Paying for utilities in these times can significantly affect the family budget. And most of that cost is electricity bills. So how can you reduce costs and save energy?
Making sure everyone turns off the light behind them, cooking on low heat is good, but it is not an exhaustive solution to the problem, as such measures do not bring tangible results. There are some simple tips, following which, you will significantly reduce the "loads" in your wallet.
First, you need to know which appliances are the most "mouthpieces" - these are appliances with heating coils and thermocouples: instantaneous water heaters, boilers and hot water storage tanks, electric underfloor heating.
Also, these include: an electric kettle, an electric stove, an oven, an electric chimney, all kinds of heaters, a hair dryer and an iron. Powerful motors that consume a lot of electricity effectively "help" in the return of kilowatts. Leadership can boast: an air conditioner compressor, a punch and a drill, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, as well as a washing machine, which has an 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 is time to buy them. They are, of course, more valuable than ordinary ones, but their service life is several times longer than incandescent bulbs and consumes less electricity.
Remember: five 20-watt energy-saving lamps consume as much electricity as a traditional "hundreds" and each is capable of producing the same light output and sometimes brighter.
A modern person, who can not imagine himself without the benefits of civilization, can not do without a variety of all kinds of tools, electric light, hot batteries and household appliances that create for him the usual "comfort zone". The issues of saving electricity and, in general, reducing the cost of maintaining your home are quite important to him. Therefore, it is helpful to know about devices that help save money.
TV and multimedia equipment. Modern "flat" devices - plasma and LCD - consume less power, this also applies to computer monitors. An unnecessarily lit 17-inch kinescope monitor is capable of "rolling" more than 190 kW / hour per year. Using the "saving mode", which is equipped with all modern models, for a computer monitor allows you to save 130-135 kW / hour during the year.
Computers. The latest generations of computers are equipped with an energy saving feature. It is worth activating it (if it is not activated automatically). Thus, the amount of power consumed by the computer will be reduced by about 50%.
Some computer devices, such as a graphics or sound card, processor, consume more power than other components. Therefore, when buying a new component for a computer, you should pay attention to its energy efficiency.
A vacuum cleaner. In order for the vacuum cleaner to work in the most energy efficient way, it is necessary to clean or replace the dust container in a timely manner. Do not forget to change or also clean the exhaust air filters.
Mobile devices. It should be remembered: the "recharge" left in the socket consumes power even after turning off the smartphone. When the charger is plugged in all the time, up to 95% of the power is wasted.
Copiers, printers, MFP. A permanently lit "copier" during the year can consume 1000 kWh more electricity. Copiers consume a lot of electricity when they turn on for the first time and when they do not work in ignition mode. To reduce power consumption, it is worthwhile to turn on the devices only to copy a large amount of materials and turn them off when they are finished.
Electric stove. Using cooking utensils, the dimensions of which do not correspond to the burner of the electric stove, loses 5-10% of energy. To save energy when using electric stoves, use utensils with the bottom of the right shape, which is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the heating surface. Cover the pot with a lid when preparing the first dishes. Intensive water evaporation increases 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 cooking utensils will allow the food to stay warm longer.
Washing machine. The main reasons for inefficient operation of washing machines are exceeding the maximum load, as well as the opposite effect - incomplete loading. In the second case, the overpayment of electricity can be 10-15%. With the wrong washing program, the excess electricity consumption 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).
Conditioner. To prevent energy loss, the air conditioner should be used with the doors and windows closed. Otherwise, the partition system will cool the street or adjoining rooms, and where really cool air is needed, it will be hot. In addition, when planning the purchase of such a device, keep in mind that today there are modern models of inverter-type air conditioners, whose power 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. Also, it should not be placed near a stove or other appliance that emits heat. If the temperature in the place where the refrigerator is placed reaches 30 ° C, electricity consumption can be increased by 100%.
It is also important not to put hot foods in the fridge, you have to wait for their temperature to drop to at least room temperature. The freezer must be thawed periodically. A thick layer of ice and frost damages the cooling of frozen foods and increases energy costs.
Power consumption in standby mode
It is no secret to anyone that a water leak from a broken or loosely closed faucet flows into dozens, and sometimes hundreds of gallons of water a day, with the ensuing consequences in the form of large zero payment bills. Figuratively speaking, in every apartment there are many such freely closed "faucets" through which electricity "flows" constantly and with it the finances. These are appliances that consume energy even in "sleep" mode or in "standby". And given that each farm has up to a dozen such devices, then within a year a subtle leak can turn into a pretty significant "outflow" of funds from your pocket.
The best illustration of the nonsense of electricity loss is a "turn off" TV, which can be seen in almost every household. You might think that if the screen shows nothing, then the energy is not wasted. However, this is not the case. Some electronic circuits and the power supply of the TV are under constant voltage to enable communication with the remote control. In this case, electricity is consumed in the form of heat from the power supply. In winter, such a "warm-up" can be helpful, but in summer, excessive heat can become your headache.
