Today, hardly anyone can imagine their lives without a refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, TV, computer, hair dryer, kettle, mixer and other appliances. All these objects surround us in everyday life and in many ways make our lives easier.
However, the fact that electricity tariffs are constantly rising should not be ruled out. Along with them, the schedule of expenses in the family budget for electricity payments is increasing. What to do? The answer to this question is one and it lies on the surface - to start saving.
Electricity used above the established standard is charged at higher tariffs. At the same time, the standard does not depend on the number of people living in the apartment, nor on its area.
Energy saving techniques
The power consumption of household appliances depends on their operating time and specifications, which are usually listed in the instructions or on the manufacturers' websites. Many modern devices have special modes of operation "Eco" or "Economy", which consumes the least energy. Therefore, when working with devices, it is worth setting economy modes of their operation. Experts also advise you to buy electrical appliances only with high energy efficiency classes (A, A + and higher).
We save on apartment lighting
The cheapest and most common for apartment lighting today are incandescent lamps. They are easy to operate but have very low efficiency. Up to 95% of energy is used for heating and only 5% for lighting. Another disadvantage of these lamps is that they often burn out.
The lifespan of halogen lamps is two or even four times longer than that of incandescent lamps. But they are not energy efficient and have one major drawback: the bulb, even when the lamp is off and cold, can not be touched with your hands. Fingerprints make it burn.
Fluorescent lamps have higher efficiency. This 20W lamp provides the same lighting as a 100W incandescent lamp. The service life of fluorescent lamps can reach 20 thousand hours, while incandescent lamps last no more than 1000 hours. However, fluorescent lamps contain mercury. Phosphorus decomposes over time. This reduces the light output and impairs light transmission.
LED bulbs are among the most environmentally friendly and versatile. They are superior to incandescent and fluorescent lamps in terms of energy efficiency, durability, safety and lighting. The service life of LED lamps varies from 50 thousand to 100 thousand hours. Their significant disadvantage is their high price.
We save on the refrigerator and kitchen appliances
Refrigerators should be installed in the darkest and coldest places in the kitchen. This saves energy to cool their rear grille.
Avoid placing the refrigerator near a window, radiator or stove. If it is two-compressor and one camera is not used, it is better to turn it off.
If the kitchen is equipped with a gas stove, it is preferable to heat the water on the stove rather than in the kettle. This will help save energy consumption.
If you are using an electric kettle, fill it with as much water as you use at one time. Your loved ones will heat the water again, and you will have extra energy consumption.
When using an electric stove, turn off the hob 1-2 minutes before the end of cooking. Choose dishes that match the size of the stove, otherwise you will lose up to 5-10% of your energy. Curved bottom vessels consume up to 40-60% of excess energy.
When using the microwave to reheat or defrost food, select the correct setting. This is stated in the instructions.
Prefer a hand grinder to a food processor. This will help not only save energy, but also digest food better.
Save money on the washing machine
Carefully read the instructions for the "washing machine". As a rule, the more water the machine sucks, the higher its temperature, the more energy is used for washing. When underloaded, the machine consumes more than about 15% of the energy. If the program is installed incorrectly, the power consumption is about 30%.
We save on the work of the iron
Try ironing wet laundry. If you dry it, you will need to heat the iron more for ironing and use more electricity accordingly.
We save on room cleaning
When vacuuming, empty dust bags frequently or replace them when using disposable bags. The accumulation of large amounts of garbage in the bag leads to overheating of the vacuum cleaner and significant energy consumption.
Save in device standby
Disconnected appliances left on the mains do not consume much electricity. But you can also save on that. If you decide to save energy, be sure to unplug the TV, stereo or video player. In addition, there are many cases where electronic devices left on the mains burn out during a thunderstorm or accident.
Save money on PC and internet
Try using your computer for a long time. When you leave the house, turn it off. This will extend the operation of expensive equipment and save electricity.
Remember that the LCD monitor or laptop uses less power than the older monitor and desktop computer.
The "chargers" of cell phones that stay in the network for a long time do not consume much electricity. However, these are switching power supplies. In the network, they can overheat and deteriorate. God forbid there is a fire in the apartment. Unfortunately, there are such cases.
We save on common parts
In addition to the appliances in your apartment, pay attention to the consumption of electrical appliances in the common areas of a residential building - lamps, elevators, video surveillance, fire alarms, forced ventilation and so on. Energy efficiency and cost-effective uses can help you save on home maintenance costs.