Rates are increasing and utility bills are increasing every month. It's time to think about how you can save electricity in your apartment. Using simple methods, it is not difficult to achieve a 25% cost reduction. Isn't there a reason to think about saving energy?
General recommendations
Big savings start with small habits. Many people know how to save energy at home, it is difficult to accustom a family to these simple rules. Turning off the lights when you leave the room, unplugging the chargers from the outlet when the device is charged, using appliances more efficiently, watching TV less time - small lifestyle changes can save a lot of money.
The light can be saved with the help of restrictions and using the techniques that the Swedes and Scandinavians have. Refusal of heavy curtains, tulle on the windows gives the best lighting. Light colored walls and floors reflect up to 80% of the sun's rays, which means that you will need to switch on the lighting less often.
It is also important to regularly wash the glass, clean the dust from lamps, lamps on chandeliers and sconces - pollution reduces the light by one third. Well-insulated windows and doors, wiring and modern appliances are wasteful, but will quickly be rewarded with a reduction in utility bills.
The main ways to save energy
In an apartment and a private home, you can save electricity both in lighting, in the kitchen and in appliances - in each direction you need to cut costs. It is comfortable to work, you can read with a lamp without lighting a horn lamp 3-5. You will need to vacuum less often if you get rid of carpets and dust regularly. The correct use of appliances, the choice of lamps and appliances that save energy, the calculation of tariffs are the main resources for a reasonable expenditure of money.
Correct use of electrical appliances
Knowing the secrets will save a lot of money. How to use appliances correctly to not overpay for electricity?
- Devices that do not need an uninterruptible power supply, such as a refrigerator, are best off at night. For this, it is convenient to use line filters with switches.
- Do not leave your computer, laptop, printer or other equipment in the standby mode. This will reduce the cost of paying 200 kW per year.
- Place the refrigerator away from heating appliances. To make the family unaccustomed to looking like that - the energy consumption for refrigeration, after opening the door, increases by 5%.
- Switch on the washing machine, dishwasher only with a full load. Use high quality household chemicals and low temperature conditions.
- Ironing things that require delicate handling, once turned off, with a cooling iron. Iron the clothes only after accumulating a few sets, so as not to heat the iron too often. Bed linen is easy to straighten after washing and carefully folds.
- Refuse to buy unnecessary equipment - electric fireplaces, coffee pots, thermal pots, decorative lamps do not contribute to the economy. Their functions are often duplicated by other techniques.
Controlling device shutdown is a nuisance, but the cost savings will please the responsible owner. Saving energy in your home is as easy as creating new habits.
Purchase of energy saving appliances
Buying the right appliances is an important part of the economy. Modern technology will save money for electricity. What is important to consider?
- Energy efficiency class. It is better to choose A or B. A class A refrigerator consumes 130 to 300 kWh, categories D and C will increase this value 2-3 times.
- Size. It is unlikely that a family of three will need a large refrigerator, it will be half empty and you will have to pay for energy consumption.
- Modern technologies. The induction plates only heat the bottom of the pan, its efficiency reaches 95%!
Portable solar batteries charge a smartphone, these batteries are also used to charge flashlights, which are used instead of a night light. Energy saving modes are integrated with modern computers and tablets, it is important not to be lazy and find out how to use it correctly. Deactivating and removing unnecessary applications will increase your smartphone's operating time by 15-20%, which means you will need to charge it less often.
Applications of LED lamps
Light is an affordable way to save money, many people know how to do it. It is necessary to replace incandescent lamps with energy saving lamps. An incandescent lamp consumes 60 W, a fluorescent lamp - 15 W and an LED lamp - 8 W. The choice is obvious. You need to buy LED lamps from reliable manufacturers, they are more expensive, but due to the long term of use, they justify costs and provide tangible savings. What other advantages do they have?
- Call instantly.
- The base / ceiling does not heat up.
- The bases E27 and E14 adapt to most luminaires.
- You can choose hot or cold light - this is indicated on the packaging.
Replacing all lamps is the fastest way to save energy. In one month, the saved kilowatts will reduce the cost of electricity by 2 times.
Definition of a two tariff meter
Range of meters with two tariffs: 7, 00 to 23, 00, 23, 00 to 7, 00. The installation will have a return of one year if there are many appliances that can be turned on at night - a washing machine anddishwasher, heated floors, air conditioning and also if the owners arrive home late or work on the computer at night.
Saving in the kitchen
The most energy-consuming appliances are in the kitchen. This is a stove, coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave. How can energy costs be reduced here?
- Defrost the refrigerator regularly if it is not equipped with a No Frost system.
- If possible, connect a gas stove.
- Buy dishes with thick walls and bottoms - the food stays there when the heating is off, you have time to cook and it will stay hot for longer.
- Boil water without reservation - how many cups do you plan to drink.
- Use a thermos. If you fill it with boiling water in the morning, there will be enough water for the entire day.
- A steamer or multicooker allows you to cook several dishes at the same time.
A wise housewife knows how to save energy without compromising quality of life. Regular descaling of the kettle, closing the pan during cooking and using the pressure cooker are simple recipes for the home economy.
Other ways to save
There are several methods on the Internet to reduce the cost of paying bills. Without knowing how to save electricity in an apartment with folk remedies, it is possible to find household tricks used by residents to avoid paying electricity. This is the use of a magnet, wire to block the meter. When asked how to save energy at home, recommendations can come up on how to ground zero contact and other illegal methods. The consequences of its use may be too unpleasant to seriously advise such experiments.
Energy saving devices
Which technique will help you use less electricity? All energy saving devices are designed to turn off equipment or light in time.
It is possible to save money with their help and as the owners of apartments and private houses think. What should be done?
- Install motion and presence sensors in places where the person is staying for a short time: storage room, corridor, bathroom.
- Use pass switches: at the beginning and at the end of the stairs, a long corridor, put keys to turn off the lighting when leaving the room.
- Use time relay. It is convenient to program lamps for flowers, fan heaters, even water heaters with a volume of 30–40 liters to work in a certain period. You no longer need to monitor your timely shutdown.
- Configure thermostats. You can save electricity at home by regulating the water temperature of the boiler, underfloor heating or electric boiler.
You can save money by installing useful devices in your apartment or home. If there are no owners during the day, the heating for this period can be reduced by a few degrees, so that the thermostat will raise the temperature an hour or two before the owners arrive.
How to save electricity in a private home
All of the listed methods for apartments work for individual residential buildings, but due to the larger area, they may have their own characteristics. Saving electricity in a private home is not more difficult than in an apartment, you just need to know how. Heating is responsible for most of the costs. Underfloor heating, it is best to replace an electric boiler with gas or solid fuel heating. Well insulated walls will limit heat loss. The Russian stove and fireplace will warm up the room and give originality to the interior.
Affordable homeowners know how to easily save electricity in a private home. In the construction phase, they are planning a cellar or basement that will replace the refrigerator, in addition to an outdoor kitchen where they will cook in the oven or grill. In the local area, you need to install solar powered lanterns. The sun heats the water in the summer, and an outdoor shower uses no energy.
Cottage owners know how to save energy in a private home - the installation of solar panels gives 120 kW in 1 sq. m. The system requires investment, but it can become an important aid in reducing resource costs.
Economy and respect for the environment are the current priorities. Consuming energy wisely will save money on vacation or school. Many people around the world are concerned about saving electricity, which means conserving the planet's resources.