Paying utility bills at these times can significantly impact household budgets. And most of that cost is electricity. So how do you reduce costs and save energy?
Making sure everyone turns off the lights and cooking on a low fire is fine, but it's not a complete solution, as such measures don't produce noticeable results. There are some simple tips, follow these tips and you will significantly reduce the "load" on your wallet.
First of all, you need to know which devices are the most "gluttonous" - these are devices with heating coils and thermocouples: tankless water heaters, boilers and storage tanks with hot water, electric floor heating.
Also includes: electric kettle, electric stove, oven, electric fireplace, various heaters, hairdryer and iron. Powerful motors that consume a lot of electricity effectively "assist" in rewinding kilowatts. Leadership can boast: air conditioner compressors, hole punches and drills, refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines that have both an electric motor and a heating element.
If you don't have time to install energy-saving lamps that consume 4. 5-5 times less electricity, then it's time to buy. They are of course more valuable than regular lamps, but they last several times longer than incandescent lamps and consume less current.
Remember: five 20-watt energy-saving lamps consume as much power as a traditional "hundred" lamp, and each lamp is capable of producing the same, and sometimes brighter, light output.
A modern man cannot imagine himself without the benefits of civilization and cannot do without the various gadgets, lights, warm batteries and household appliances that create his usual "comfort zone" for him. The issue of saving electricity, in general, reducing the cost of maintaining your home is very important to him. Therefore, it is useful to know the equipment that will help you save money.
TV and multimedia equipment. Modern "flat" devices - plasma and LCD - consume less power, and this also applies to computer monitors. Unnecessarily open 17-inch CRT monitors are capable of "winding up" over 190 kW/h per year. Using the "Energy Saver Mode" equipped with all modern models for computer monitors, you can save 130-135 kW/h over the course of a year.
computer. The latest generation of computers are equipped with power saving features. It's worth activating it (if it doesn't activate automatically). Therefore, the energy consumed by the computer will be reduced by about 50%.
Certain computer hardware (such as graphics or sound cards, processors) consume more energy than other components. Therefore, when purchasing new components for your computer, you need to pay attention to their energy efficiency.
a vacuum cleaner. In order for the vacuum cleaner to work in the most energy-efficient mode, the dust container needs to be cleaned or replaced in time. Don't forget to replace or clean the exhaust filter.
Mobile devices. It should be remembered: even when the smartphone is turned off, "charging" left in the socket consumes energy. When the charger is always plugged in, up to 95% of the energy is wasted.
Copiers, printers, all-in-one machines. A "copier" that is permanently on throughout the year can consume an additional 1000 kWh of electricity. The copier consumes a lot of power when it is first turned on and when it is not working in the on mode. To reduce power consumption, it's worthwhile to only start the devices when copying a lot of material and shut them down when done.
Electric oven. Using cooking utensils, the size of which does not correspond to the burner of an electric stove, loses 5-10% of the energy. To save energy when using an electric stove, use a plate with a correctly shaped bottom that is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the heating surface. When preparing the first course, cover the pot. The intense evaporation of the water increases the cooking time by 20-30%, and correspondingly, the energy consumption increases by the same amount. Use a pressure cooker to cut down on cooking time, and thick-walled cookware to keep food warm longer.
washing machine. The main reason why a washing machine runs inefficiently is exceeding the maximum load, and the opposite effect - an incomplete load. In the second case, the overrun on electricity may be 10-15%. Using the wrong wash programme can lead to overspending on electricity by up to 30%. Ultrasonic cleaning can be extremely convenient in some cases, and the power consumption of such devices is about 15 watts (click image to enlarge).
Air conditioner. To prevent wasting energy, air conditioners must operate with doors and windows closed. Otherwise, a split system will cool the street or adjacent rooms, and the areas that really need cool air will be hot. Also, when planning to purchase such equipment, keep in mind that there are modern models of inverter air conditioners today that can consume up to 50% less power than traditional systems with similar performance.
refrigerator. The refrigerator should be placed in a cool place, preferably away from sunlight. Also, it should not be placed next to a stove or other heat-generating equipment. If the temperature of the place where the refrigerator is placed reaches 30°C, the electricity consumption can be increased by 100%.
It's also important not to put hot foods in the refrigerator, you need to wait for them to come down to at least room temperature. The refrigerator must be defrosted regularly. Thick layers of ice and frost can affect the cooling of frozen foods and increase energy costs.
Power consumption in standby mode
Anyone know that every day a single drop of water from a broken or loosely closed faucet can flow into tens or even hundreds of liters of water, with the ensuing consequences of payment receipts with tons of zeros. Figuratively speaking, with many such loosely closed "faucets" in every residence, electricity is constantly "leaking" and with it. We are talking about household appliances that consume energy even in "sleep" or "standby" mode. Given that there are as many as a dozen of these devices per farm, within a year, a thin trickle can turn into a sizable "outflow" of money from your own pocket.
The best example of a pointless waste of electricity is the "turned off" TV, which is seen in almost every home. You might think that if the screen isn't showing anything, it's not wasting energy. However, this is not the case. Certain electronic circuits and TV power supplies are at constant voltage in order to communicate with the remote control. In this case, electricity is dissipated in the form of heat from the power source. In winter, such "heating" might come in handy, but in summer, the excess heat can give you a headache.
