A modern apartment is packed with all kinds of household appliances, without which people can no longer imagine their life. That is why the residents of an ordinary two- or three-room apartment often receive electricity bills of 200-300 kW. However, saving energy in an apartment is possible and we will consider options on how to save electricity in a metered apartment.
General savings directions
First, residents must determine which devices use the most power. A household wattmeter can help with this. With their help, you can find out how much electricity a particular device (refrigerator, TV, hair dryer, iron) consumes when it is turned on or in standby mode.
By carrying out such an analysis of energy consumption, it is possible to develop saving measures.
When doing your next apartment renovation, you should:
- Replace old electrical wiring that was installed decades ago and was not designed for as many electrical appliances. The use of a larger cable, a rational arrangement and an increase in the number of safe outlets will avoid the connection of extension cables and tees. This is the path to economics and fire safety.
- Wallpaper or paint walls and ceilings in light colors that prolong the use of sunlight in the room. Remove all bulky items from window sills and hang sheer light curtains.
- Think about the zoning of the apartment, and according to this, place lighting devices of the required power (general lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, sconces). If possible, replace chandeliers and curtains with more transparent ones that absorb less light, after which it will be possible to use lower wattage lamps.
- Insulate walls, replace windows, seal doors. All this will make it possible to turn on additional heating systems less often.
- Install a two-phase meter and use power-hungry appliances after 11: 00 PM, when the rate is much lower.
- Replace older incandescent bulbs with newer energy-saving or LED ones. This will save you 70-80% of your home lighting costs.
Correct use of electrical appliances
If possible, you should say goodbye to old energy-consuming appliances. Modern devices are much more attractive, practical and inexpensive. The energy efficiency class A, A +, A ++ means that this device is the most economical at the moment. However, even when using old appliances, you can save energy in the apartment.
- Electric stove. Boil the food on partial power after boiling the water, closing the pot with a lid. Use only kitchen utensils, clean of carbon deposits, flat bottom and of the correct size (preferably stainless steel), use a pressure cooker in which the cooking temperature is higher due to its tightness. Replace burnt spirals on time. Following all of these tips will save you up to 60%.
- Place the refrigerator in a cool, well-ventilated place. The door should be well sealed and opened as few times and for a short period of time as possible. The refrigerator should not be completely filled with dishes and food, because the air inside must circulate freely. Place the pots of food in the refrigerator only after they have cooled to room temperature.
- Audio and video equipment must be constantly cooled by a stream of air. Do not leave it in standby mode. It is best to place your television and computer monitor in an evenly lit location to reduce screen brightness and contrast.
- Computer. When you stop working on it, after a while the monitor goes into standby mode and then the whole computer. The user can adjust the time after which the monitor will "sleep".
- The vacuum cleaner should be regularly cleaned of accumulated dust, this will increase its traction and reduce energy consumption.
- The washing machine must be loaded according to the standard specified in the passport. Underload is just as unprofitable as overload.
- The electric kettle must be regularly cleaned of encrustations, which impairs the thermal conductivity of the heating element.
- Only turn on the air conditioning with the windows and doors closed.
- Electronic device chargers that are not unplugged consume electricity, which is used to heat them.
How to save electricity in an apartment with folk remedies.
Most of the time, such wording hides not entirely legal methods of saving money, but simply theft from an energy company. There are many advertisements on the Internet such as "saving electricity in an apartment with a magnet".
- Powerful Neodymium Magnets (NdFeB) are most often used to slow down the counter. These magnets can stop or slow down electromechanical (induction) meters, both single-phase and three-phase. Electronic meters do not react to magnets, except for devices in which the measuring part is not electronic. However, it should be noted that from such an impact, up to 30-40% of the meters fail, and if they are replaced in the power supply, they can perform a magnetization test and bring the cheater to justice through of the courts.
- Various economists are also actively offered. Manufacturers claim that with their help the electrician is used more rationally, the service life of household appliances is extended. In this case, the device has no effect on the counter. Upon closer examination, these devices were found to have the simplest device: multiple LEDs and a 5 Microfarads film capacitor. This device may have the least effect on the reactive energy of a low-power device, such as a fluorescent lamp. However, the meter in the apartment only takes into account active energy and does not react to reactive energy. Therefore, these economists are a pure scam.
It can be concluded that there are many ways to save electricity in an apartment, however, it is better to use legal than illegal methods and to be fraught with both technical and legal problems.