Decreasing electricity usage by opening the fridge no longer than necessary
Electricity saving – Tips for at home
Don’t Leave Appliances which use
electricity on Standby
Many of us are leaving the appliance running on standby, they use the remote to switch off the stereo or TV.
In this way the appliance is still using a considerable amount of electricity. By switching off at the main power button, or the socket, you could be
saving both money and electricity.
Appliances left on standby can use up to 85% of the electricity they would use if fully working. Through this unnecessary consuming of electricity an extra million tonnes of carbon will be pushed into the atmosphere.
Washing and Drying
Your tumble dryer and washing machine are two of the appliances that use the most electricity in your home. Normally it is impossible to decrease electricity usage by decreasing the use of the electrical appliances. But it is possible to make some small changes that will help you save electricity and money.
Between 85-90% of the electricity usage is for heating up the water when you use the washing machine. So, when you drop the water temperature of your wash you could effectively decrease your electricity consumption. Over a year you could cut consumption nearly in half, by using a less hot wash rather than a hot wash.
Other tips for decreasing electricity usage when washing are: use the half load function if you have to do a smaller wash and even better only use the machine when you have a full load. The spin on the washing machine may mean that more electricity is used but by spinning your clothes they are losing more excess water, which will reduce your drying time in a tumble dryer.
Electricity efficient Cooking
There are a few easy ways to save electricity when cooking which can also shorten the amount of time you spend over a stove. When heating fluids only use the amount you need so the electricity is not burning unnecessarily to heat the excess and always use the correct size pan.
Use a smaller burner if you only use a small pan. When you boil water in the kettle first you will save the time the burner needs to heat the water and when you put a lid on, it will help the water to boil quicker.
Fridge and Freezer
The location of your fridge can increase its electricity usage drastically. Make sure it is not close to the oven and out of direct sunlight. It is best to make sure that there is a few inches space all around it so that air can circulate, and it’s best to keep the fridge against an outside wall so that the heat the fridge generates can escape easily.
It’s best to defrost your fridge and freezer whenever necessary or on a regular basis. An iced up freezer is wasting more electricity than needed, it will only make the freezer work harder. To avoid escaping cold air from the fridge, you make sure you aren’t keeping the door open for long periods of time. Make sure you set your fridge to as cold as you need it. You’d best check the seal regularly as well, as if it is damaged then cold air will be escaping also.
Be aware not to put warm or hot food or fluids into the fridge as this will make the fridge consuming more electricity, always allow food to cool down first outside the fridge. And defrost frozen food in the fridge as this helps to keep it cool as it thaws.
Decreasing your electricity consumption will save you money
Electricity costs a lot of money, if we manage to decrease our electricity consumption, we can save a lot of money. And decreasing
electricity consumption is good for our environment as well.
Posted on 26/03/2009 12:10:00 By the editorial, last modification on 8/12/2009 13:04:00
