How to save electricity in an apartment and a private house - tips and tricks

Energy saving is becoming an increasingly urgent problem. First of all, the need to solve it is evidenced by utility bills, which are growing every year. Electricity bills are gradually becoming not the smallest item in the family budget. Turning off the boiler, sitting without light in the dark and reducing the heating of the oven spiral are half measures that will not bring the expected effect. The benefits of civilization need to be used, but to do it right. It is necessary to solve the problem of saving electricity in an apartment and a house globally and comprehensively. The initial investment will pay off over time, which will bring tangible financial relief.

Reasons to save energy

Deciding to save energy by any means will help not only reduce the financial burden of paying monthly receipts. It should be remembered: the more power consumers absorb, the greater the load falls on the city and on the country as a whole.

Competent and legal saving of electricity in an apartment gives the following effects:

• Reducing the level of toxic emissions into the atmosphere. Improvement of ecology, air, soil and water purity.
• Reducing the risk of accidents in power plants associated with working at the limit of capacity.
• Saving natural resources, which are consumed in huge quantities at thermal power plants that provide energy to settlements.
• Creating a comfortable indoor environment. This refers to illumination and the absence of the harmful electromagnetic field that some low-quality household appliances create.
• Development of new technologies, reduction of the energy intensity of production, and, consequently, the price of products, their competitiveness in the world market. All this leads to an increase in the well-being of the population.
• Extension of the service life of transformer substations, power transmission lines and internal communications. The increased load leads to accelerated wear of the equipment.

Saving electricity eliminates the likelihood of being left without light due to a line breakdown on the scale of an apartment, house and village.

Correct use of electrical appliances

Housing is often overcrowded with a huge number of energy consumers. It is possible to save on electricity not only by reducing the intensity of their operation, but also by a competent choice of operating modes.

1. Washer. It takes 20-30 minutes to wash bed linen and lightly soiled clothes. The use of regimes for 1-3 hours is accompanied by an unreasonable overspending.
2. Heating. To normally heat a room in the cold season, heaters with a capacity of 1-2 kW are used. Consumption per day will be up to 48 kW. Dress warm enough and cut the power in half.
3. Plate. If there is poor contact between the inverter and the cookware, cooking takes much longer, resulting in increased energy consumption.
4. Dishwasher. The economy mode should be set, in which only 1 kW is consumed per cycle.
5. Teapot. It makes no sense to heat 2 liters if the water has cooled down by the next tea party. You need to pour it to a minimum.

Do not forget about small consumers: chargers and electronic devices that work in standby mode. For a day, they can wind up to 2 kW on the meter.

Pros of energy-efficient home appliances

A real way to save energy is to use economy class home appliances. Initial investments will have a long-term positive effect over time.

Examples of such equipment:

1. A computer. Power supplies together with video cards and a monitor can absorb up to 1 kWh. You should either turn off some functions or purchase products with economy mode. Modern laptops are the best choice. With great opportunities, they consume no more than 100 W / h.
2. Satellite TVs. Switching on the saving mode reduces the current consumption by 3 times.
3. Printing devices. They are used periodically, but they are not removed from the network. If you buy a device with an energy saving function, the effect will be up to 500 kW per year.
4. Washer. The main consumer is the heating element. Products with an ultrasonic bath consume 80% less current.
5. A vacuum cleaner. Modern devices are equipped with a pollution sensor, due to which the efficiency of the work is reduced and its duration is increased.
6. Air conditioning. Energy savings are achieved by installing advanced compressors in modern models, reducing consumption by 40-50%.

It is worth paying attention to the kitchen equipment. You can find efficient stoves, hoods and water heaters on sale.

Equipping electrical appliances without auto-off function with external time relays

Even if devices have such a function, it is rarely activated. If the devices cannot switch off automatically, they can be equipped with external time relays. This modification is worth subjecting to an air conditioner, room heater, heated towel rail, stove and floor fireplace. If necessary, the timer is placed on the computer system unit.

Such devices provide the following advantages:

• switching on and off exactly in the set time corridor;
• operation of devices only when required;
• prevention of burnout of devices due to overheating;
• creating comfortable psychological conditions, since a person does not need to worry about his household appliances;
• significant reduction in electrical current consumption.

