Energy bills are a part of every business’s expense. But with electric bills skyrocketing in past years, there’s never been a better time to think about lowering energy consumption and energy costs. This is especially true during the summer months. As the weather gets hotter, the need to use air conditioners increases.
To save money from paying an expensive monthly energy bill, strive to reduce or minimize your business’s energy use. Without considering how to reduce energy consumption, you could miss out on countless cost-reduction opportunities.
Lowering your electricity bills is a must for every business. It helps you save money, which can be invested in other areas of your business. Being energy efficient also reduces your business’s carbon footprint, which can help with your branding and keep the atmosphere cleaner!
There are many easy ways to save energy costs without spending an arm and a leg or drastically changing your business model. Here’s our list of some hacks to help your business lower its electricity bill.
Conduct an Energy Audit
Your path toward saving energy and lowering your electric bills will be tough if you don’t know where you’re wasting energy. Reach out to pros who provide commercial electrical services and let them conduct an energy audit. Through energy audits, you’ll have easy-to-understand information about your business’s energy usage, which can help you come up with actions and strategies to help reduce your energy costs.
For instance, energy audits allow you to determine if there are any air leaks in your commercial property, the condition of your HVAC system, or if your air filters need replacing.
Energy audits take four to six hours, depending on the size of your commercial property and the number of appliances, equipment, or devices used.
Adjust Your Thermostat
One of the easiest and most effective ways to save energy is to adjust your thermostat. According to the Department of Energy, adjusting your thermostat by at least 7 degrees for 8 hours daily can help you cut down 10% of your heating and cooling costs. Simply put, make use of a programmable thermostat and set it a bit warmer during summer and a bit cooler in the winter.
A simple way to do that is to adjust your thermostat once your business closes for the day or during off-peak hours. If your business is using a smart thermostat, program your thermostat for those hours so you won’t have to do it manually every day.
Invest in Energy-Efficient Appliances
Appliances with poor energy ratings can cost your business hundreds or thousands of dollars. Replacing perfectly decent appliances isn’t the solution; upgrading older models to newer, more energy-efficient ones is.
For example, the average lifespan of an air conditioner is 15 to 20 years. Once your air conditioning units reach this age, opt to change them by upgrading to energy-efficient models. An air conditioner’s energy consumption increases as it gets older and will consume more energy to produce cool air. So expect that your energy bills will still be high if you continue to use older models, no matter how you try to conserve energy.
In general, all electrical appliances are graded based on the amount of energy they consume per hour. The lesser energy consumed, the better the grade of the appliance is, with A+++ being the best and G being the worst.
Don’t Leave Appliances on Standby
Leaving appliances on standby is convenient. Who wants to unplug printers every day after working and plug them in again the next day? This might be true, but the amount of money your business pays for expensive utility bills annually is staggering. According to a study, appliances on standby mode still consume about 0.05 to 30 watts every day. Multiply this by the number of days in a month or year, and you’ll see how much money you’re wasting on expensive energy bills.
What’s the solution? Unplug appliances when not in use. This is an effective strategy that every business can adopt effortlessly. You can also assign someone to ensure all electrical appliances are switched off and unplugged at the end of the workday.
Turn Off Lights When Not in Use
Even if you’re using energy-efficient light bulbs, this doesn’t mean that you should leave them on when they’re not in use. Remember, any electrical devices on standby contribute to a more expensive electricity bill.
Turn off lights whenever you leave the room, and make sure every single employee does the same. Don’t light areas when not in use, like meeting rooms, storage rooms, or pantries. Consider using motion-sensor light switches in appropriate areas.
Another energy-saving practice is to utilize direct sunlight. This resource is abundant in the summer months, so take advantage of it. This will help your business consume less electricity during day time, leading to lower electricity bills.
Ensure Workplace is Insulated
When offices are properly insulated, less cool air escapes during the summer months, and less hot air escapes during the winter. The light breeze you feel when you’re inside your office requires energy and money to produce. When air escapes all the time, energy and money are wasted.
Invest in insulation to reduce the amount of energy required to maintain the preferred temperature in your office. There are many ways to achieve that goal. You can upgrade your window glazing or invest in cavity wall insulation. These options are often expensive but guarantee a significant ROI due to the amount of money you can save on your electricity bill.
Another strategy is to use some weather stripping. Weather stripping can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 30% and is easy to apply. This technique also helps get rid of draughts.
Avoid Overfilling the Coffee Machine
Do you or your employees love using the office’s coffee machine for a cup of Joe throughout the day? You’ll be surprised how this small appliance can cost your business so much.
An overfilled coffee machine will require more time to heat water, meaning it’ll consume more energy whenever used. Prevent this from happening by encouraging everyone in the office to be cautious when making their coffee and avoid boiling too much water at a time. This practice is a great way of saving energy and money.
Use Less Energy in The Office Kitchen
There are many ways to save energy in the office’s kitchen. Regardless of the size of your kitchen or the number of employees using it, following these tips will help you save electricity:
- Unplug the microwave after use. If your business often prepares food for customers or clients, switch off backup fryers, ovens, and other cooking equipment during off-peak hours.
- Wait until the dishwasher is fully loaded before turning it on.
- Clean the filters of your freezers and fridges regularly to ensure they work properly. Avoid putting these appliances in small or tight spaces to prevent them from overheating.
- Cover pots to reduce heat loss and cook faster.
- Buy insulated cooking equipment whenever possible.
Look into Your Water Heater
Does your business use a water heater? If yes, check how old it is. If it’s older than seven years, insulate it to retain more water heat.
Regardless of the model and frequency of use of your water heater, it’s best to insulate the first three feet of the heated water pipe. If possible, upgrade to a more energy-efficient water heater model to save money long-term.
Plant Shady Trees Outside
Shady landscaping outside your office will not only make your property look more appealing but also helps you lower your electric bills. Trees and other plants can protect your office from intense sun during the summer months and chilly winds during winter.
Trees and their leaves will protect your office from the sun’s harmful UV rays and will help keep your offices inside the commercial property stay cool, especially during the hottest hours of the day. Over time, this will lead to a lower energy bill.
Use Ceiling Fans Instead of an AC Unit
There are many ways to reduce your energy consumption when using your AC unit. But did you know that ceiling fans consume less energy than air conditioners? Ceiling fans cut back on air conditioning needs, helping your business save up to 40% on electricity usage.
Start Now
Energy prices are rising, which is why businesses should embrace energy-saving strategies as soon as possible. Energy-saving tips might be challenging to implement but consider them cost-effective investments essential to cutting down costs.
We hope the tips we’ve presented will give you ideas on how to save money on your business’s summer electric bill. If you still have questions on how you can conserve energy more or lower your energy usage, reach out to Apex Electric. We’re your one-stop electrical contractor, offering a wide range of commercial electrical services, from new construction, and maintenance to repairing electrical problems.
