Paying for utilities in these times can significantly affect the family budget. And most of these costs are electricity bills. So how can you reduce costs and save energy?
Making sure that everyone turns off the light behind them, cooking on low heat is good, but not a comprehensive solution to the problem, as such measures do not bring tangible results. Here are some simple tips that will significantly reduce the "load" on your wallet.
First, you need to know which equipment is the most "unsaturated" - these are devices with heating coils and thermocouples: instantaneous water heaters, boilers and storage tanks with heated water, electric underfloor heating.
Also, they include: electric kettle, electric stove, oven, electric fireplace, all kinds of heaters, hair dryer and iron. Powerful motors that consume a lot of electricity effectively "assist" in rewinding kilowatts. Leadership boasts: air conditioning compressor, drill and drill, refrigerator, dishwasher and washing machine, which has both electric motor and heating elements.
If you have not had time to install energy-saving lamps that consume 4, 5-5 times less electricity, then it's time to buy them. They are, of course, more valuable than ordinary ones, but their service life is several times longer than incandescent lamps and they consume less electricity.
Remember: five 20-watt energy-saving lamps consume as much electricity as a traditional "hundred", and each is able to produce the same and sometimes brighter light output.
Modern man, who cannot imagine himself without the advantages of civilization, cannot do without a variety of all kinds of gadgets, electric lights, warm batteries and household appliances, which create for him the usual "comfort zone". In general, reducing the cost of maintaining your home is quite relevant to it, so it is useful to know about devices that help save money.
TVs and multimedia devices. Modern "flat" devices - plasma and LCD - consume less energy, this also applies to computer monitors. An 17-inch kinescope monitor that is unnecessarily plugged in is capable of "winding" more than 190 kW / h per year. Using a "saving mode" equipped with all modern models for a computer monitor allows you to save 130-135kW / h during the year.
Computers. The latest generations of computers are equipped with a power saving feature. It is worth activating it (if it does not activate automatically). In this way, the amount of energy that the computer consumes will be reduced by about 50%.
Some computer hardware, such as a graphics or sound card, processor, consumes more power than other components. Therefore, when buying a new computer component, you should pay attention to its energy efficiency.
Vacuum cleaner. In order for the vacuum cleaner to work in the most energy-efficient mode, it is necessary to clean or replace the dust container in time. Also be sure to replace or clean the exhaust filters.
Mobile devices. Remember: the "recharge" left in the socket consumes energy even after the smartphone is turned off. When the charger is turned on all the time, up to 95% of the energy is lost.
Copiers, printers, MFPs. Constantly turned on "copier" during the year can consume 1000 kWh more electricity. Copiers consume a lot of electricity when they are turned on for the first time and when they are not in power on mode. To reduce power consumption, it's worth starting devices to just copy large amounts of material and turning them off when you're done.
Electric oven. When using cooking utensils whose dimensions do not correspond to the burner of the electric stove, 5-10% of the energy is lost. To save energy when using electric stoves, use dishes with a properly shaped bottom that is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the heating surface. Close the pot with a lid when preparing the first dishes. Intensive evaporation of water increases the cooking time by 20-30% and, accordingly, energy consumption increases by the same amount. Using a pressure cooker will reduce cooking time, and thick-walled dishes will allow food to stay warm longer.
Laundry. The main reasons for the inefficient operation of washing machines are exceeding the maximum load, as well as the opposite effect - incomplete charging. In the second case, the overconsumption of electricity can be 10-15%. With the wrong laundry program, the overconsumption of electricity is up to 30%. Ultrasonic washing in some cases can greatly facilitate the work, and such devices consume about 15 watts (click on the picture to enlarge it).
Air conditioning. To prevent energy loss, the air conditioner must operate with doors and windows closed. Otherwise, the split system will cool the street or neighboring rooms, and where cool air is really needed, it will be hot. Also, when planning to buy such a device, keep in mind that today there are modern models of inverter air conditioners, whose energy consumption can be 50% lower than that of traditional systems with similar performance.
Refrigerator. The refrigerator should be in a cool place, preferably away from sunlight. It should also not be placed next to a stove or other appliance that emits heat. If the temperature at the place where the refrigerator is placed reaches 30 ° C, the electricity consumption can be increased by 100%.
It is also important not to put hot food in the refrigerator, you must wait for their temperature to drop at least to room temperature. The freezer must be defrosted periodically. A thick layer of ice and frost makes it difficult to cool frozen foods and increases energy costs.
Standby power consumption
It is no secret that a trickle of water from a broken or loosely closed tap is poured into tens and sometimes hundreds of liters of water per day, with the consequent consequences in the form of payment receipts with a huge number of zeros. And figuratively speaking, there are many such loosely closed "taps" in every home, through which electricity is constantly "leaking", and with it finances. We are talking about household electrical appliances that consume energy even in "sleep" mode or "standby" mode. And given that each farm has up to a dozen such devices, then in one year a thin stream can become quite a significant "outflow" of funds from your own pocket.
The best illustration of the futility of wasting electricity is a "switched off" TV, which can be seen in almost any family. You might think that if the screen shows nothing, then energy is not lost. However, this is not the case. Some electronic circuits and the TV's power supply are under constant voltage to allow communication with the remote control, in which case electricity is consumed in the form of heat from the power supply. In winter, such "heating" may be useful, but in summerexcess heat can turn into a headache.
