Hidden energy drains that are hiking up your energy bills
Energy bills are on the rise and sustainability is on everyone’s lips, small changes to your energy consumption habits can have a huge impact in the long run. Are you aware of what is using the most energy in your business and what’s costing you an arm and a leg each quarter?
By becoming more aware of your consumption and making efforts to positively change this, you’ll save yourself a ton of stress when your energy bill lands on your desk.
We all know to switch off lights when they’re not in use and to turn off desktops and monitors before heading home but what about these secret hidden offenders?
Here are 5 hidden energy wasters that you might not be aware of:
Lighting
Switching to energy-saving lightbulbs should be the first thing on your to-do list. Did you know that LED lightbulbs use up to 90% less energy than incandescent lightbulbs? That is a MASSIVE saving! On top of that, they’re also better for the environment making your business more sustainable.
Office showers
Encouraging your staff to cycle to work or go for a run at lunch by providing a shower for your staff to use is great. However, depending on the type of shower you’ve installed it could be bumping up your energy bills.
Think above installing a shower with a valve which shuts off automatically, like the ones you have in gyms, they only run for a limited amount of time – this will encourage staff to take shorter showers and cut down on using warm water.
Poor insulation and air leaks
Substandard insulation, drafty doors and windows, and other air leaks waste energy. They make your A/C work harder in the summer and your heating run longer in the winter.
Solution: Repair seals and caulking around windows and doors and upgrade your insulation. Be sure to assess your ventilation needs for healthy indoor air quality (IAQ).
Inefficient A/C use
Are your windows left open whilst you’re running you’re A/C? this defeats the object of AC as any cooling generated is going out into the wider world.
Make sure your windows and doors are closed when your AC is running, or better still, install contact sensors on them to make sure the AC doesn’t run unless they are closed! Don’t set your thermostat too low during hot summer days (when we eventually get them).
Instead, try to think of other ways to stay cool in the office without running up you’re A/C bill.
Having the wrong energy supplier
If you’ve done everything you can to reduce your consumption but still find you’re getting a huge energy bill, it could be that you’re not on a competitive tariff to suit you and your business. In addition, incorrect billing is ridiculously common, so validating those bills when they arrive is key.
Follow these helpful tips to eliminate some of your hidden energy drains. Alternatively, why not get in touch to see how we can help reduce your energy bills, make your business more efficient and get you on the road to net zero.
About Thermatic Energy Services
We work with end-user clients to help them achieve their energy management targets. Our support ranges from Install, monitoring and compliance to procurement. Our main focus is giving our customers visibility to their systems and data to allow them to make actionable decisions to reduce their energy consumption, improve their building operation and achieve their sustainability targets.
