Lighting
- It is perhaps the easiest to save electricity here. Simply replace all your light bulbs with compact fluorescent
lights (CFL) and you would save 70% from your daily energy usage.
- CFL may be more expensive than ordinary bulbs but they are worth the investment as they last over 10 times
longer and use up to four times less energy.
- Turn off the lights every time you leave a room.
- During the day, use as much natural lighting as you can by drawing open the blinds or curtains.
- You can even install a skylight to get more light in!
- To save on electricity use for outside security lighting at night, install a motion sensor to automatically shut off
the lights after a set period.
Ironing
- Iron only the clothes you really need to iron. Don't bother ironing underwear or handkerchiefs.
- Try to buy clothes made from “iron-free” or “wrinkle-free” materials.
- Hang your clothes quickly after washing; don't let them sit in the dryer.
- Do all of your ironing in one session.
- Switch off the iron if you need to go somewhere in the middle of your ironing.
Air conditioner
- Set the air-conditioner at the highest temperatures that you are comfortable with to preserve as much power
as you can.
- Get a timer and set it to turn off about the time when you leave for the day and to turn back on when you get home.
- Ensure all doors and windows are closed when the AC is on.
- Do not block the air vent and condenser.
- Install shades, awning and drapes to keep your room and house cool.
- Better still, use ceiling fans instead of air-conditioning to keep cool.
Fridge and Freezer
- Put your fridge somewhere away from direct sunlight, the cooker and oven.
- Vacuum clean the condenser coils at the back or underneath your fridge/ freezer regularly because accumulated
dust reduces their efficiency by up to 25%, adding the cost to your electricity bill.
- Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly. An iced-up freezer will make the freezer work harder, therefore using
more energy than needed.
- Don't put warm or hot food into the fridge. It will use more energy to cool the food down.
- Keep liquids covered when putting them in the fridge. Evaporation of uncovered liquids will make the fridge use
more electricity.
- Defrost frozen food in the fridge; this helps to cool it.
Washer and dryer
- Only use the machine when there is a full load.
- Set the water temperature low before you start washing. The washing machine uses the biggest chunk of energy
between 85% and 90% - just to heat up the water for the washes.
- Hang your clothes out to dry rather than use the tumble dryer when the weather is favorable.
Other electrical devices
- Do not leave your electrical devices on standby when not using them. This is actually a waste of energy. Appliances
left on standby use up to 85% of the energy they would use if fully switched on.
- Always unplug and switch off the main power when not using your electrical devices.
Cooker and microwave
- When cooking, always use the correct size pan or pot so no extra energy is used to heat the excess.
- Cook many items at the same time when your electric cooker or oven is hot.
- To reheat food or to cook small portions, use a microwave. Although a microwave uses a lot of power, it does so
over a very short time and so saves energy overall.
