As a small business owner, you want to do everything in your power to minimise your expenses. Utility expenses are a great place to cut down.
Particularly during the summer, when energy costs are typically higher due to air-conditioning and cooling, your electricity bill can be a major expense. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to reduce your electricity consumption and save money on your utility bills.
Read on to find out how:
Turn Off Unused Lights
Of course, you need lights in your place of work so that your employees and clients can see what they are doing, but the whole space doesn’t need to be perfectly lit up at all times.
Encourage your employees to turn off the lights whenever they leave a room, and to only turn them on when needed. Opening window shades to allow in natural light can make a big difference as well. It can also be helpful to install timers or motion sensors on lights so that they turn off automatically when a room is no longer in use.
Switch to LED Light Bulbs
In addition to turning off the lights when you don’t need them, you can also save money on electric bills by upgrading to energy-efficient LED bulbs.
These modern light bulbs use far less power than their predecessors, making it easy to trim your energy usage. While LED bulbs may be more expensive to purchase initially, they often last much longer than other light bulb types, so you are likely to save money on replacement costs in the long run.
Upgrade Your Thermostat
If your employees are constantly fiddling with the thermostat to adjust the temperature throughout the day, it can put significant strain on your cooling system.
Instead, switch to a programmable thermostat that will allow you to set specific temperatures for different times of the day. This task usually requires a licenced electrician to visit your office location. If possible, speak to the electrician about switching to zone heating and cooling so that you can set different temperatures for various areas of your facility to minimise hot and cold spots.
Check Your Window and Door Seals
The seals around your windows and doors are really important in maintaining a comfortable temperature, as they contribute to insulation. This helps to keep heat inside in the winter and out during summer.
However, these seals can wear down over time, making them less effective. Be sure to inspect the seals periodically, repairing or replacing any that have worn down over the years.
Move Your Data Storage to the Cloud
Running multiple servers to house your company’s data can chew up a lot of power, as they’ll need to be powered on at all times.
Cloud storage is a more modern solution that enables you to store your data at an off-site facility, accessing it over your internet connection, rather than hosting your own physical servers. Servers can run incredibly hot, so your server room will have much greater cooling needs. Not only will you save money on running the servers, but you’ll also drastically reduce your cooling costs for that area of your facility.
Commit to Saving Energy
Make sure that you are always on the lookout for energy-saving options for your business. From equipment to lighting and cooling, advancements in technology will continue to improve your company’s energy-efficiency going forward.
An investment in new technology up-front can save your company a lot of money on electric bills in the long run, so be diligent about keeping up with the latest innovations.
“The opinions expressed by BizWitty Contributors are their own, not those of BizCover and should not be relied upon in place of appropriate professional advice. Please read our full disclaimer."