One such device will be of great help in the fight to reduce utility bills.

Advantages of a two-tariff meter

An individual single-phase two-tariff meter takes into account the current consumption at different prices depending on the time of day. In the period 23.00-07.00, the cost of services is reduced by 50%. At this time, powerful consumers are launched: water heaters, ovens, dishwashers and washing machines. Some people who can tolerate waking hours at night work at the computer and vacuum clean the apartment.

The advantages of using such a device are obvious:

• reducing the financial burden on payments;
• reducing the load on home and city communications;
• energy intake at the moment when power plants are in dire need of its return.

The cost of a two-tariff meter and its installation is quite significant. But taking into account the current tariffs, it pays off within a year, then brings significant profits.

Energy saving on heat saving

This direction is relevant for objects with central and autonomous heating, since the power of heating devices directly depends on the quality of insulation of real estate objects. The less heat loss, the lower the intensity of the heaters.

You can insulate the room in the following ways:

• sealing cracks in walls, windows and doors;
• installation of modern doors with foam or basalt filling;
• installation of double-glazed windows with energy-saving glass;
• facade finishing with polystyrene, mineral wool or polyurethane foam;
• gluing a reflective screen behind the radiators.

If the issue of combating heat losses is approached comprehensively, the current consumption for heating housing can be reduced by 30-50%.

Saving electricity on lighting

The easiest way to save energy is to install LED bulbs. These products feature low power, high brightness, soft glow and long service life. The mass production of these lamps has led to significant reductions in retail prices, making them available for purchase in large quantities.

Another cost saving measure is to turn off the lighting when it is no longer needed. Even one lamp left on in the bathroom will consume 100 watts or more per night. Make it a habit to check the light before going to bed and leaving the room.

Another condition that affects the quality and operating time of lighting is the cleanliness of lamps and shades. Vapors and dust deposited on them reduce the efficiency of the devices by 20-25%. Contamination must be removed in a timely manner, it does not take much time and effort.

Sockets, extension cords with socket strip and surge protectors with switches

Old wiring, switches and sockets cause increased current consumption and are a fire hazard. Due to poor contacts and insufficient cable cross-section, the network overheats, the current parameters are violated, which leads to incorrect operation of the devices and devices connected to it. This causes increased energy consumption and is one of the prerequisites for costly equipment breakdowns.

To protect yourself from such troubles, you should do the following:

• change the wiring;
• install new sockets with built-in stabilizers and relays;
• purchase surge protectors with switches.

The use of extension cords with multiple socket strips reduces the number of cables in the room. The presence of the switch makes it possible to de-energize and then activate several devices operating in standby mode at once. This is one of the conditions for saving energy in an apartment.

The presence of impulse and linear fuses prevents burnout of household appliances in case of voltage surges in the network. Built-in stabilizers convert the current within the specified parameters, which ensures stable operation of the devices in normal mode. This also helps to reduce energy consumption.

Energy saving devices

A legal energy saver is a portable device that plugs into any empty outlet. Models from well-known manufacturers help to save up to 50% of the consumed electricity. At the same time, the efficiency of the device increases as the load increases. The task of the device is to compensate for reactive energy, which overloads the line and creates an electromagnetic field that is harmful to human health.

Product functions:

• filtering noise on the line;
• phase alignment;
• lightning protection;
• stabilization of current parameters;
• extending the service life of household appliances;
• saving electricity.

The device is designed for the total power of consumers up to 20 kW, therefore it can be installed in a private house and a multi-room apartment with a large number of electrical appliances. Payback comes after 3-4 months of operation. Products from Smartbox, Pover Saver, Energy Saver, Powersave, Berbox and Saving-box have proven themselves best.

A self-made device for saving is not considered illegal, since the line is not laid around the meter, and there is no influence on the meter. Any connection to the outlet is the legal right of the property owner.

The product diagram consists of the following parts:

1. Plastic housing.
2. Standard plug.
3. The board on which a diode bridge and a smoothing capacitor with a power of 5.2 microfarads are located.
4. LED indicating device operability.

When plugged into an outlet, the device reduces the amplitude of the current and the magnitude of the pulses in the network.