Today hardly anyone imagines their life without a refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, TV, computer, hairdryer, electric kettle, blender and other appliances. All these objects surround us in everyday life and in many ways make life easier for us.
However, one should not underestimate the fact that electricity tariffs are constantly increasing. Together with them, the graph of expenses in the family budget for the payment of electricity increases. What to do? The answer to this question is one and it lies on the surface: start saving.
Electricity used in excess of the established standard is paid at higher rates. At the same time, the standard does not depend on the number of people living in the apartment or its area.
Energy saving techniques
The electricity consumption of household appliances depends on their operating time and specifications, usually indicated in instructions or on manufacturers' websites. Many modern devices have special operating modes "Eco" or "Economy", which consume less energy. Therefore, when using devices, it is worthwhile to set economical modes of their operation. Experts also recommend buying electrical appliances of only high energy efficiency classes (A, A + and above).
We save on lighting in the apartment
Incandescent lamps are the cheapest and most common for lighting an apartment today. They are easy to use, 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 often burn out.
The lifespan of halogen lamps is two or even four times that of incandescent lamps. But they do not save energy and have a big drawback: the light bulb, even when the lamp is off and cold, cannot be touched with the hands. Fingerprints make it burn.
Fluorescent lamps have higher efficiency. This 20W lamp provides the same illumination as a 100W incandescent lamp. The life of fluorescent lamps can reach 20, 000 hours, while incandescent lamps last no more than 1, 000 hours. However, fluorescent lamps contain mercury. Phosphorus decomposes over time. This reduces light output and impairs light transmission.
LED bulbs are among the most ecological and versatile. They are superior to incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in terms of energy efficiency, durability, safety and lighting. The service life of LED lamps varies from 50 thousand to 100 thousand hours. Their significant drawback is the high price.
We save on the refrigerator and kitchen appliances
Refrigerators should be installed in the darkest and coolest places in the kitchen. This saves energy for cooling the rear grille.
Avoid placing the refrigerator near windows, radiators or stoves. If it is a two compressor and one chamber is not used, it is better 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 in the electric kettle. This will help save energy consumption.
If you use an electric kettle, fill it with all the water you use at a time. Your loved ones will heat the water again and you will have additional energy consumption.
When using an electric stove, switch off the cooking zone 1-2 minutes before the end of cooking. Choose cookware that matches the size of the stove, otherwise you will lose up to 5-10% of your energy. Curved bottom dishes require up to 40-60% excess energy.
When using the microwave to reheat or defrost food, choose the correct setting. It is indicated in the instructions.
You prefer a portable grinder to a food processor. This will help not only save energy, but also better grind the food.
Save on washing machine
Carefully study the instructions for the "washing machine". As a rule, the more water the machine sucks in, the higher its temperature, the more energy is used for washing. When under load, the machine consumes more than approximately 15% of the energy. If the program is not installed correctly, the power consumption is about 30%.
We save on iron work
Try ironing damp laundry. If you dry it, you will have to heat the iron more to iron and consequently use more electricity.
We save on cleaning the premises
When using a vacuum cleaner, empty the dust bags frequently or replace them when using disposable bags. The accumulation of large quantities of waste in the bag leads to overheating of the vacuum cleaner and a considerable energy consumption.
We save in standby mode of devices
The switched off appliances remaining in the network do not consume much electricity. But you can save on that too. If you decide to save energy, don't forget to turn off your TV, stereo or video player from the network. In addition, there are many cases where electronic devices left in the power grid burn out during a thunderstorm or accident.
Save on computers and the Internet
Try using the computer for a longer time. When you leave the house, turn it off. This will prolong the operation of expensive equipment and save on electricity.
Remember that an LCD monitor or laptop consumes less power than an older monitor and desktop computer.
Cell phone "chargers", which remain on the network for a long time, do not consume much electricity. However, these are switching power supplies. On the network, they can overheat and deteriorate. God forbid there is a fire in the apartment. Unfortunately, there are such cases.
We save on common areas
In addition to appliances in your apartment, pay attention to the consumption of appliances in the common areas of an apartment building: lamps, elevators, video surveillance, fire alarms, forced ventilation, and so on. Energy efficiency and economical usage patterns can help you save on home maintenance costs.