Along with water, electricity represents the largest item of expenditure in a house. Fortunately, there are tips and good plans to reduce energy consumption and pay less for your electricity bill. Because it’s good for the environment and the wallet, discover 10 things to do to reduce your energy consumption. All the solutions to save electricity without constraint.
Summary
Pay attention to heating and water heaters
The largest items of electricity expenditure are heating and hot water. Together, they represent 75% of a household’s energy expenditure. But how to reduce the electricity consumption associated with their operation?
Know that the first solution is to reinforce the thermal insulation of the house to pay less for heating. You can also adjust the temperature of the accommodation to an appropriate value to avoid having an overheated house. On average, it is advisable to have a temperature of 19° C in the living rooms and 16° C in the bedrooms.
This also requires proper maintenance of equipment to ensure optimal operation. Drain your radiators regularly and have your boiler serviced every year by a professional.
As for the water heater, there are tricks to reduce the cost of the bill. Set the temperature of the hot water tank between 55 and 60°C.
To note : there are also small items of equipment such as mixing valves to be installed on the water heater to reduce water consumption.
The good eco gestures in the kitchen
In the kitchen, there are several pieces of equipment that consume electricity (hob, oven, microwave, food processor, etc.).
Fortunately, there are tricks to lighten the electricity bill. First of all, during cooking, remember to cover your pans and always use the most suitable zone for the size of the utensils.
On the other hand, some equipment is less energy-consuming than others. They should therefore be used first. So, use the kettle instead to boil the water. And to heat your dishes, prefer the microwave oven, which consumes less than a conventional oven. As for the vegetables, cook them in a pressure cooker rather than a saucepan.
Then, if you want to invest in a hob, opt more for induction which heats faster and consumes less than ceramic hobs. And fans of baking will turn instead to a convection oven to cook several dishes at the same time.
Finally, the last tip is to turn off the plate or the oven a few minutes before the end of cooking to save electricity. Even after being turned off, they continue to heat up. Heat to be exploited to the maximum!
Read also >> How to save water?
Use washing machines sparingly
To consume less energy and reduce your annual bill, it is advisable to limit the use of washing appliances (washing machine, dryer, dishwasher).
First, favor drying in the open air because the dryer alone consumes 17% of the specific electricity spent. Failing this, opt for a device equipped with a humidity sensor which will stop as soon as the drying is finished.
Then, to wash your laundry, prefer low temperature programs. In the same way, it is advisable to use its dishwasher in a reasoned way. This is still more economical than washing by hand, provided you start the program once the dishwasher is full. Also consider using the “eco” program to reduce electricity consumption.
Make good use of your fridge and freezer
Lowering your energy bill also requires efforts in the refrigerator and freezer.
Here are the tips to put in place to pay less for electricity:
- do not put hot food in the fridge or freezer;
- regularly dust the rear grills of these appliances;
- as soon as the layer of frost exceeds 3 mm, defrost;
- also clean the door seals and change them if necessary;
- finally, do not place your devices near a heat source such as an oven. Instead, place your freezer in a cold room such as an unheated basement or outbuilding.
Choosing the right household appliances
If you need to upgrade your appliances, don’t just make your choice on price or design. Also take into account their energy consumption in order to make significant savings.
In stores, give preference to low-power appliances. Category A+++ devices are certainly more expensive to buy, but they consume up to 10 times less. This is a good plan that pays off in the long run.
Opt for energy-saving bulbs
Do you still have traditional bulbs in your house? It may be time to change your lighting. Replace your old bulbs with energy-saving bulbs (low-energy bulbs, LED bulbs).
These new bulbs last much longer and consume less. However, that is no reason to leave a room on while you are away. Always remember to turn off the light when you leave a room.
Pay attention to equipment standby
This is the right reflex to have to reduce energy consumption. Do not leave any device on standby. It consumes electricity. Unplug them as soon as you are finished using them.
Likewise, don’t leave your phone charger plugged into the outlet. This is bad for the environment and for your electricity bill.
Take a shower instead of a bath
To reduce your water bill, it is advisable to use the shower rather than the bathtub. This is well known. But know that the advice remains the same if you want to save energy. Indeed, the shower consumes about 70% less hot water.
Save energy outdoors
Outside, you can also save energy. Install solar-powered spotlights in your garden to illuminate. Choose them with motion detector.
These spots cost around 40 euros but once installed, they cost you nothing in electricity. A good plan to reduce your electricity consumption.
Compare supplier offers
Finally, to save electricity, the good plan consists in comparing the tariff offers of the suppliers. Since the opening of the market to competition, EDF is no longer the only electricity supplier.
Thus, the Happ-e and Direct Energie offers, for example, promise savings of 8% on the price per kWh of electricity excluding VAT. To compare the different offers, you can use a comparator of the best electricity rates.
Also look at what suppliers are offering. Is it possible to take out an off-peak and peak hours option to operate your electrical appliances during times when the kWh price is reduced? Note that some equipment has a delayed start option to make the most of off-peak hours.
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