The presence of a large number of lighting appliances and many units of household appliances consuming electricity is a common occurrence in a city apartment. It is quite understandable that a modern person wants to live comfortable, interesting and cozy. But all these benefits of civilization are becoming more and more "gluttonous" as the resource itself is becoming more expensive. Monthly electricity bills are getting bigger. After receiving the next bill, many have to think about how to save electricity in the apartment, so as not to give a significant part of their budget to the state. If you approach the solution of this issue responsibly, then it is quite possible to do so.
Pay attention to lighting if you want to save energy
To save electricity, start by converting old lighting fixtures and the interior of your apartment. As is customary, most people use central overhead light from large, heavy chandeliers powered by a few bulbs. At the same time, obsolete models with an incandescent coil are used. In winter it gets dark early, which means you have to turn on the lighting for a long time. As a result, monthly electricity bills increase in size.
And this is a reason to save light and replace ordinary light bulbs with energy-saving fluorescent or LED bulbs. They cost much more, but they differ favorably in that they do not consume much electricity for their work and, at the same time, are designed for a long service life. This way one-time purchase costs translate into sustainable savings in the future.
Furthermore, to reduce the total kilowatt hours:
- keep lamps, glass, and windows clean;
- make the most of natural light;
- paste on the walls with light wallpaper;
- turn off the light in the room when no one is there for a long time.
Use localized area lighting and low power lighting fixtures. If necessary, install motion sensors that will turn off the light in an empty room. This will help you save a lot of energy in your home.
Save energy for the most powerful consumers
The refrigerator is the most useless household appliance in terms of energy consumption, as it has to work all the time to save food. To save electricity in the apartment, use one of the modern models with low energy consumption (marked by the manufacturers as class A). That said, you should not buy the larger device. Choose the right amount of equipment based on the needs of the family.
You can pay less with an old refrigerator if its replacement is not yet possible. For this:
- Defrost the freezer regularly (except for models with "No Frost" system).
- Periodically check the tightness and tightness of the door seals.
- Put only dishes and pots that have cooled to room temperature.
- Ventilate the kitchen if the temperature rises above 30 degrees.
- Place the refrigerator away from heating appliances.
- Provide adequate and continuous ventilation at the back of the appliance.
The electric stove is another powerful consumer of electricity, but in this case there are some tricks that can help reduce costs. Saving money:
- Preheat the oven strictly at the time indicated in the recipe, not in advance.
- Turn off the stove a few minutes before the food is ready, using the heat of hot cooking utensils.
- Use flat-bottomed pans exactly the size of the heating element.
- Do not use excess water for cooking instant meals; cover the pots with lids.
- Use an electric kettle to boil tea water.
By following these simple rules, the savings can be significant.
Bathroom appliances can consume less electricity
A washing machine is an essential electrical appliance in everyday life, but it accounts for up to 20% of the electricity consumed. This provided that all the possibilities of the technique are used incorrectly. At the same time, it is quite possible to save electricity in the apartment, but it is quite possible to wash it not by hand. To do this, first wash the stains. Load the cutter to the maximum allowed, but do not overload it. Choose the washing method that suits the fabric:
- cotton;
- synthetic;
- wool.
Give preference to fast and economical washing mode. Set the temperature regulator to 30-40 degrees if the clothes are not too dirty. This will help reduce energy consumption and consequently the amount of payment.
Another device is an electric kettle. It allows you to always have hot water on hand, but to make heating water truly economical, you need to set and adjust it correctly. To do this, install the boiler as close as possible to the bathroom, so that the liquid does not cool when passing through a long water supply. Optimize the operation of the boiler by adjusting the on and off time of the heating element. Clean the heating element from the scale from time to time, increasing its heat output.
Do not pay for what you do not use
Today you can provide yourself with free time and fun without even leaving your apartment. For this, there are color TVs, personal computers, laptops, stereos and DVD players.
To save energy, turn them on only when needed and turn them off when you are away from the room for a long time. A few hours of unnecessary work - and in a month, depending on the model of the device, several tens of extra kW can be "charged".
Therefore, turn off the TVs remotely and also set to standby mode:
- all night;
- when leaving for work.
For a long absence, it is best to disconnect the cord completely.
Computers are a technique that can be found in almost every home. Electricity saving rules exist for this category of electrical equipment. Powerful components like the processor, graphics card, and widescreen monitor typically require a significant amount of power on a stationary device. In this respect, notebooks are much more economical.
To avoid overpaying and saving energy, set the desired value in the PC's power consumption settings. If you do not want to close the programs, put the computer to sleep. Activate all peripherals connected to it via surge protector:
- printer;
- scanners;
- modemet.
Turn them off after the session is over. Completely remove your laptop or computer if you do not use it for a long time. Savings in electricity and money will be visible soon.
Do not heat, but heat
Central heating in apartments has a feature. They turn it on according to the schedule, and the coolant does not always meet the required temperature. For this reason, many are accustomed to using electric heaters, convectors, etc. Early onset of cold weather, old radiators and frames that are not glued for the winter can also force them to turn on additional heat sources.
All this contributes to the fact that the apartment becomes fresh and not cozy. Heaters are convenient in that, with their small dimensions, they allow you to quickly heat the air in the room to the required temperature, but at the same time, the devices consume a lot of expensive electricity for their operation. The power of an installation is measured in several kilowatts, so it is not difficult to calculate how many rubles per month such a heating of an apartment can cost.
Therefore, to save energy, it is more beneficial to take measures to increase the energy efficiency of the house: replace old frames and doors, insulate walls, wash or install new heating radiators. Of course, this requires a serious investment in the initial stage, but in the long run it is profitable, as you will have to pay less for the light.
Install new meters to save energy
Saving electricity in an apartment with a meter is also possible due to metering equipment. The old meters known to all are created for a fee, regardless of what time of day the source is consumed. For those who have few customers connected at home and are not used often, this does not matter. Owners of large apartments and multiple appliances can benefit from the installation of modern two-tariff metering equipment.
Due to the lower cost of 1 kilowatt at night, the use of powerful equipment is much cheaper. It mainly includes installations with heating elements - washing machine and dishwasher, bakery, water heater. Such devices can be easily programmed to work at a convenient time and you will have to pay less. Energy savings can amount to about 25% of the previous payment amount, which is definitely beneficial.
