As we enter 2021, many people are making resolutions in different areas of life- diet, habits, health. You may also be looking at your budget or sustainability and wondering what small steps you can take to meet these goals at home. In addition to regular maintenance by an electrician, here are some easy ways to improve your energy usage in the home.

Switch to Energy-Efficient LED Light Bulbs

While they might seem like an investment at the outset, LED light bulbs that are qualified LED Energy Star are cost-efficient enough that they pay for themselves in about ten years. Because they use about 75 percent less energy than the more common incandescent bulbs, they last 35 to 50 times longer in most homes. Additionally, they emit very little heat, making electrical fires less likely, and are much more durable and less likely to break. All of these benefits combined with a minimum three-year guarantee make LED bulbs a worthy investment in the eyes of most electricians!

Replace Batteries in Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

This should be done once a year regardless, along with testing monthly for safety. Doing the annual task at the beginning of the year as a part of your resolutions makes it easy to remember the task and when it was last completed. In addition to making sure your batteries are up to date, you’ll want to keep your equipment updated as well. Smoke detectors generally need to be replaced every 10 years, while carbon monoxide detectors usually last 3-6 years depending on the model.

Install a Whole-House Surge Protector

A power surge can occur out of nowhere, during a stormy night, or when there is some disruption to local electrical equipment. When this happens, it can destroy electronic devices or even cause fires. One way to reduce this risk is to have a local electrician install a whole-house surge protector at the panel, in addition to multi-outlet power strips. This allows protection against a surge by absorbing excess power that may seep through.

Reduce Overall Energy Consumption

There are a number of simple changes you can make to reduce your energy usage- turning off lights when you leave a room, unplugging major appliances when they aren’t in use. If you aren’t sure where to start, a local Benbrook electrician can perform an energy audit on your home to make sure your electrical system is operating at its maximum efficiency.