In the article Five Ways to Reduce Energy Bills, we mentioned that recurring use as one of the background loads to your electricity or energy bill. Your recurring load comes from devices that come on at the same time every day. In the background, they are easy to forget about or go unnoticed. But because they occur so frequently, waste adds up fast. The good news is that so do savings.

Spend 10 Minutes Identifying Recurring Use

Do you have anything on timers? Something you do the same time everyday? How about at night? How about other people in your home? Maybe walk around your home to help you think of stuff.

Here are three common recurring use cases that people sometimes forget about, but they draw a lot of electricity:

• Pool or spa equipment. This article is an overview on make pools and spas more efficient
• Radiant floor heating being on timers for too long
• Inefficient outdoor lighting that’s on too long or using incandescent bulbs

Now, consider shortening the duration for which these things come on daily. Or even consider replacing them with something that draws a lot less electricity. In the examples above, replacing incandescent bulbs with much more efficient LED’s would help shave your bill, or just turning off radiant floor heating and use slippers instead.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Try something for a week to see what matters to you.

Implement Efficient Pool Measures

Have a swimming pool?

It could be the culprit behind a high recurring load. Keeping pools clean and comfortable can eat up a lot of electricity. Swimming pools a good places to starting looking to lower bills. Here are some things to look at:

• Pool Cover: Do you use a pool cover when no one is in the pool? This is the single most effective way to reduce pool heating costs. Not only does it keep evaporation to a minimum, it keeps out debris, and reduces chemical consumption. Learn more here.
• Pump Timing: The California Pool Industry Energy Conservation Task force recommends that (depending on pool use) pool owners should reduce filter operating times to no fewer than four hours per day during the summer and two to three hours during winter months.  This can reduce the pool’s annual electricity consumption by 40%-50%. They also suggest that if the clarity of your pool water or chemicals are out of balance, your pools needs more filtration. Just operate the filter for a little more time, no more than 6 hours/day, and your pool should be balanced. Purchase a pool timer to help automate your pool pump operating hours. It’s recommended to run the pump during “off-peak” times such as early morning or late night.
• Pump Efficiency: You need to ensure you have the right pump size and type for your usage. You should work with a pool professional familiar with your pool design to help select the most efficient size, efficiency and operating time. To be prepared, you can read this article and review this white paper. Your pool professional may mention solar heating (especially if you are in a mild climate). You can read up about it here.

Also, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has these pool efficiency recommendations. Further, here is an overview of energy efficiency quick tips from Swimmingpool.com:

• Reduce heat loss by using a pool cover. Your energy savings can be 50-70%.
• Fencing, hedges and landscaping that shelter your pool from prevailing winds will further reduce heat loss.
• If you use your pool only on weekends, reduce your heater or heat pump thermostat settings by 8-10º during the week.
• When leaving for vacation for more than a week, unless freezing temperatures are expected, turn off the pool heater or heat pump.
• According to the American Red Cross, the most healthful swimming temperature is 78 degrees F. Reducing your heater or heat pump thermostat to maintain 78 degrees F or lower temperature will also help conserve energy.
• Reduce pump speed to reduce energy use. A slower pump reduces power consumption.
• For good water maintenance, circulate water through a filter only once per day. Additional cycles tend to waste energy.
• Run your pool’s filtration system during off-peak hours when electricity demand is lower – generally between 8pm and 10am.
• Keep intake grates clear of debris. Clogged drains require the pump to work harder.
• To obtain maximum filtration and energy efficiency, clean your filter regularly.
• New Energy Star variable drive pool pumps slash utility costs.

Spa Efficiency

Have a spa or hot tub?

Hot tubs and spas are a wonderful way to relax but hopefully the cost to operate one isn’t causing stress. Review these tips to see if you can save on your daily recurring costs. Here are recommendations from the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals on energy-efficiency tips:

• Temperature setting: Set your temperature to 102 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. A couple of extra degrees can really save energy (and money!) over time.
• Controls: Use your technologically advanced control system to heat hot tub water to a specific temperature during preset time periods. For example, set controls to warm the tub water to 102 degrees Fahrenheit between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and preset a lower temperature during remaining hours. Most hot tub manufacturers refer to this temperature control feature as their “economy” setting.  If your hot tub does not have an updated digital control system, consider an affordable upgrade.
• Hot tub cover: The hot tub cover is your most significant energy saving option. Heat rises, so your hot tub cover can have an enormous impact on heating costs. Replace your hot tub cover if it gets heavier over time, which means it’s taking on moisture and losing insulating effectiveness. Consider a replacement cover with more advanced insulation for greater energy savings.
• Floating insulation: Consider adding a floating insulation blanket to keep heat in and cut down on evaporation.
• Clean filters: Clean and replace filters often for maximum hot tub energy efficiency. Dirty filters can strain the equipment and cause your hot tub to use excess energy.
• Wind break: Installing wind breaks will help keep your spa warmer as well as help with a little privacy.
• Vacation mode: If you go on vacation for week or longer, turn down the heater or if there’s no chance of freezing, consider turning off the heat completely.

Water Feature Efficiency

Do you have a water feature, e.g. an indoor fountain or an outdoor fountain?

We’ve mentioned before that pumping water takes a lot of energy. Make sure the pump for your water feature is properly sized, and it only runs as much as needed. If your schedule has changed, perhaps you don’t need the feature running as long.

Switch to LEDs for Recurring Lights

If you have identified lights inside or outside your house that comes on every day/night, consider using very energy efficient lightbulbs. We’ve talked about how to choose LED bulbs before.

Heat Lamp Timing

Have a heat lump? In your bathroom? Terrarium or other places?

Confirm that you’ve got your heat lamp on for the appropriate amount of time and not too long. Also look at efficient options next time you need a bulb replacement.

Reduce Time Aquarium Lights Are On

Many homes set the aquarium tank lighting once and forget about it. Now is a good time to review how many hours you actually spend enjoying the tank. Try and keep the main aquarium lighting to 8 hours a day or less.

You can also purchase moonlight LED lights. They will use less energy than your main light and can still provide nice ambient lighting during off hours.

Feel free to look at other good aquarium energy efficiency recommendations here and here.

Thanks to the Energy Efficient Aquarium for this list of activities to review:

• Keep aquarium in a warm room
• Use an aeration stone under the heater
• Use a low output heater since they last longer and disperse heat better
• Insulate the tank bottom and possible sides with polystyrene
• Install compact fluorescent or LED bulbs
• Don’t run the equipment (lights, filter) more than necessary