There are many very simple ways to economize, and save on electricity, without suffering any discomfort at all.
Here you will find just a few small things to get you started with:
Electric Geysers
Most electric geysers account for nearly half the monthly consumption. You can easily save electricity and yourself some money, in the following ways:
• Set the thermostat lower; 50 to 55 degrees Celsius is adequate. (This would be 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Never allow hot water taps to leak; the trickle of cool water into the geyser as it needs to top up, will keep it switching on and heating up.
• If you do not have a double-bowl sink, fill a separate suitable container for rinsing dishes. (A plastic basin works well). If you wash and rinse under the hot tap, you will use a lot more electricity.
• Use as little bath water as possible and avoided topping up with hot water during a bath.
• Switch off the geyser when away from home.
• Switch off the geyser for the day, warm it up in the evening. Switch it back off just before you start emptying it for bath time.
• Insulate your geyser with a geyser blanket.
• Insulate hot water pipes in the ceiling space. Apart from saving you electricity, you will not have to wait as long for the water to heat up as it travels along cold exposed pipes.
Cooking
In the world of small appliances, even a toaster uses a surprising amount of electricity, but probably only half of what most kettles use, in turn a kettle uses half of what a dishwasher may use. Here are a few simple ways to save electricity while cooking.
• Pressure-cookers use a lot less electricity than open pots.
• A slow cooker, simmering all day can use less electricity than two plates set on high for half an hour.
• An electric frying pan uses a fraction of the electricity used by a stove.
• When cooking on plates, match the pot size to the plate size. Pots with dented bottoms require more heat.
• Once a pot is boiling, turn the plate down or off.
• Do not fill the kettle more than necessary. Always make sure though that you do fill it above the element.
• Heat tea water in a kettle and not over the stove.
• Check refrigerator and freezer door seals, make sure they all seal firmly. Defrost regularly, ice build up makes fridges and freezers use more electricity.
Ticking off any of these points as something that you practice daily, could save you a surprising amount of electricity.
Get an electrical contractor to make sure that there are no major electrical faults in the electric system of your home, faults can be the cause of unnecessary leaks or even pose a danger to you or your property. Make sure your system has a electrical compliance certificate. These are obtainable through a qualified electrical contractor.
No comments:
Post a Comment