Today, hardly anyone imagines his life without a refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, TV, computer, hair dryer, electric kettle, mixer and other appliances. All of these objects surround us in everyday life and, in many ways, make our lives easier.
However, the fact that electricity tariffs are constantly rising must not be ruled out. Along with them, the graph of expenses in the family budget to pay for electricity increases. What to do? The answer to this question is unique and is on the surface - start saving.
Electricity consumed above the established standard is paid at higher rates. At the same time, the pattern does not depend on the number of people living in the apartment, or on your area.
Energy-saving techniques
The electrical energy consumption of household appliances depends on the operating time and specifications, usually indicated in the instructions or on the manufacturers' websites. Many modern devices have special "Eco" or "Economy" operating modes, which consume less energy. Therefore, when operating devices, it is worthwhile to define the economical modes of their operation. Experts also advise the purchase of electrical appliances only in classes of high energy efficiency (A, A + and higher).
We save on apartment lighting
The cheapest and most common way to light an apartment today are incandescent lamps. They are easy to operate, but have very low efficiency. Up to 95% of the energy is spent on heating and only 5% on lighting. Another disadvantage of these lamps is that they usually burn out.
The service life of halogen lamps is two or even four times that of incandescent lamps. But they do not save energy and have a major disadvantage: the lamp, even when the lamp is off and cold, cannot be touched by hand. Fingerprints can cause burns.
Fluorescent lamps are more efficient. This 20W lamp provides the same lighting as a 100W incandescent lamp. The service life of fluorescent lamps can reach 20 thousand hours, while incandescent lamps do not last more than 1, 000 hours. However, fluorescent lamps contain mercury. The phosphorus decomposes over time. This reduces light output and impairs light transmission.
LED lamps are among the most environmentally friendly and versatile. They are superior to incandescent and fluorescent lamps in terms of energy efficiency, durability, safety and lighting. The useful life of LED lamps varies from 50 thousand to 100 thousand hours. Its significant disadvantage is the high price.
We save on the fridge and kitchen appliances
Refrigerators should be installed in the darkest and coolest places in the kitchen. This saves energy to cool the rear grill.
Avoid placing the refrigerator near a window, radiator or stove. If it is a two-compressor compressor and one chamber is not used, it is best to turn it off.
If the kitchen is equipped with a gas stove, it is preferable to heat the water on the stove and not on the electric kettle. This will help to save energy consumption.
If you use an electric kettle, fill it with the amount of water you use each time. Your loved ones will heat the water again and you will have an additional consumption of energy.
When using an electric stove, turn the stove off 1-2 minutes before finishing cooking. Choose pots that match the size of the stove, otherwise you will lose up to 5 to 10% of your energy. Curved bottom dishes consume up to 40-60% of the surplus energy.
When using the microwave to reheat or defrost food, choose the correct setting. It is indicated in the instructions.
Prefer a portable grinder to a food processor. This will help not only save energy, but also to shred food better.
Save money on the washing machine
Study the "washing machine" instructions carefully. As a rule, the more water the machine draws, the higher the temperature, the more energy is used to wash. When underload, the machine consumes about 15% more energy. If the program is installed incorrectly, the energy consumption is about 30%.
We save on iron work
Try ironing wet clothes. If you dry it, you will need to heat the iron more to iron and use more electricity.
We save on cleaning the premises
When using a vacuum cleaner, empty the dust bags frequently or change when using disposable bags. The accumulation of large amounts of debris in the bag leads to the vacuum cleaner overheating and significant energy consumption.
We save on device standby
The disconnected devices that remain on the network do not consume much electricity. But you can also save money on that. If you decide to save energy, be sure to disconnect the TV, stereo or video player from the network. In addition, there are many cases where electronic devices that remain on the power grid burn during a storm or accident.
Save money on your computer and on the Internet
Try to use the computer longer. When you leave the house, turn it off. This will prolong the operation of expensive equipment and save electricity.
Remember that an LCD monitor or laptop uses less power than an older monitor and desktop computer.
“Chargers” for cell phones that remain on the network for a long time do not consume much electricity. However, these are switchable power supplies. In the network, they can overheat and deteriorate. God forbid, there is a fire in the apartment. Unfortunately, such cases exist.
Save in public spaces
In addition to the appliances in your apartment, pay attention to the consumption of appliances in the common areas of a building - lamps, elevators, video surveillance, fire alarms, forced ventilation and so on. Energy efficiency and economical ways of use will help you save on the cost of maintaining your home.