Electrical
Solar Panels in Richland Hills, TX

When it comes to reducing your household expenses, one of the best places to start is with your electricity bill. Better yet, it just so happens that a lower electric bill means you’re lowering your carbon footprint as well! To celebrate Earth Day 2025, here are some tips on the best energy-efficient upgrades in your home.

LEDs

One of the best places to start with upgrading your home to be more energy efficient is with LED lighting installation. This type of lighting uses 90% less energy than traditional incandescent lighting and can last up to 20 times longer. You can implement LED lighting in all the rooms of your home and replace old incandescent fixtures with newer-style LED ones.

Dimmer Switches

Another easy option to implement are dimmer switches. You can switch out your regular light switches with these more convenient dimmers that allow you to alter the amount of light emitting from your lighting fixture. Aim to install a dimmer switch in all the different rooms of your home for the best results. Keep in mind that task lighting is still best in full light.

Timers and Motion Sensors

If you have lights that you only need to turn on whenever you’re near them, you may want to consider installing motion sensors. For example, motion sensors can be a great addition to outdoor pathways and driveways to provide you with much-needed illumination when briefly entering these areas. Plus, you can enjoy the added security benefit of being alerted when someone is in one of these locations.

Additionally, if you have locations where you only want power on for a limited amount of time, you can consider installing timers. These are convenient for areas of your home where you can benefit from turning off the light but don’t feel like having to do it every night.

Smart Plugs and Outlets

Smart technology can be a great asset when it comes to increasing the energy efficiency of your home. Installing new outlets with smart functionality gives you remote control over any item that is plugged into them. You can conveniently turn them off from your smartphone and even set a timer so that they will shut off on their own. The benefit of using smart plugs or outlets is that when you turn off the outlet, it doesn’t allow the appliance to draw phantom power and run up your energy bill. Consider installing these in locations of your home where you have a lot of appliances or devices plugged in.

Energy-Efficient Appliances

Another way to reduce your energy bill is to invest in more energy-efficient appliances. If any of your appliances are over 10 years old, they’re probably not as efficient as modern-day appliances. A great appliance to consider is a tankless water heater that uses significantly less energy than the traditional tank water heater. Whenever purchasing an appliance for your home, ensure that it has an ENERGY STAR rating.

Solar Panels

If you want to invest some money in making your home more energy efficient, you may want to consider investing in solar panels. These panels can help to provide supplemental power for your home to greatly reduce your energy bills. The panels will replace the need for incoming electricity on sunny days. You may even want to consider getting a battery for storage where you can store excess energy that your system produces during the daylight hours to use during the overnight hours.

Ceiling Fans

One great investment for your household is installing ceiling fans. These should go in all the main rooms of your home to help provide more comfort throughout the year. During the wintertime, you can turn your fans on to circulate hot air from the top of the room back down to the floor. During the summer months, you can create a breeze that blows down on you and cools your body down. Ceiling fans can reduce how often you use your HVAC system.

Solar-Powered Outdoor Lighting

A simple investment to help reduce some of your energy consumption is to invest in solar-powered lighting. Instead of purchasing solar panels, you can purchase individual lighting fixtures that rely on solar energy. These are great for outdoor lighting purposes where they’re out in the sun throughout the day to charge up for the overnight hours.

Smart Thermostat

One electrical upgrade that can have a big impact on your annual energy bills is a smart thermostat. This type of thermostat has internet connectivity that allows you to alter your thermostat settings via your smartphone. You can look at your usage data and program in a set schedule to help reduce the runtime of your HVAC system. The less often you run your HVAC system, the more money you’ll save on your energy bills.

Install a Water Heater Timer

If you have a consistent routine, you may want to consider installing a timer on your hot water heater. This device allows you to set a predetermined period when your hot water heater will shut off. Most homeowners choose to implement this during the overnight hours to help save on their energy bills. All you need to do is set your timer to turn back on a couple of hours before you need to be using your hot water in the morning.

Use Occupancy Sensors

If you or other members of your household have a hard time remembering to shut off lights and other devices when you leave your room, you may benefit from having an occupancy sensor installed alongside a smart electrical system. With this type of device, it will sense whenever you physically leave a room and automatically shut off the lights and whatever other devices you choose. This is a convenient way to save money on your energy bills without having to put forth a lot of effort.

Whole-Home Energy Monitor

If you’re serious about taking a dent out of your electrical bill, consider installing a whole-home energy monitor. This device goes directly into your main panel box and actively monitors each circuit breaker in your home. You can receive real-time data about how much energy each circuit is using throughout different times of the day. By becoming better informed about your energy usage, you can actively develop a plan to reduce it.

Get a Home Energy Audit

All the electrical upgrades that we went over above are just some of the many out there for you to choose from. A great place to start is by getting a professional energy assessment for your home. This type of assessment will help to determine areas where there is a lot of energy consumption and waste. This will give you a detailed rendering of where your problems lie and provide you with suggestions on how to remedy them.

Expert Electrical Installation Service

HR Phoenix offers expert electrical installation services to the Dallas, TX community, including adding solar panels to give your home access to renewable energy. Ask us about how our energy-saving solutions can help your individual home. We can also help with your electrical repair, outlet, panel, and wiring needs. Simply call our office today to book your next service consultation.

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