Below is a list of appliances, leaving them on, you can not expect any energy savings. Equipment that "secretly" consumes electricity (meaning the amount for 1 hour)
- electric stove with electronic control - 3 watts;
- inkjet and laser printers - from 2 to 4 watts;
- cordless phones (user - base) - 1 watt;
- chargers of various types, mainly for mobile phones - 1 watt.
How to save electricity at home - this question can be found on the web of many answers, tips and tricks. It is also important to remember that reducing electricity consumption not only has a positive effect on your portfolio, but also causes changes on a more global scale, in particular:
- Stimulating the development of new energy saving technologies;
- The level of harmful emissions in the environment is reduced;
- Improves indoor comfort;
- The energy intensity of the country's economy is declining;
- Saving energy resources and protecting the environment for future generations.
10 easy and effective ways to save energy
1. Use energy efficient lighting
The most basic way to save light is to replace conventional incandescent lamps with energy-saving ones. Recently, in addition to the more common fluorescents with reduced mercury content, new LEDs have appeared on the market. They have some advantages - higher mechanical strength due to the lack of fragile glass bulb and tungsten filaments, durability and independence from frequent switching. The only disadvantage of LED lamps is the high price, but over time they become much cheaper.
2. Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
Also one of the easiest methods to save energy, which for some reason we neglect. If you do not have a very good memory, write a reminder note and stick it in a prominent place at the exit. Over time, this will become a stable habit.
3. Follow the instructions supplied with the appliances and monitor their condition
For example, periodically remove scale from an electric kettle: hard layers of salt on the inner walls of the device create a high thermal resistance, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the heating element and thus increases its energy consumption.
In addition, if you place the refrigerator next to a heat source, the energy consumption may increase several times, as the appliance will have to operate in forced mode to maintain the set temperature. The freezer on a glazed balcony will bring more benefits than in a warm kitchen, where one refrigerator is enough, which in turn must be defrosted in a timely manner and cleaned of dust from the heat exchanger on the back wall.
4. Transform your home
A "simple" cosmetic repair will also help save energy. Simple manipulations, such as gluing bright wallpaper and painting ceilings in bright colors, will allow your room to reflect up to eighty percent of the sun's rays. The darker the material, the less light it reflects, which means that more electricity will be needed to illuminate rooms with dark interiors. In addition, make the most of natural light.
5. Wipe the bulbs of dust
One of the effective options for saving electricity in an apartment involves a simple procedure for cleaning light bulbs. Few people take this recommendation seriously, as it is much easier to change a dim light source to a more powerful one. And in vain - because you have to keep in mind that the dust can "absorb" up to 20% of the light from the lamp. Also, do not forget to clean the shadows of chandeliers and lamps.
6. Use heat reflectors (thermal mirrors)
A sufficient amount of electricity is absorbed by heating appliances used during the cold season. To reduce unnecessary heat and energy losses, for example, heat-reflecting battery screens made of foamed polyethylene (environmentally friendly polyethylene foam duplicated with mylar or polypropylene metallized foil) will help. This will help raise the temperature in the room by a few degrees and excess heat will not be released to the walls and through them to the street.
7. Use a dual-zone device to pay differentiated rates
The tariff for electricity at night (from 23. 00 to 07. 00) is twice lower than during the day. Therefore, those who work at night or simply prefer to sleep during the day, the installation of a dual-tariff meter can not only save money on electricity bills, but also reduce the likelihood of emergency outages. Unfortunately, the diphtheria system is not popular and many are simply unaware of its existence.
8. Buy household appliances with energy consumption class "A" and higher
Energy efficiency is denoted by classes - from A to G. Class A has the lowest energy consumption, G is the least efficient. Most modern household products, light bulb packaging and even cars have to bear the EU energy efficiency label. More economical equipment is usually marked with a green label. Energy-saving appliances consume much less energy than other appliances. In addition, the difference can sometimes be up to fifty percent. In addition, today there is equipment of class A + and A ++. Accordingly, its energy saving capabilities are even higher.
9. Insulate the apartment / house / room
Also one of the most effective methods. In addition to all of the above, you can save energy by taking simple measures to heat the room. First, insulate the windows and seal any cracks, and ideally replace outdated double-glazed windows with better plastic ones, preferably energy-saving glass. It is known that up to 50% of heat can be lost through windows. Also in winter it is better to hang warm thick night curtains on the windows, as well as to insulate the front doors and the balcony (loggia), you should also consider insulating the floors in the room.
Insulate the facade of your house or apartment. This will also significantly reduce the "load" of the meter, as effectively increasing the thermal insulation capacity of the walls and removing the so-called "cold bridges" will not only consume less electricity for heating in winter, but also cool in summer. Mineral wool or foam can be used as a thermal insulation material.
10. Apply smart technologies and renewable energy sources
In the modern construction industry, there is the concept of "smart" home, which implies a system that provides above all resource savings and safety with the help of high-tech devices and automation. Of course, the application of "smart" features for your home is recommended at the design stage. However, some elements of intelligent technology can now be equipped with living space. For example, you can remotely control heating, air conditioning and lighting using special applications on your smartphone.
The most common alternative energy sources are the sun and wind. That is why solar and wind power plants are the most attractive for homeowners. There are many examples where, for example, solar panels have helped private households to save electricity and become energy independent, but the final economic effect of their installation must be calculated on a case-by-case basis. However, it is unlikely that anyone will dispute the fact that the future of RES and their accessibility to ordinary consumers is a matter of the next few years - this is clearly evidenced by successful foreign experience.