Listing Some Simple Ways to Save Energy Usage at your Home

  • Posted by: Namrata Group
  • 06th December, 2020

Have you ever thought about how does your electricity usage impact the environment? Well, the less energy you consume, the less energy your energy provider needs to produce which means less carbon footprint! Using energy more efficiently reduces the amount of non-renewable energy sources, as well as reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gasses. Energy is a scarce resource that must be utilized optimally. Amongst the greatest benefits of low energy consumption is that you save on your electricity bill. Saving resources would be your biggest contribution to nation-building. Remember every bit counts.

In India, it is the government that decides the electricity rates for respective states. The charges per unit keep increasing and we think it is very little we can do about the soaring electricity bills we receive. But that is not the case. The introduction of a few smart changes in our daily life will help in saving money and lower electric bills but also support and assist in energy conservation and protecting the environment.

Tips to save electricity at home

 So let us explore some zero-cost ways to save on the electric bill.

  • Lights

Do not use incandescent bulbs instead shift to CFL bulbs or LED lights. Tube lights that are used for a longer time, especially ones in the kitchen, living room, and bedroom can be changed to LED tubes or T5 tubes. If you are buying a new fan, buy energy-efficient fans and switch off the lights & fans when not in use.

  • TV& Appliances with Remote

For equipment like TV etc that work with remote, when we switch-off them with remote, they do not get completely switch-off but go to standby-remote. This standby configuration keeps on taking up about 5% of the power. So when you don’t plan to use the device for long hours, instead of just switching -off from the remote, switch-off the main plug.

  • Refrigerators

Allow enough space for continuous airflow around the refrigerator. You must keep your refrigerator away from the wall by about half feet as they emit throw out heat and this heat needs to escape and its efficiency also reduces. It is also not advisable to keep your fridge stuffed with a lot of food items. In winters, keep the fridge in min cool mode. Try to minimize storage in the fridge as the fridge will waste more energy in keeping the container itself cool.

You should keep refrigerators away from all sources of heat, including direct sunlight, the oven, and cooking range. Allow hot and warm food to cool and cover them well before putting them in the refrigerator. Make sure that the refrigerator’s rubber door seals are clean and tight. You should also clean the coils regularly to make sure that air can circulate freely.

  • Geyser

Do not switch on the geyser hours before you plan to take bath and switch it off immediately after taking bath.

  • ACS

Ensure that your doors and windows are properly closed when you use the ACs. Switching on the fan while using the ACs helps you in keeping the AC at a higher temperature. When you switch on the AC, do not keep it at a very low temperature hoping that it will cool faster (it will not). The electric power consumed by Air-Conditioner (AC) depends much on the temperature setting. So if you run the AC at 18 degrees temperature then it will consume much more power than when you run your AC at  24-25 degrees.

Inverter tech AC’s can optimize power consumption with the load by themselves and so for continuous working, the use of inverter AC can result in considerable power savings. Clean the air-conditioner filter every month. A dirty air filter reduces airflow and may damage the unit.

  • Buy products with 5 Star Ratings

5 star rated electrical appliances are the most energy-efficient and can make a big difference in your electricity cost.

  • Make use of Natural light

Wherever possible close the curtains and blinds, lights, and use natural light.

Besides the above, you must make use of subsidy/discounts, pay before the due date, avail of online offers (on credit-cards, etc).

  • Solar Energy

Solar panels are an efficient way to generate clean renewable electricity. They can be installed on your rooftop and incur a one-time cost which may be very less considering the money you will save on your electricity bills in the long run.

These days most of the new buildings from reputed developers are being designed to harness solar energy as well as rainwater harvesting. The designs include accommodating enough natural sunlight and ventilation to reduce the need for appliances for lighting and cooling.

  • Computers/Laptops

Turn off your computer, Laptop when not in use. Set computers, monitors, and copiers on sleep-mode when not in use as this helps cut energy costs by approximately 40 percent. Pull the plug and save battery chargers, for laptops, cell phones, and digital cameras, as they draw power whenever they are plugged in and are very inefficient.

Energy-efficient homes and businesses bring us closer to a greener and healthier planet. The best way to start saving on your electricity costs is to get smart about how you use electricity. Make these no-cost changes in your home and protect the environment.