Keeping My Home Energy Consumption Down

Reducing Energy Use In The Convenience Store

If you're about to buy a convenience store franchise, the utility bills are going to be among your top concerns. These are heavy power users, and you've got to find a way to conserve energy wherever you can. It is possible, so take heart -- your franchise can become energy efficient after a few modifications.

Check Refrigerator and Freezer Doors

Throughout the day (and night, if the place is open 24 hours), have a staff member periodically inspect the doors on the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Ensure they are closed and that, when you let go of an open door, it closes all the way by itself. Inspect the gasket around each door, too, because a cracked or dried-up gasket can let cool air leak out.

LEDs Wherever Possible

Change over the lights in the place to LEDs whenever and wherever you can. The cost of LEDs has come down, and while the initial cost to buy the bulbs can be noticeable, the savings on your monthly bills can be just as, if not more, noticeable too. If you're already using fluorescents, you can keep those in until they burn out -- but at that point, switch to LEDs. Any incandescents and halogen lights (that are not used as heat lamps for food) should be changed quickly.

Replace Broken Appliances With Energy-Efficient Ones

You'd think this one would be obvious. However, in an attempt to save money, a lot of stores try to recycle older appliances that might not be as energy-efficient as newer ones. Go for the newer appliances. They'll last a long time, have better warranties, and offer better power conservation.

Fans vs. Air Conditioning

During spring and fall, and winter if you live in a warm climate, you might not need to have that air conditioner blasting as much as you think. Yes, convenience stores are known for their cool interiors, but if it's really nice outside, you don't need to make it arctic inside. If you need to move air around, a fan may be just as good on these days, and it will certainly use less power. If you can install a ceiling fan, that will work quite well; if you have to stick with a box or pedestal fan, though, those will still help.

Just those few steps can save a bunch of money over the years. Once you get used to running the store and have made those changes, you can start focusing on additional ways to gain energy savings.