Below is a list of appliances that you can't expect any energy savings if you leave them on. Devices that "sneak" power consumption (i. e. power consumption per 1 hour)
- Electric control stove - 3 watts;
- Inkjet and laser printers - 2 to 4 watts;
- Cordless Telephone (Consumer - Base) - 1 Watt;
- Various types of chargers, mainly for mobile phones - 1 watt.
How to save electricity at home - There are many answers, tips and tricks to this question on the web. It is also important to remember that reducing electricity usage will not only have a positive impact on your wallet, but will also cause changes globally, specifically:
- Encourage the development of new energy-saving technologies;
- reduce harmful emissions to the environment;
- Improve indoor comfort;
- The energy intensity of the country's economy is declining;
- Save energy resources and protect the environment for future generations.
10 Simple and Effective Ways to Save Energy
1. Use energy efficient lighting
The most basic way to save light is to replace traditional incandescent lamps with energy-saving lamps. Recently, in addition to the more common low-mercury fluorescent lamps, new LEDs have appeared on the market. They have some advantages - higher mechanical strength, durability and less frequent switching due to the absence of fragile glass bulbs and tungsten filaments. The only downside to LED lights is their high price, but they get a lot cheaper over time.
2. Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
Also one of the easiest ways to save energy, which we overlooked for some reason. If your memory is not very good, write a reminder note and stick it in a prominent place at the exit. Over time, a stable habit will develop.
3. Follow the instructions that came with the appliances and monitor their condition
For example, regularly descale an electric kettle: the solid salt layer on the inner walls of the appliance creates a high thermal resistance, which can significantly reduce the efficiency of the heating element and thus increase its energy consumption.
Also, if the refrigerator is placed next to a heat source, the power consumption can increase several times because the device has to work in forced mode to maintain the set temperature. A freezer on a glass balcony brings more benefits than a warm kitchen, where a single refrigerator is enough, and the kitchen needs to be defrosted in time and dusted from the heat exchanger on the back wall.
4. Transform your home
"Easy" cosmetic fixes also help save energy. Simple actions like sticking light-colored wallpaper and painting a light-colored ceiling will make your room reflect up to 80% of the sun's rays. The darker the material, the less light is reflected, which means more power is needed to illuminate a dark room inside. Also, take advantage of natural light.
5. Wipe the dust off the bulb
One of the effective options for saving electricity in an apartment includes the simple procedure of cleaning the light bulbs. Few people take this advice seriously because it's much easier to change a dimmed light source to a more powerful one. In vain - because you need to remember that dust can "absorb" up to 20% of the light emitted by the lamp. Also, don't forget to clean the shades of pendant lights and light fixtures.
6. Using a heat reflector (heat mirror)
Heating equipment used in the cold season consumes enough electricity. For example, to reduce unnecessary heat and energy loss, a heat reflective screen for the battery made of foamed polyethylene (environmentally friendly polyethylene foam, replicated with lavsan or polypropylene metallized film) will help. This will help raise the temperature in the room by a few degrees, and the excess heat will not be dissipated to the walls and passed through them to the street.
7. Pay Differential Rates with Dual Zone Meters
Electricity rates at night (from 23: 00 to 07: 00) are twice as low as during the day. So for those who work at night or just prefer to sleep during the day, installing a two-price meter can not only save on electricity bills, but also reduce the likelihood of emergency power outages. Unfortunately, the diffariff system isn't popular, and many people don't even know it exists.
8. Purchase household appliances with energy consumption level of "A" and above
Energy efficiency is represented by grades - from A to G. Class A has the lowest power consumption and class G has the lowest efficiency. Most modern household products, light bulb packaging and even cars must carry the EU energy efficiency label. More economical equipment is usually marked with a green label. Energy efficient appliances consume much less energy than other appliances. Also, the difference can sometimes be as high as fifty percent. In addition, there are devices in the A+ and A++ classes today. Therefore, its energy saving capability is higher.
9. Insulating an apartment/house/room
It is also one of the most effective methods. In addition to all the methods above, you can save energy by taking simple steps to warm your room. First, insulate windows and seal all cracks, preferably replacing outdated double-glazed windows with better plastic glass, preferably energy efficient glass. It is known that up to 50% of heat can be dissipated through windows. Also, in winter, it is best to hang warm thick night curtains on the windows, as well as insulate the front door and balcony (veranda), you should also consider insulating the floor of the room.
Insulate the exterior walls of your house or apartment. This will also significantly reduce the "load" of the electricity meter, as effectively increasing the insulation capacity of the walls and eliminating so-called "cold bridges" will not only reduce electricity use for heating in winter, but also keep it cooler in summer. Mineral wool or foam can be used as insulation.
10. Apply smart technologies and renewable energy
In the modern construction industry, there is the concept of a "smart" home, which means a system that provides resource conservation and safety above all with the help of high-tech equipment and automation. Of course, it is advisable to lay out "smart" features for your home during the design phase. However, some elements of smart technology can already be equipped with living areas. For example, you can remotely control heating, air conditioning and lighting using special apps on your smartphone.
The most common alternative energy sources are the sun and wind. Therefore, for homeowners, solar and wind power plants are the most attractive. There are many examples, for example, where solar panels help private households save electricity and achieve energy independence, but the ultimate economics of their installation must be calculated individually in each case. However, it is unlikely that anyone will question the future of RES and its availability to ordinary users as a matter of the next few years - something that has been clearly demonstrated by successful experience abroad.