Electricity fees have increased by almost 20% in 2022. As a result, many of us have been forced to look for savings. Fortunately, we know several ways to do this.
Keep in mind that the government will soon introduce a limit on electricity consumption. The standard threshold will be 2000 kWh per year and, in exceptional circumstances, 2600 kWh. Over-consumption will incur charges at the increased 2023 rate. To avoid exceeding the threshold, pay attention to our tips.
It is assumed that the induction hob and boiler consume the most electricity in households. Also keep in mind the oven, refrigerator and dishwasher. The key is to develop the right habits to reduce the energy they consume.
Although an induction cooktop allows you to avoid paying for gas and gives you greater convenience of use than a classic stove, it also involves a not inconsiderable cost for electricity. To minimize them, always choose a burner adapted to the size of your pot. This will also save you a lot of time. In addition, when cooking food, cover your dishes with lids. This will make it easier to keep the temperature high, thus reducing the preparation time. Once the dish is cooked, you can put another dish on the burner to reheat it slightly, without having to restart the hob.
As we mentioned earlier, it is important to develop habits related to the boiler. First of all, this is limited to adjusting the temperature to as low as possible and turning the unit off when not in use. You can also use a timer switch – an outlet timer, which will allow you to program the times the boiler is turned on and off. Also pay attention to the maintenance of the heater. Checking its condition on a regular basis will help you avoid excess scale buildup on the heater and coil, which could decrease efficiency and increase power consumption.
In addition to the aforementioned ways, it is worth recalling some well-known methods that sometimes escape us. They may not make your bills decrease drastically, but their use will certainly help you a bit.
If possible, try to replace your light sources with energy-efficient led bulbs. You’re sure to find some for yourself, among the whole spectrum of lumens and kelvins. Also, remember to turn off the lights if you leave the room for more than a few tens of seconds. Modern bulbs don’t need much time to warm up, and as a result, you can turn them off even if you leave the room for only a few minutes. Also try to use small lamps instead of overhead lighting whenever possible.
Charge your phone’s battery to about 85%. This will ensure longer cell life, and on top of that, you’ll learn the habit of unplugging the charger. Try not to leave it plugged in overnight to minimize power consumption.
Try to segregate dirty clothes to determine whether you will be able to fill the entire drum of the washing machine. This will reduce the vibration of the machine, but also minimize the number of washings in the first place.
Enable the screen blanking function and automatically turn off appliances after the shortest possible period of non-use. Also remember to turn off unused appliances, or possibly put them into sleep mode if you know you will be returning to them soon.
main photo: unsplash.com/Patrick Tomasso
