A modern apartment is filled with all sorts of electrical appliances, without which people can no longer imagine their lives. This is why residents of an ordinary two- or three-room apartment often receive electricity bills for 200-300 kW. However, saving energy in an apartment is possible, and we will explore options on how to save electricity in an apartment with a meter.
General savings instructions
First of all, residents need to determine which appliances consume the most energy. A home wattmeter can help with this. With its help, you can find out how much electricity a certain appliance (refrigerator, TV, hair dryer, iron) consumes when it is on or in standby mode.
By conducting such an analysis of energy consumption, it is possible to develop austerity measures.
When doing the next renovation of an apartment, you should:
- Replace old wiring that was installed decades ago and was not designed for so many appliances. Using a larger cable, rational adjustment and increasing the number of secure sockets will avoid connecting extension cords and tees. This is the path to economy and fire safety.
- Wallpaper or paint the walls and ceilings light colors that will prolong the use of sunlight in the room. Remove all large items from window sills and hang curtains with transparent light.
- Think about the zoning of the apartment and, accordingly, place the lighting fixtures of the required power (general lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, lamps). If possible, replace chandeliers and shades with more transparent ones that absorb less light, after which it will be possible to use lower power lamps.
- Insulate walls, replace windows, close doors. All this will make it possible to activate additional heating systems less frequently.
- Install two-phase meter and use energy-intensive appliances after 23: 00, when the tariff is much lower.
- Replace old incandescent bulbs with more modern energy-saving ones or LEDs. This will save 70-80% of your home lighting costs.
Proper use of electrical equipment
If possible, say goodbye to old energy-intensive electrical appliances. Modern equipment is much more attractive, practical and economical. The energy efficiency class A, A +, A ++ means that this device is more economical today. However, even when using old appliances, you can save energy in the apartment.
- Electric stove. Boil the food on partial power after you have boiled the water, closing the pan with the lid. Use only cookware, cleaned of carbon deposits, with a flat bottom and the right size (preferably stainless steel), use a pressure cooker in which the cooking temperature is higher due to its tightness. Change the burnt coils in the burner in time. by following all these tips you will save up to 60%.
- Place the refrigerator in a cool, well-ventilated area. The door should close properly and open as infrequently as possible and for a short period of time. The refrigerator should not be completely filled with containers and food, because the air inside should circulate freely. Place food pots in the refrigerator only after they have cooled to room temperature.
- Audio and video equipment must be continuously cooled by a stream of air. Do not leave it in standby mode. It is best to place the TV and computer monitor in an evenly lit place to reduce the brightness and contrast of the screen.
- Computers. When you stop working on it, after a while the monitor switches to standby mode and then the whole computer. The user can adjust the time after which the monitor will "fall asleep".
- The vacuum cleaner should be cleaned regularly of accumulated dust, this will increase its absorption and reduce energy consumption.
- The washing machine must be charged according to the standard specified in the passport. Overload is just as useless as overload.
- The electric boiler should be cleaned regularly from the scale, which impairs the thermal conductivity of the heating element.
- Only turn on the air conditioner with the windows and doors closed.
- Chargers for electronic devices that are not unplugged consume electricity, which is used to heat them.
How to save electricity in an apartment with folk remedies
More often than not, such wording conceals not entirely legal methods of saving someone's money, but simply theft from an energy company. There are many ads online like "saving electricity in a magnet apartment".
- Strong neodymium (NdFeB) magnets are most often used to slow down the counter. These magnets are able to stop or slow down electromechanical (induction) meters, both single-phase and three-phase. Electronic meters do not react to magnets, except for devices in which the measuring part is not electronic. However, it should be noted that from such a shock, up to 30-40% of the meters fail and if they switch on the power supply, they can do a magnetization test and bring the fraudster to justice through the courts.
- Various economists are also actively offered. Manufacturers claim that with its help the electrician is used more rationally, the service life of electrical equipment is extended. In this case, the device has no effect on the counter. Upon closer examination, it was found that these devices have the simplest device: several LEDs and a 5 Microfarad film capacitor. This device can have the least effect on the reactive energy of a low power device, such as a fluorescent lamp. However, the apartment meter only takes into account active energy and does not react to reactive energy. Therefore, such economists are a pure hoax.
It can be concluded that there are many ways you can save electricity in an apartment, however, it is better to use legal methods than illegal and fraught with problems of a technical and legal nature.