IDT Energy Savings

Have you noticed that winter has arrived? Well of course you have, and so has IDT Energy. It’s time to discuss some great ways to save money during the high energy consuming winter months.

IDT Energy can’t emphasize enough some of the following suggestions which can help you save a lot of money on your power bill during this cold, dark time of year.

1. Don’t delay insulating your home. Cover everything, from the walls, floors, heating ducts and don’t forget the ceilings and attic access. Basement trapdoors also need attention.
2. Have you ever noticed how cold your glass windows get, especially at night? Cover those windows with shutters, drapes or clear plastic to keep the cold air out and warm air in.
3. Put caulk around doors and windows. Check for cracks and holes in window and door frames, too, and plug them all up.

Have you ever thought about how important electricity is in the world we live? In today’s world we almost take electricity for granted, but if you try and imagine what the world would be like without electricity, you would be startled to know that life as we know it today would be virtually impossible. Another astounding fact is that it has not even been 150 years since Thomas Edison created the first practical electric light bulb in 1879.

IDT Energy is one place where New Yorkers go to get their electricity, helping to power today’s lifestyles.

Now that winter is here, the energy costs are likely climbing due to use of heat, hot water, and more. Companies like IDT Energy would agree that not all of the costs are necessary; you can cut back slightly on your bills if you follow these few tips:

1.       Although you want nothing more than to relax in a hot, steaming bath after a cold winter day, doing so will cost you more for both the heating of the water, and the water itself. Showers use up less hot water than do baths.

2.       Install an aerator to the end of your shower head to reduce water flow by up to half. Also, make sure to turn the faucet all the way off when you are done using them.

3.       Don’t bother mopping and cleaning the house with hot water. Save the hot water for your showers, and lower your heating bill. Your house will look and feel clean even if you use soap with cold water.

Energy companies like IDT Energy can attest to the fact that your appliances and electronics are responsible for around 20% of your energy bills. Here are a few tips for you to lower the costs with little effort. First of all, try air drying your dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle. Be sure to clean off the lint filter in the dryer after use to maintain proper air circulation. Why not consider using a clothes line on sunny days instead of running your dryer at all? Air-drying is actually recommended by clothing manufacturers for certain fabrics. If you choose to use your dryer nonetheless, make sure not to over-dry the clothes. Also, dry towels and heavier cottons in different load, separated from light-weight clothes.

Winter is arriving rapidly, and it is a little known fact that the cold weather can greatly affect your electricity bill. Companies such as IDT Energy can testify to the fact that proper use of appliances and a few quick home repairs can make this season much less expensive.

First, get a programmable thermostat. Used properly, it can reduce temperature regulation costs by up to 10%. Set it at 20?C during the day and 18 when you’re sleeping or away. Second, regularly check the weather- stripping throughout your house. Drafts can increase your energy use by up to 30%. The winter months tend to be darker, and so more electric light is used throughout the daylight hours. Switch your incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones, as they use less energy and last longer. Lastly, make sure to close the doors to all the rooms that are not being used, as well as closets. The heat is easily wasted.

Even while doing your laundry, you can learn key ways to save on your energy use.  Believe it or not, 85-90% of the energy that you use while washing the clothes is for heating the water.  If you do cold water washes and rinses, however, you’ll save a tremendous amount of this electricity. Whether you’re using IDT Energy or another energy supplier, you’ll have real savings with these tips.

Use your washing machine after 8pm, when the electricity demand is lower and make sure to only use the water level that you really need for the load you are doing.  Only do the laundry when you have a full load and consider purchasing a smaller machine if you usually find that your laundry loads don’t fill the machine completely.

If you’re in the market for a new machine, look for one that is ENERGY STAR qualified, as it can reduce water use by almost 45% and energy use by about 65%.

Almost any energy company, like IDT Energy, would agree with the statement that using less energy can lower the monthly bill. It is relatively easy to conserve energy once you are aware of the appliances which consume the most power. One such appliance is the dryer- people often don’t realize how much electricity they use each day when they run it over and over again. Of course, using a clothesline during the summer months would conserve the most energy, however, many people don’t have a convenient location to use one, nor do they want to spend the extra time required to hang and remove the clothes.

The first way to conserve energy while using a dryer is to wring out the clothes in advance. This will help the drier work quickly and more efficiently. Sorting the clothes by weight will also increase the driers performance. Make sure not to overload it. The dryer uses more energy and works less efficiently when it is too full. If there are too many clothes that need to be dried, put one load in immediately after the other in order to take advantage of the energy that may still be lingering from the previous load.  Also, make sure to clean the lint filter often, and vacuum the exhaust hose at least once a year.

If you are looking to purchase a new dryer, some have moisture sensors and will shut down the moment the clothes are dry.

Lights left on in commercial buildings not only kill thousands of birds each year – they are also a primary source of energy waste. Nearly one-third of all the electricity in the U.S. is used to run those offices, a rate of use that is expected to rise 500% in the next decade. Business employees tend to be less concerned about saving energy in their offices because there is no selfishness component: If you’re not paying, you’re not worrying. But this en masse waste of non-renewable energy sources should be a concern to every American citizen. It’s important for businesses to look at their energy supplier and to see if they can save money by switching suppliers to IDT Energy or another source.  In addition, companies should promote energy saving plans by encouraging a few good habits that will help the office save money – and help our
nation save energy. A few easy tips:

1. Turn off the lights when you go out to lunch. You can go off on your break feeling that you’ve done something good for the environment – and it’ll take you less than one second.

2. Put your monitor to sleep. You need to be awake when you go off to a meeting (or at least pretend to be!) but your monitor can use this time to take a nap.

3. Reuse & Recycle. Don’t be a tree-eater! Don’t print what you don’t need, print double-sided, and recycle the paper you do use.

Saving energy with these easy suggestions will certainly cut down on costs to the office and help the environment.

Any boss knows that every dollar counts.  The more that you can save money on your energy bill, the more you’ll have for employee benefits, company functioning and more.  When evaluating your company’s energy use, consider switching suppliers to a company like IDT Energy if you live in a state with deregulated energy suppliers.

Do regular tuning of your heating and ventilation systems and regularly replace filters.  Install ceiling fans wherever possible to help with air circulation and temperature regulation.  If you are in the market to purchase new heating and ventilation units, choose ENERGY STAR ones and also use ENERGY STAR light bulbs and other equipment.

Make sure that water heater and supply pipes are insulated and install ceiling and wall insulation.

Many people throughout the United States now have the opportunity to choose their energy provider.  Companies like IDT Energy can offer them savings on their electricity bills and offer them choices that they’ve never had before.  But how does deregulation work and what does it mean?

The deregulation of electricity supply actually began in the late 1990’s with Pennsylvania and California as the first two states to offer consumers a choice with alternative electric suppliers.  Now, more than 16 states allow for electricity choice, including New York, New Jersey and many others.

This means that, within these states where there is deregulation, each customer has choices about who should be their electricity supplier.  Each supplier can offer alternative rates and energy products.  Certainly, one appealing advantage to this system is that there is more competitive pricing.  Citizens can feel that they have a choice in this area and can select the electricity supplier that they feel will best serve their needs.