[Estimated read time: 5 minutes]

With the rising temperatures comes the inevitable rise in energy bills. To keep your home as energy efficient as possible, we’ll be going room by room explaining just how you can save money while keeping your home cool.

Starting with the living room, there are a few simple steps you can take to bring energy savings and make it as energy efficient as possible.

What is Energy Star? Energy Star is a program that offers energy efficient consumer products. Energy efficient appliances with the Energy Star logo typically use around 25% less power than conventional models.

Energy Star products are the way to go if you wish to use less power while also saving big on your energy bill.

As we mentioned in our guide for different types of lightbulbs, there are many options available today which offer different brightness (known as lumens) and use less energy.

By far the best options for lighting your living room are LED light bulbs. These types of light bulbs are energy saving and emit LED lights, which reduce energy consumption considerably.

LEDs might have a higher upfront cost, but they offer an energy saving edge, reducing energy consumption up to 80%.

Power strips are a clean alternative to overfilling your outlets. By conveniently switching off multiple appliances at once, you have complete control over how what appliances get energy.

Traditional power strips are simple: you connect the devices and turn off a switch when not using them. Newer versions called advanced power strips feature a variety of other features that might benefit you.

Advanced power strips are designed for areas where many electronics are plugged in, such as entertainment centers or home offices and provide greater control over energy usage through built-in features.

There are multiple types available right now including:

Some power strips also feature a surge protector which not only give you complete control over your appliances but also protects them from damage during thunderstorms or power surges.

While power strips might be of great help to any home, the main culprit for those extra costs are energy vampire appliances, or appliances that use energy while on stand-by.

Appliances like these could end up costing more than $200 per year for the average home.

Vampire energy loss, also known as vampire load, vampire power, or vampire draw is a simple term to explain the use of electricity by appliances that are in standby or switched off.

While most appliances might indicate that they are turned off, they might still be drawing power. The end result is unneeded power being wasted as appliances lay unused.

Video game consoles such as the Playstation 4 and Xbox One are notable for their high energy demand and could result in up to $40 in costs during standby.

Computers, including laptops, are also some of the biggest energy vampires, costing up to $30 if left plugged in while not in use. Laptops might need less power, but leaving them plugged in could result in yearly costs up to $15 when not in use.

To easily reduce these costs, safely group as many of these appliances into a power strip. By easily switching off the power strip when not in use, you will be much more in control of how much energy they use.

Televisions are the kings of power consumption, with 5 hours of daily use costing up to $160 per year while in standby mode as well as with daily use.

Plasma TVs are notorious for their usage of energy. Instead, opt for LCD screens which will reduce the amount of energy you draw. Also, change your TV’s settings to dial back on energy consumption.

Most TVs have a store demo option selected for the picture which ups the brightness and results in a high energy usage. This translates to higher energy bills and more heat. By using the power-saver mode, you decrease the amount of energy used.

If you have multiple appliances connected to the TV, turn them off when not in use. TV manufacturers of today have reduced the usage of standby power, but connected appliances might draw more energy.

These could include DVRs, Blu-ray or DVD players, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, and more. While useful, they might be putting a dent into your energy bill and end up costing more with time.

Window shades, blinds, and curtains are more than just useful for decorating your living room. Dark curtains block sunlight from entering and can be closed during the day to reduce the amount of sunlight that enters, thereby reducing cooling costs.

Blinds are as useful and can reduce heat gain by up to 45% but offer the benefit of being able to be adjusted manually.

Making your living room as energy efficient as possible might seem like a daunting task. By following the above tips and ensuring that you use only the most important appliances, you will be well on your way to ensuring your home is ready for summer.

From LED Lighting installation, to ceiling fan room installation, Bryant Electric Service can help your living room be the highlight of your home.

My dad might just be the most difficult person I know to find gifts for. Unlike other dads, who might enjoy fishing, golfing, or watching football, mine rides and restores vintage motorcycles for fun. What’s so difficult about that? Well, there are only so many spark plugs and screwdrivers he needs, and only so many specialty parts I can track down before I’m in over my head.

That’s why I went out on a limb this Christmas, and decided to give him one of our

As you can see, the light’s long neck lets it curve and reach to illuminate the motorcycle’s body for detailed work.

Soaring Efficiency

The energy efficiency of several major appliances has increased dramatically over the past three decades. The AHAM report found that between 1981 and 2013,  average efficiency shot up by 46 percent for room air conditioners, 63 percent for freezers, 102 percent for washing machines, 123 percent for dryers and a whopping 217 percent for refrigerators.

Advances in technology have fueled the savings — for example, modern dishwashers use sensors to adjust how much water they use, and cut back when appropriate. Refrigerators have been almost entirely overhauled since their early days, with big improvements in insulation, compressors, heat exchange and fan motors.

Federal Intervention

The federal government has helped nudge appliances toward higher efficiency. Since 1987 the government has incrementally increased the efficiency requirements for most household equipment, with 25 new standards since 2009 alone. All told, the Department of Energy projects that its rules will save the nation more than $1.7 trillion by 2030, in addition to lowering our greenhouse gas emissions and impact on the environment.

Slashing Prices

Not only do modern appliances save you money on your utility bills, most of them are cheaper to purchase initially as well. The American Enterprise Institute noted that a common dishwasher in 1981 cost $359.88. By contrast, a similar model today goes for $349.99. Accounting for inflation and average wage, that’s a big discount. It would take the average worker 48.5 hours to purchase the 1981 model, while today’s dishwasher would take 17 hours of work at current average wages, according to the AEI analysis.

A separate study by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project found that the price of refrigerators dropped by 35 percent between 1987 and 2010. The bottom line: Households in the modern era save on appliances up front and over time.

Discover How to Save

If you are in the market for a new appliance, you might be shocked at how much you save on your electricity bill — replacing an older refrigerator, for example, can save you hundreds of dollars per year. Check out the federal Energy Star products listing to find equipment certified to meet the strictest efficiency standards.