Below is a list of devices, leaving them on, you can not hope for any energy savings. Devices that "secretly" consume electricity (means the amount for 1 hour)
- electric stove with electronic control - 3 watts;
- inkjet and laser printers - from 2 to 4 watts;
- cordless phones (consumer - basic) - 1 watt;
- chargers of various types, mainly for mobile phones - 1 watt.
How to save electricity at home - this question can be found online 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 into the environment has decreased;
- Improves interior comfort;
- The energy intensity of the country's economy is declining;
- Saving energy resources and preserving 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 conventional incandescent bulbs with energy-saving ones. Recently, in addition to the most common fluorescent with reduced mercury content, new LEDs have appeared on the market. They have several advantages - higher mechanical strength due to the lack of a fragile glass lamp and tungsten filaments, durability and independence from frequent replacement. The only drawback 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, then write a reminder note and place it in a conspicuous place at the exit. Over time, this will become a lasting habit.
3. Follow the instructions that come with household appliances and monitor their condition
For example, periodically clean an electric kettle: solid layers of salts on the inner walls of the appliance create high thermal resistance, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the heating element and, accordingly, increases its energy consumption.
Also, if you place the refrigerator near a heat source, power consumption may increase several times, as the appliance will have to work in forced mode to maintain the set temperature. A refrigerator on a glass balcony will bring more benefits than in a warm kitchen, where a refrigerator is enough, which, in turn, must be thawed at the right time and dusted by the heat exchanger in the back wall.
4. Give your home a change
A "simple" cosmetic repair will also help save energy. Simple manipulations, such as gluing light carpets and painting light-colored ceilings, will allow your room to reflect up to eighty percent of the sunlight. The darker the material, the less it reflects light, which means that more electricity will be required to illuminate rooms with a dark interior. Also, make the most of natural light.
5. Wipe the bulbs out of the dust
One of the effective options for saving electricity in an apartment involves a simple procedure for cleaning the lamps. 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 - as you should keep in mind that dust can "absorb" up to 20% of light from the bulb. In addition, do not forget about cleaning the shades of chandeliers and lamps.
6. Use heat reflectors (thermal mirrors)
A fairly large amount of electricity is obtained from heating devices used in the cold season. To reduce unnecessary heat and energy losses, for example, heat-reflecting screens will help batteries made from foamed polyethylene (environmentally friendly polyethylene foam, doubled with lavsan or metallized polypropylene film). This will help raise the temperature in the room by a few degrees, and excess heat will not be released into the walls and through them into the street.
7. Use a two-zone meter to pay differentiated tariffs
The electricity tariff at night (from 23. 00 to 07. 00) is twice lower than during the day. Therefore, those who work at night or just prefer to sleep during the day, installing a dual tariff meter can not only save money on electricity bills, but also reduce the possibility of emergency outages. Unfortunately, the diphtheria system is not popular and many simply do not know about its existence.
8. Buy household appliances with energy consumption class "A" and above
Energy efficiency is indicated by class - from A to G. Class A has the lowest energy consumption, G is the least efficient. Most modern household products, bulb packaging and even cars have to bear an EU label for energy efficiency. The most economical devices are usually marked with a green label. Energy saving devices consume much less energy than other devices. Moreover, the difference can sometimes be up to fifty percent. Moreover, today there are devices of class A + and A ++. Therefore, its energy saving capabilities are even higher.
9. Insulate the apartment / house / room
Also one of the most effective methods. In addition to all the above, you can save energy by taking simple measures to heat the room. First, insulate the windows and close any cracks, and ideally, replace the old stained glass windows with the best plastic ones, preferably with energy-saving glasses. It is known that up to 50% of heat can be lost through windows. Also, in winter, it is better to hang thick warm curtains at night on the windows, as well as insulate the front doors and the balcony (loggia), you should also think about insulating the floors in the room.
Insulate the facade of your house or apartment. This will also significantly reduce the "load" on the electricity meter, as an effective increase in the thermal insulation capacity of the walls and the elimination of so-called "cold bridges" will not only consume less electricity for heating in winter, but keepcool even in summer. Mineral wool or foam plastic can be used as a heat insulating material.
10. Apply smart technologies and renewable energy sources
In the modern construction industry, there is the concept of "smart" home, which means a system that provides, above all, resource savings and security with the help of high-tech equipment and automation. Of course, setting "smart" features for your home is recommended at the design stage. However, some elements of intelligent technologies can already be equipped with residential environments. 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. Therefore, for homeowners, solar and wind power plants are more attractive. There are many examples where, for example, solar panels have helped private households 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 its availability to ordinary users is a matter for years to come - this is clearly evidenced by the successful foreign experience.