Small Steps at Home that will Help you Save on Electricity Bill
Living in big cities is expensive. From rentals to transport, the overall cost of living is high. Even a small saving is welcome. While there is nothing much you can do about fixed expenses and general living costs, however, there is one monthly cost which we may lower considerably with intelligent usage. Yes, we are talking about electricity.
You may not know but with the introduction of a few smart changes in our daily life, we may save a few bucks on electricity bills at home. Whether it is about dwellers of flats in Pune or those living in bungalows, savings are always welcome.
Let us run through a few pointers that would guide us to save on our electricity bills.
Tips to save electricity at home
So let us explore some zero-cost ways to save on the electric bill.
- Lights
Instead of incandescent bulbs, shift to CFL bulbs or LED lights. Tube lights that are used for a longer time, especially ones in the kitchen, living room, and bedroom can be changed to LED tubes or T5 tubes. Buy energy-efficient fans and switch off the lights & fans when not in use.
- TV & Appliances with Remote
Equipment like TV/ AC etc that work with remote, when we switch them off with remote, they do not completely switch off but go to standby mode. This standby configuration keeps on taking up about 5% of the power. So when you don’t plan to use the device for long hours, instead of just switching – off from the remote, switch off the main plug.
- Refrigerators
While placing the refrigerators, allow enough space for continuous airflow around them. It should be kept away from the wall by about half a foot as they emit heat and this heat needs to escape; when not done its efficiency reduces. Also, you must not keep your fridge stuffed with a lot of food items. In winters, keep the fridge in min cool mode. Try to minimize storage in the fridge as it will waste more energy in keeping the container itself cool.
The refrigerator should be kept away from all sources of heat, including direct sunlight, the oven, and the cooking range. Allow hot and warm food to cool and cover them well before putting them in the refrigerator. You should also clean the coils regularly to make sure that air can circulate freely.
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- Geyser
Do not switch on the geyser hours before you plan to take a bath. Switch it on when required and switch it off immediately after taking a bath.
- Air Conditioners
Ensure that your doors and windows are properly closed when you use the ACs. When you switch on the AC, do not keep it at a very low temperature hoping that it will cool faster (it will not). The electric power consumed by the Air-Conditioner (AC) depends much on the temperature setting. So if you run the AC at 18 degrees temperature then it will consume much more power than when you run your AC at 24-25 degrees.
ACs with inverter technology can optimize power consumption with the load on their own and so, are good for continuous working. Besides, the use of inverter AC can result in considerable power savings.
You must clean the air-conditioner filter every month. A dirty air filter reduces airflow and may damage the unit.
- Buy products with 5 Star Ratings
When buying new electrical appliances, go for 5 star rated products; these are energy-efficient and can make a big difference in your electricity cost.
- Make use of Natural light
Wherever possible open the curtains and blinds and use natural light.
- Solar Energy
You may even use solar panels to generate clean renewable electricity. They can be installed on your rooftop; you incur a one-time cost which may be very less considering the money you will save on your electricity bills in the long run.
These days most of the new buildings from reputed developers are being designed to harness solar energy as well as rainwater harvesting.
- Computers/Laptops
Turn off your computer, Laptop when not in use. Set computers, monitors, and copiers on sleep mode when not in use as this helps cut energy costs by approximately 40 percent. Pull the plug and save electricity on battery chargers for laptops, cell phones, and digital cameras, as they draw power whenever they are plugged in and are very inefficient.
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Conclusion
Besides the above, you must make use of subsidy/discounts, pay before the due date, avail of online offers (on credit cards, etc). Energy-efficient homes and businesses bring us closer to a greener and healthier planet. The best way to start saving on your electricity costs is to get smart about how you use electricity. Make these no-cost changes in your home and protect the environment.
