A modern apartment is full of all kinds of electrical appliances without which people can no longer imagine their lives. Therefore, residents of ordinary two- or three-room apartments often receive an electricity bill of 200-300 kW. However, energy savings are possible in an apartment and we are considering how to save electricity in a metered home.
General savings directions
Above all, residents need to determine which devices consume the most energy. A household wattmeter can help with this. It allows you to find out how much power a particular appliance (refrigerator, TV, hair dryer, iron) consumes in on or standby mode.
With this analysis of energy consumption, it is possible to develop savings measures.
During the next renovation of the apartment, you must do the following:
- Replace old electrical wiring that was installed decades ago and is not designed for so many electrical appliances. Using a larger cable, sensible layout, and increasing the number of secure outlets avoids connecting extension cords and T-shirts. This is the path to economy and fire safety.
- Wallpaper or paint the walls and ceiling with light colors, which prolongs the use of sunlight in the room. Remove all bulky objects from the window sills and install transparent light curtains.
- Rethink the zoning of your home and install lighting fixtures of the required wattage (general lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, lamps) accordingly. If possible, replace chandeliers and screens with more transparent ones that absorb less light, after which less powerful lamps can be used.
- Insulation of walls, replacement of windows, sealing of doors. All this allows additional heating systems to be switched on less frequently.
- Install a two-phase meter and use energy-intensive appliances after 23: 00 when the tariff is much lower.
- Replace old incandescent bulbs with more modern energy-saving or LED bulbs. This can save you 70-80% on your home lighting costs.
Proper use of electrical appliances
If possible, say goodbye to old energy-intensive electrical appliances. Modern tools are much more attractive, practical and economical. The energy efficiency class A, A +, A ++ means that this device is the most economical today. However, even using old appliances can save energy in your home.
- Electric oven. Bring the food to a boil on partial power after boiling the water, closing the pan with a lid. Only use a pan with a flat bottom and a suitable size (preferably stainless steel) cleaned of charcoal deposits, use a high-speed cooker with a higher cooking temperature due to its tightness. Replace burnt spirals in burners in a timely manner. You can save up to 60% by following these tips.
- Place the refrigerator in a cool, well-ventilated place. The door should be tightly closed and opened as infrequently and for as short a time as possible. The refrigerator should not be completely filled with utensils and food because air must circulate freely. Only place food-grade dishes in the refrigerator when cooled to room temperature.
- Audio and video equipment must be continuously cooled by air. Do not leave it in standby mode. It is better to place the TV and computer monitor in an evenly lit place to reduce the brightness and contrast of the screen.
- Computer. If you stop working, the monitor will be in standby mode after a while, and then the entire computer will be idle. The user can set the time after which the monitor "goes to sleep".
- The vacuum cleaner should be cleaned regularly of accumulated dust, which increases adhesion and reduces energy consumption.
- The washing machine must be filled according to the standard specified in the passport. Underloading is as lossy as overloading.
- The electric kettle must be regularly cleaned of limescale, which impairs the thermal conductivity of the heater.
- Only switch on the air conditioner with the windows and doors closed.
- Uncharged electronic gadgets consume electricity, which is heated.
How to save electricity in an apartment with folk remedies
Most often, such a wording does not cover completely legal methods of saving money, but simply theft from an energy company. There are plenty of ads on the internet like "saving electricity in your home with a magnet. "
- Strong neodymium magnets (NdFeB) are most commonly used to slow down the counter. These magnets are capable of stopping or decelerating single-phase and three-phase electromechanical (induction) meters. Electronic meters do not respond to magnets, except for devices in which the meter is not electronic. However, it should be noted that up to 30-40% of the meters will fail from such an impact, and if they are replaced in the power supply, they can perform a magnetization test and bring the fraudster to justice.
- Various economists are also actively offered. The manufacturers claim that it will help the electrician to be used more rationally, extending the life of electrical appliances. In this case, the device has no effect on the counter. A closer look revealed that these devices have the simplest device: multiple LEDs and a 5 microfarad film capacitor. This device can have the least effect on the reactive energy of a low-power device, such as a fluorescent lamp. However, the home meter only considers active energy and does not react to reactive energy. Therefore, such economists are a pure scam.
It can be said that there are many ways to save electricity in an apartment, but it is better to use legal methods than it is full of illegal and technical and legal problems.