A business can improve its annual profit margin by keeping energy consumption rates low. However, many businesses make similar mistakes that increase energy consumption rates, which results in higher utility bills.

Take a look below at some of the common mistakes businesses make that increase energy consumption rates. Avoiding these four mistakes can keep your energy consumption levels low and save your business a lot of money over time:

1. Using incandescent light bulbs

You might be tempted to use incandescent bulbs in the light fixtures in your commercial facilities because they are cheap. After all, if they’re cheap, they’re easy to replace when they burn out right? Well, as it turns out, going cheap on bulbs results in spending more money over time.

For starters, incandescent bulbs consume a lot of energy. This adds up over time, which can result in expensive utility bills. Also, incandescent bulbs last for about 2,000 hours maximum. This means they need to be frequently replaced, which also adds up.

Switch to LED light bulbs instead. These consume much less energy than incandescent bulbs and last significantly longer. They don’t burn out until around 20,000 hours of use, which means you won’t need to think about replacing an LED for a long time.

2. Ignoring that strange sound in the refrigeration unit

Commercial refrigeration units can be a little noisy, but they shouldn’t be clanking, grinding or rattling. If you hear any strange noises in your commercial refrigeration, there may be an issue with one or more of its components.

It’s important to have your refrigeration inspected when it’s making strange noises. Anything that’s dirty or malfunctioning causes your refrigeration to consume extra energy and also impacts that lifespan of your refrigeration equipment.

3. Ignoring the strange sound in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)

As with commercial refrigeration, any strange sounds coming from your HVAC system may indicate there is an issue that needs to be resolved. Ignoring these sounds increases the amount of energy necessary to keep your HVAC running. Bring in an HVAC professional to clean and inspect your HVAC system for any issues if you hear strange noises.

4. Leaving unnecessary equipment turned on

The simple act of turning off unused equipment can reduce the amount of energy your business consumes by a considerable amount. Talk to your staff and make sure everyone is diligent about turning off unused equipment and lights to keep energy consumption at a minimum.

Contact Energy Optimization for energy optimization services

At Energy Optimization, our energy professionals specialize in helping businesses improve their energy efficiency. We can help you avoid expensive energy mistakes and take other steps to reduce the amount of energy your business consumes. Contact us today to learn more about optimizing the energy performance of your business.