How to save electricity

It is not about living in the dark or adjusting consumption to such extremes that it affects our quality of life. You can reduce your electricity bill by learning to use it responsibly, which benefits not only our economy but also the environment.

How to save electricity

We put together a series of tips on how to save electricity and take better care of our resources.

7 tips to save energy at home

By following a few guidelines, you can substantially lower the electrical consumption:

1. Switch to LED bulbs.

If you are thinking about how to lower electricity consumption, you have to seriously consider changing your common light bulbs for LED bulbs. This type of lighting is more energy efficient and allows 80% savings compared to other options. An LED bulb of about 14W is equivalent to an incandescent of about 100W. Plus, they last longer and can provide a cleaner, more natural-looking light.

2. Turn off appliances you don’t use.

Turning them off directly or reducing their use to certain time slots can be a good way to start reducing the electrical consumption of a house. Many times, at home or at work, computers, televisions, and other devices stay on even when no one is using them. Even the “hibernate” mode generates an unnecessary waste of energy.

3. Clean the coils and motor of your refrigerator.

Cleaning the refrigerator condenser coils to ensure air can circulate freely is a very efficient measure. If dust and dirt build up on the coils, the motor works harder and uses more electricity to do the same job.

Ideally, try to give them a cleaning at least once a year. Your refrigerator will last longer and it will cost you less money to keep it working in the best conditions.

4. Turn down the air conditioning.

For every degree we raise in summer or lower in winter, we can save up to 3% on heating or cooling. The idea is to maintain a comfortable temperature and not generate a microclimate that, in the long run, can even be harmful to our health.

In addition, to achieve proper operation of the air conditioner it is essential to keep the device in good condition. The filters must always be clean (you can read: How to clean an air conditioner and maintain the filter well).

5. More efficient washing machines.

If you’re thinking of upgrading your washing machine, consider a front-loading model. These appliances, by their very design, use less water and energy and do a superior job of cleaning clothes. Plus, they require less detergent than top-loading machines.

6. Use natural barriers.

If you live in a house and have a small park or patio, it is useful to plant deciduous green trees on the sunny side of your home. On summer days, they provide a cool shade, which reduces the direct incidence of the sun. In this way, the house will be less hot and you will avoid turning on the air conditioning too often.

7. I raised the temperature of the refrigerator one degree (and fill it).

Turning the fridge and freezer up just one degree won’t make any difference to food preservation, but it can lead to significant energy savings throughout the year.

Also, an empty refrigerator or freezer needs more energy to stay cold, since the items inside maintain the temperature. This does not mean that we have to spend more money on products just to fill the fridge. It is enough to fill a pitcher with water for the refrigerator. That will have the same effect. Another option is to fill in the empty spaces with paper.

Efficient technology to reduce consumption

In addition to being attentive to the usage habits of electrical appliances in your home, another of the fundamental pillars to reduce energy consumption is to start using low-consumption equipment and technological tools designed to help you save resources and money. We share some very interesting options:

Solar panels for home

More and more people are turning to solar panels to reduce electricity consumption and, at the same time, contribute to caring for the environment. Basically, it is a system that generates electricity from solar radiation, which falls on the photovoltaic cells of the panel.

They are easy to maintain and do not take up space inside homes because they can be installed on ceilings.

In return, we must say that the expenses are important when adding this system to the home. But, if you live in a place that receives sun for several hours per day, it is worth it: over time, the investment is compensated by lowering the electricity bill.

solar lighting

It is one of the easiest systems to install and also one of the most practical ways to improve the efficiency of energy consumption in the home. Solar lighting does not require any configuration. The luminaires are wireless and have become a good option for gardens, patios and public spaces.

Electric meter

Another good option is to buy a electric meter. This device calculates in real time everything that the circuit of our home spends.

There are two types of meters:

• Individual: provides the data of one or several devices that are connected to the same socket. It allows knowing the exact consumption of each equipment or appliance but does not provide a perspective of the entire home.
• Global: This device allows to know the data of the whole house in kWh. Analyze which are the areas of the house with the highest spending and process the data so that we can better understand them and make decisions in this regard.