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The rise in electricity prices in several countries has left more and more people wondering what to do to cut costs and pay the bills at the end of the month.
There are basic things like turning off the light when you leave a room. But few think about where to put the refrigerator or which appliance consumes the most energy in the whole house.
Check out the most important points to save energy at home:
Air conditioning and electric shower
In countries with a cold climate, energy consumption in winter is higher because of the need to heat the houses.
A split-type air conditioner rated at 12,000 BTU — one of the most common models in homes — running eight hours a day, for 30 days in a month, represents an average monthly energy consumption of 194 kWh.
To give you an idea, this is more than double the average consumption of an electric shower running for 30 minutes a day – and the shower is the second most expensive household appliance on the electric bill.
The company specialized in refrigeration Dufrio and the manufacturer of air conditioners Consul give tips for saving with air conditioning:
- 23ºC is ideal: Always keep your appliance’s thermostat up to standard. The indicated temperature for most environments is around 23ºC.
- doors, windows and closed curtains: Leave doors and windows closed to keep the cold air in the room and prevent the sun from hitting the environment to be cooled.
- Device on top: For the most part, the models should be installed at the top of the room, as this way they can cool the environment evenly, without consuming energy unnecessarily.
- Correct power: Buy appliances with the ideal power for the size of the room, so you don’t waste energy and money for nothing.
- Be a friend of the feature sleep?? Do not sleep with the device on all night. with the function sleep, the unit is programmed to turn off after running long enough to cool the room.
- For long-term use, model backwards?? Evaluate how long the device has been on. If you need to use the air conditioner for most of the day, a model backwards perhaps the most suitable. This is because he has a lower consumption, because he leaves his compressor on constantly, without allowing temperature fluctuations.
- Outside in the shade: The outside of the air conditioner should always be protected from direct sunlight.
- Device always clean: Always keep the filters of your device clean. This reduces energy consumption, extends the life of the device, reduces noise and prevents the spread of microorganisms.
For the electric shower, the tips to save energy according to experts are as follows:
- Set the shower to summer mode;
- Reduce bath time;
- Turn off the shower for longer procedures such as shaving, shaving legs, or moisturizing your hair with a mask;
- Never reuse a burned-out resistor. In addition to increasing consumption, this puts your safety at risk;
- Keep shower drains clean.
Efficient use of household appliances
After the air conditioning and shower it is time to look at the other appliances.
“It is very important to buy appliances with a high level of energy efficiency,” said Enrique García, from the Organization of Consumers and Users of Spain, to the BBC??
The recommendation is to give preference to: household appliances classified as class A?? And making the most of each of the equipment is the key to saving electricity in the home.
“In terms of energy consumption, a device that consumes a lot of energy is the refrigerator, because it is plugged in for 24 hours. It’s one of those devices where we need to focus more on energy efficiency,” recommends García.
In order for the refrigerator to function optimally, it is important to follow these recommendations:
- Avoid ice build-up??
- Keep the back ventilated and dust free!leave a space between the refrigerator and the wall so that the air can circulate;
- install the refrigerator away from heat sourcessuch as the oven, and make sure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Avoid storing hot food that raise the temperature in the equipment;
- Store food with enough space between them so that air circulates, which facilitates cooling;
- Finally something that may seem insignificant but isn’t: open the refrigerator as little as possible to prevent the loss of cold to the environment.
Bee Washing machine, the recommendation is to choose the shorter wash cycles or fur economy mode machine, which reduces energy and water consumption.
Collect used items in the laundry basket, soak the dirtiest items in the bucket or tank before washing and use the recommended amount soap and fabric softener makers are also good tips to use the washing machine less often.
THE Dryer, in turn, is a device that consumes a lot of energy. While it makes life easier for those who live in small apartments or buildings with no backyards, its use should be avoided when possible.
As for the dishwasher, which consumes a lot of energy and is used a little more often by those who have the appliance, a recommendation is to reduce the number of washes by using its full capacity and placing the dishes correctly to take up the space to optimize. available.
“With this you can halve the washes”says Garcia.
It is recommended to switch off the electric hotplates of the induction hob or the electric or gas oven slightly before the cooking time.
“Take advantage of residual heat turning it off right before use and using that residual heat to finish the food also helps save money. If you have food that needs an hour in the oven and you put it out ten minutes earlier, it uses 15% less energy,” explains the expert.
Use pots and pans of the correct diameter for each burner to prevent heat loss. Another trick is to cover the pans to make better use of the heat.
Avoid “Ghost Consumption”
Are you one of those people who turns off the TV with the remote? The red light is still there. Little by little, day by day, minute by minute, electricity is wasted.
A simple gesture, such as unplugging the appliance, can result in significant electricity savings at the end of the year.
The same thing happens with computers, printers, cell phone chargers, stereos, microwaves, and… router, in addition to many other devices that are permanently connected to the electrical grid of our homes. It is what is called “false closure”.
Therefore, when you stop using a device, turn it off completely and do not leave it in sleep mode as it will continue to consume, although less.
Also keep in mind that the older the television, the more it consumes.
??[Desligar os aparelhos completamente] means a significant saving. We estimate that the The phantom consumption can vary between 7% and 10% of the annual consumption of a home”says Garcia.
replace the light bulbs
Traditional incandescent bulbs consume an excessive amount of electricity, so they need to be replaced with more efficient bulbs.
Halogen lamps, compact fluorescent lamps and LED lights consume 25% to 80% less electricity and last 3 to 25 times longer than traditional light bulbs.
Although more modern bulbs are more expensive, they generate long-term savings.
The big question is: how much can you save?
By now, you may be wondering how much you can save by following these recommendations.
“We estimate that with energy efficiency, i.e. by adding all these measures, it is possible to save up to 30% of the bill”says the expert.
