You’re in the business of making money, not wasting it. But many small businesses don’t realize that their energy bills can be higher than necessary—which could hurt their bottom line. This article will cover some handy ways small businesses can significantly reduce their electricity bill and use that money to invest in other important areas instead.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance is important for any machine, and a business can’t operate without equipment. Whether you own your business or work for someone else, it’s crucial to maintain the machines in your office or warehouse. Running a business means completing all the tasks that need to be done on time; routine maintenance helps with this so that you aren’t constantly waiting on repairs. If you don’t have time or know-how to do this yourself, hire companies like Business Energy Comparison, who are professionals in auditing your office and suggesting ways to reduce energy costs.

Set the Temperature Just Right

The first mistake is setting the temperature too high. You see, the temperature in your office needs to be comfortable for you and your employees, but it also needs to be low enough that you’re not wasting money on heating or cooling.

The best way to get this right is by using a programmable thermostat. This little device can save you hundreds of dollars every year by automatically turning it down at night and back up when everyone arrives in the morning, keeping things right all day long without any additional effort on your part.

Another common mistake with office temperatures: forgetting that even though it may seem like no one’s around during the day (or night), there still might be people present who need some heat or air conditioning. These include people like overnight security guards, cleaners who work during off hours, and janitors who come in early each day.

Avoid Turning Up the Heat in One Room

You may have heard the term ‘thermal lag’ or that it’s not good to heat one room and leave others cold.

If you’re running a business from your home office, turning up the heat in one room while leaving other rooms cold could cause issues. For example, suppose your office is on the third floor of your house, and it gets cold there because you don’t want to turn up the thermostat for fear of wasting energy (or being too warm). In that case, employees who work remotely might feel chilly when using their computers during office hours. This will make them less productive as they try to stay warm by wearing more layers of clothing than usual.

Use Energy-efficient Appliances

To determine what appliances you should use in your office space, consider the following:

• Energy-efficient appliances are those that consume less electricity than their counterparts. The most common energy-efficient appliances include dishwashers, clothes washers, and refrigerators. For example, if your current refrigerator is 10 years old and uses up to 200 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month, it may be time for an upgrade.
• Appliances like space heaters and microwaves can be energy hogs. If you don’t need them on all day long–or ever–consider unplugging them when not in use. This will save both money and energy.

Leave Lights Off When Not in Use

Switching off lights when you’re not using them is an easy way to reduce your energy bill. With motion sensors, you can even automate the process and save yourself the trouble of having to remember each time. In addition, turning off the lights before leaving a room will help keep them from burning out over time.

If you have several rooms that are sometimes empty, such as an office or conference room at night (or even during business hours), consider investing in timers so that these areas are turned off automatically at night or on weekends when no one is present.

Invest in Replacing Outdated Equipment

There are several ways to keep your energy costs down, but one of the most important is to invest in new equipment. This can seem difficult if you’re already operating on tight margins and have trouble finishing everything. Still, outdated equipment can cost you significantly more in the long run.

• Outdated equipment is less efficient than newer models, drawing more power from the grid or other sources. This also means that any savings you may have earned by purchasing older machines will be lost once they can no longer cover their own operating costs because they consume so much energy on their own.
• Newer technology tends to be easier on the environment as well. Since they use less electricity than older models do while generating similar amounts of heat (or cooling), using them can help reduce carbon emissions.

Conclusion

You can control your business’s energy costs with a little planning and some energy-efficiency upgrades. And if you are over your head with too many expenses, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Your accountant can help you find ways to cut down on expenses or save money without sacrificing quality.