released. The best part is that none of these tips are particularly difficult to implement and can be done in a matter of minutes.
What everyone's saying
Users were impressed by Dean's recommendations. "I fully support this message. If nothing else, it will reduce utility costs, and we can all use that," one user pointed out.
"Love tips to save [money] & the environment! Hearing how much [money] or energy is wasted not taking these actions was super helpful to hear," another user noted.
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