Working from home? Check out these energy-saving…

With more and more people working from home to comply with calls for social distancing, some families might see their monthly energy usage increase. But there are some steps you can take to make sure working remote doesn’t dramatically inflate your power bill, and there are simple solutions you can find without leaving your home.

Make smart adjustments to the temperature
Heating and cooling are the biggest energy expenses for most homeowners. When working from home, see if you can handle lowering the temperature just a little. Every degree you move it down can save about six percent on your energy bill, according to ENERGY STAR.

Use advanced power strips to regulate the flow of energy
Advanced power strips can help cut down on phantom energy use. They work like a typical power strip, but advanced power strips (available free for most Wisconsinites) turn off energy flow to devices so they do not keep using energy while they are in standby mode. Berkley Lab found standby power usage can account for about 10 percent of residential energy use.

Personalize your lighting
Use task lighting to only illuminate the area where you are working. Use a desk lamp or only turn on lights in the specific area/room you’re occupying. Also, consider keeping the lights off, and instead opening blinds and letting in daylight when possible. Replacing older incandescent light bulbs with LEDs can help further reduce your energy consumption.

Order from home
Focus on Energy’s Online Marketplace allows you to order and get instant discounts on energy-saving items. Visit focusonenergy.com/marketplace to find items that can help better control energy use in your home.

Image source: Stocksnap.io

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