Today, hardly any person imagines his life without a refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, TV, computer, hair dryer, electric kettle, mixer and other appliances. All these objects surround us in everyday life and in many ways make our life easier.
However, one should not discount the fact that electricity tariffs are constantly rising. Together with them, the graph of expenses in the family budget for paying for electricity increases. What to do? The answer to this question is one, and it lies on the surface - to start saving.
Electricity used in excess of the established standard is paid at higher tariffs. At the same time, the standard does not depend on the number of people living in the apartment, or on its area.
Energy Saving Techniques
The electricity consumption of household appliances depends on their operating time and specifications, which are usually indicated in the instructions or on the manufacturers' websites. Many modern devices have special operating modes "Eco" or "Economy", which consume the least energy. Therefore, when operating devices, it is worth setting economical modes of their operation. Experts also advise buying electrical appliances of only high energy efficiency classes (A, A + and higher).
We save on lighting the apartment
The cheapest and most common for lighting an apartment today are incandescent lamps. They are easy to operate, but have a 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 four times that of incandescent lamps. But they are not energy-saving and have one big drawback: the bulb, even when the lamp is turned off and cold, cannot be touched by hands. Fingerprints cause it to burn out.
Fluorescent lamps have higher efficiency. This 20W lamp provides the same illumination as a 100W incandescent lamp. The service life of fluorescent lamps can reach 20 thousand hours, while incandescent lamps last no more than 1, 000 hours. However, fluorescent lamps contain mercury. The phosphor breaks down over time. This reduces light output and impairs light transmission.
LED bulbs 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 service life of LED lamps ranges from 50 thousand to 100 thousand hours. Their significant drawback is their 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 their rear grille.
Avoid placing the refrigerator close to a window, radiator or stove. 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, then it is preferable to heat the water on the stove, and not in the electric kettle. This will help save energy consumption.
If you do use an electric kettle, fill it with as much water as 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, turn off the hotplate 1-2 minutes before cooking is complete. Choose pots that match the size of the stove, otherwise you will lose up to 5-10% of your energy. Crockery with a curved bottom takes up to 40-60% of energy in excess.
When using the microwave to reheat or defrost food, choose the correct setting. It is indicated in the instructions.
Prefer a manual meat grinder over a food processor. This will help not only save energy, but also better chop food.
Save money on the washing machine
Carefully study the instructions for the "washing machine". As a rule, the more water the machine draws up, the higher its temperature becomes, the more energy is used for washing. When underloaded, the machine consumes more about 15% of the energy. If the program is incorrectly installed, the power consumption is about 30%.
We save on iron work
Try to iron damp laundry. If you dry it, then you will need to heat up the iron more for ironing, and accordingly use more electricity.
We save on cleaning the premises
When vacuuming, empty the dust collection bags frequently or replace when using disposable bags. The accumulation of large amounts of rubbish in the bag leads to overheating of the vacuum cleaner and significant energy consumption.
We save on the standby mode of devices
Switched off appliances remaining in the network do not consume much electricity. But you can save on this too. If you decide to save energy, do not forget to turn off your TV, stereo or video player from the network. In addition, there are many cases when electronic devices remaining in the power grid burn out during a thunderstorm or accident.
Save money on computer and internet
Try to use your computer for a longer time. When leaving home, turn it off. This will prolong the operation of expensive equipment and save on electricity.
Remember that an LCD monitor or laptop uses less power than an older monitor and desktop computer.
"Chargers" of cell phones, which remain on the network for a long time, do not consume very 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 electrical appliances in common areas of an apartment building - lamps, elevators, video surveillance, fire alarms, forced ventilation and so on. Energy efficiency and economical modes of use can help you save your home maintenance costs.