Sometimes you may wonder why the electricity bill is so high. Your monthly electric bill may be increasing every month. It is important that you figure out how to reduce the energy consumption in order to improve the environment and also save some money.
The first thing to do is to identify the appliances you use in your home. There are appliances in your home that are likely to skyrocket the electricity bill. Some appliances use more energy more than other home gadgets. It also depends on how you use these appliances.
For instance, if you use more of kilowatt-hour of electricity from month to month, this means that you are going to pay more. This can persist even in the cases where the electricity price falls.
In order for you get the idea of how electrical appliances use the energy, and also how much this can cost you, therefore here are the common electrical appliances that consume energy most and tips on how to reduce them.
Air cooling and heating
If your house is installed with the electric heat, then this means that you will have a high electricity bill. This is because the electric heat consumes a lot of energy. In addition, if you have the heat pump and you also use it a lot. Air conditioner uses more energy more than other appliances in the home. This about 16 % of the total electricity that is used. In the regions that are warmer, 70-80 % of you electricity bill can be the air conditioner.
How to cut the cost
1. To cut the cost and save money, it is advisable that you install thermostat that is programmable and then set it to at least 10 degrees for about eight hours in a given day. By doing this, you will realize that you can save up to 10 % on your energy cost per year; this is according to the department of energy in Singapore.
2. Ensure that the amount of air that escapes from your house is minimal. The doors and the window should be closed. This is because the cold air escapes and then hot air enters the room thus delaying the process of cooling.
3. make sure that the condition of the aircon is good. A well maintained aircon is the very first step to energy efficiency. Check on the filters regularly and d also you can consider replacing your aircon if it is more than ten years.
Refrigerator
This is a necessity in most homes. But is one of the leading appliances when it comes to energy consumption. This accounts for more than 20 % of household electricity consumption. This is not because they only have the overbearing power draw but also when you consider that they are used continuously.
The refrigerators that are old have poor insulation and their compressors are not efficient enough to save the power consumption. Another feature is the automatic defroster; this can consume up to 40% more of power. The refrigerator which has the freezer at the bottom also is found to consume up to 16 % less power compared to the side by side models.
How to cut the cost
1. In order to save money on power consumption when using the refrigerator, it is important that you set the refrigerator to the optimal temperatures when cooling the groceries. Ensure that when you opt for cold storage, it should not go more than 40 degrees.
2. Check the doors to ensure that the gaskets are in perfect condition and this will impact greatly.
3. Do not put warm or hot food inside the fridge. You should give it allowance for it to cool.
4. Test the fridge seals. Insert a bill or a piece of paper along the fridge’s edge before closing it. See if you can pull it out easily. Repeat this process and if the suction is too weak then consider replacing it.
5. put the fried far away from the wall to avid overworking the motor. Also move it far away from the stove or any source of heat.
6. Also reconsider the extra fridge that you do not use at all.
Dishwasher
This is another energy consumer appliance in the home. It can take up the significant amount of electricity. The typical new dishwasher is more efficient compared to the old one. However, the hog can successfully regulate the energy it consumes.
How to cut the cost
1. Whenever possible, it is advisable that you use the energy-saving cycle.
2. Do not pre rinse the dishes before you put them in dishwasher. New models of dishwasher can perform a good job even if the dishes are badly soiled.
3. Turn off the option of heating when drying or you can simply turn the dishwasher off.
4. Wash the full loads only.
Water heater
In the fight to save the energy, water heater must be given a special attention because most of people have the storage water tanks. This storage tanks works in a way to keep the water hot and also ready to be used. This is a process that is known as –standby heat loss. This is the largest energy log. The water heater accounts for about 3-5 % of the household total energy consumption.
How to cut the cost
1. Lower the prevailing temperatures on the water heater. The reduced temperatures should be 120 F. Therefore, every 10 F reduction, you will be able to save about 3 % to 5% on water heating cost.
2. Do not let water to run. Always ensure that the taps are fastened when you are brushing or even when you step away to look for a sop or anything.
3. It is advisable to use cold water for most of your laundry.
4. Use the dishwater more efficiently. wash only on full loads and always use short wash cycles and also activate booster heater that is if your dishwasher has the feature.
5. Reduce the time you are likely to spend in the shower. Most people spend more time in the shower because they fear the cold they will encounter once they are of the water. Always keep the bathroom door closed to avoid cold creeping in.