Energy Saving: How to Use More Electricity in a Home and Save Up to 30% Less

The Electricity price hike More and more people were amazed What can be done to reduce costs? And manage to pay the bills at the end of the month. There are basic things like turning off the light every time you leave a room. It is a myth that it costs more to keep a light on in a room all the time.

But few think about such things Where to put the refrigerator, the most used appliance of the whole house. Next, we tell you Energy saving key points at home.

It may seem obvious, but having properly sealed windows or good curtains can save you a lot on your home bill. Remember that Air conditioning (heating + air conditioning) represents the biggest expense in energy of houses.

“In an average family in Spain, and in other similar countries in terms of development, approx 45%-47% of electricity consumption goes to air conditioning and lightingAbove all, in air conditioning”, he explains to BBC Mundo Henry GarciaOrganization of Consumers and Users (OCU) of Spain.

“If air conditioning were electric, The main thing is to have good insulation Regarding the house. want Good curtains and windows insulate well Hence adequate insulation of the house can be achieved to make it more efficient from energy point of view. This is important. Something as simple as weather stripping or duct tape Favoring a better isolation means energy savings”.

From good insulation we go to the basic one: The temperature inside is suitable. Being in a t-shirt in the middle of winter can be expensive, just like wearing a sweater at home in the summer. It’s a waste of energy. The key is inside Adjust heating and air conditioning thermostats.

“Comfort temperature Should not exceed 23 ºC in winter. A temperature between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius is ideal. Each degree can be considered incremental, depending on the equipment of each house Between 7 and 10%, closer to 7%”, explained the expert.

Likewise, Close the doors Rooms can help lower the cost of your bill. If the door to a main hallway is closed and the door to the living room is closed, this space acts as an intermediate air chamber, which acts as insulation.

Keeping rooms closed improves heat. As for RefrigerationOCU recommends keeping the home as cool as possible, along with lowering the blinds and keeping the windows closed Turn on the air conditioner as soon as possible Instead of waiting until the house is too warm (when he needs to work more).

Also, they suggest Adjust the device 8ºC lower than the outside temperature. For example, if it’s 33 degrees outside, try to settle for 25 degrees instead of lowering the temperature in your room to 18. Changing it from 20 degrees to 24 is a significant saving. Every degree colder (or warmer in the winter) you adjust the thermostat adds 10% to the cost of running the equipment.

“The second part, which takes approx 55% consumptionThere are Equipment. Here it is more appropriate to buy high-end equipment Energy efficiency”, indicates the expert. Use household items Class If we want to start saving electricity in our homes, it is important to use each of them optimally at home.

If you need to replace any appliances, choose labels that are more energy efficient A+, A++ or A+++. Although they are generally more expensive, It’s cheaper in the long run. In terms of energy costs, Refrigerator is the most used appliance, because it has been inserted for a long time. This is a device where we need to pay more attention to energy efficiency”, suggests Garcia.

So the refrigerator For best performance, it is important to follow these recommendations:

If you don’t need very hot water, Wash clothes at 40ºC instead of 60ºC Means savings significant on your electricity bill. “I recommend using Long echo programswhich causes less energy to be expended,” notes the expert. “When, A dryer is an energy-consuming household appliance And in some areas it is not required”.

As for DishwasherThat Consumes a lot And there is a slightly more general application, a basic recommendation Reduce the number of washes Better placement of vessels and utilization of full load. “This way you can cut your washing in half.” It is recommended to switch off the electric plates or the oven just before the time required for cooking.

“Using residual heat, turning it off just before use and cooking food using that residual heat also helps save. If you have a meal that needs an hour on the stove and turn it off ten minutes earlier, it uses 15% less energy.Expert explains.

uses Pots and pans of the correct diameter Prevents waste of heat for every fire. Another trick Cover the pots to make the most of the heat.

Admit it, are you one of those people who turn off the television with the remote control? Gives you a bright red light. Little by little, day by day, minute by minute, the electricity is leaking. Such a simple gesture Disconnect the device or connect the cable to the shoe One button on and off can save significant electricity at the end of the year.

The same goes for computers, printers, cell phone chargers, stereos, and microwaves. RouterAmong many devices permanently connected to the electrical network of our homes Fake off. When you stop using the device, turn it off completelyDo not leave it in standby mode, because, although very little, it will continue to consume.

Also, this should be taken into account The older the television, the more it consumes. “This represents a significant savings. We estimate that phantom consumption can come to between 7 and 10% of a household’s annual consumption,” declares Garcia.

Traditional light bulbs use a lot of electricity, so they must be replaced by more competent others. The Halogen incandescent bulbsThe Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) And this LED lights They use 25% to 80% less electricity and last 3 to 25 times longer than traditional lights.

Although they are more expensive They are more profitable in the long run.

Take a shower, don’t take a shower, install a shower that saves water. A five-minute shower uses a third of the bathroom. Obviously, Less water is used and it takes less energy to heat it And your energy bills will also be lower.

I put the faucets in the cold water position. This simple gesture allows us to save, because if we keep the taps on hot water, every time we open them, we don’t use hot water for even two seconds. The boiler will run automatically to heat the water.

At this point, you may be wondering how much you could save by following these suggestions. “With energy efficiency, that is, adding all these measures, we assess, Save up to 30% on your bill”, assures the expert.

*By Almudena de Cabo.*

BBC World