When the electricity bill from the electricity supplier for the family home arrives it is usually higher than the previous electricity bill. Though electricity is still relatively cheap for what is provided, there is a growing call to save money on electricity. This is driven from a need to reduce the impact on the family budget, with those savings flowing to the house mortgage.
Saving on the electricity bill from the electricity supplier can also help reduce a family’s greenhouse gas footprint. Around the home, there are a number of simple ways to reduce the consumption of electric power and save money on electricity bills.
Save Money by Reducing Costs of Electric Lighting
One of easiest ways to save electricity in the home is to reduce the amount of lighting used. This can be achieved by replacing all old style incandescent light bulbs in the house with the new fluorescent styles. The incandescent light globes use electricity to heat up a tiny piece of wire. When heated, this gives off the bright light. The fluorescent style uses the electric power to heat up a gas that glows.
Heating the wire takes power electricity than glowing gas. A 75 watt incandescent light bulb can be replaced with a 11 watt fluorescent light bulb, thereby using nearly seven times less electricity. The fluorescent bulbs cost a bit more to purchase, but last longer, use less power and so are generally more economical.
Ways to Save Electricity Cooking
Cooking is a big user of electricity. The best way to save electricity when cooking, without changing to gas or using an old style wood stove, is to plan meals that require less heating. For example, preparation of a salad saves more electricity than a large oven roast. Turning off hot plates when not cooking, using the heat stored in hot plates to simmer food, and steaming in a microwave are all ways to save electricity as the power is used for less time.
Save on Electricity Use by Boiling Less Water in the Electric Kettle
One of the biggest and hidden uses of electric power in the home is the electric kettle. Many people make the mistake of boiling a full kettle of water when only a small amount of hot water is required. The unused hot water simply sits in the kettle and cools down. This cooling is really unused electrical energy being lost. When boiling water, only the amount required should be boiled. If needing to make two cups of coffee, then just a bit more than two cups of water should be boiled.
Miscellaneous Ways to Save Money on the Electricity Bill
To save on electricity around the home, a householder should look at devices that draw a small amount of power, but over a long time. This is like the example above of cooking with a microwave oven rather than the stove top: more electricity used over a short time. Therefore items that go into a stand-by mode like televisions, or computers, should be switched off at the wall when not used, rather than remaining in standby.
A useful way of addressing this is to group all the standby items off the one switch. When the switch is turned off, these devices all go off. For example, the television (and associated devices like DVD players, digital receivers) and the cordless and mobile phone charger. Even the device for charging an electronic device like an e-reader can draw a small amount of electricity that will add up on the electricity bill.
Even a home computer could be run off the same power point and turned off completely when all the other devices are off. Over time this strategy could save a reasonable a amount of electric power and consequently save money on the electricity bill.
Turn Things Off to Save Electricity Around the Home
Turning electrical items off is the most basic way to reduce electric power around the home. Lights should be switched off when leaving a room, air conditioners and fans should only be used when in the room. Natural lighting should be used when available; a natural breeze may be better than the air-conditioner. A householder should ask if the second, or even third refrigerator, really is needed; especially when living in a city where a local shop may be only a short distance away.
Electric power prices area increasing as the real cost of electric power is being passed to consumers. Reducing consumption is the best way to combat these rising prices. There are many other simple ways to reduce electric power consumption around the home. It just takes some thought and small simple actions.
Bruce Iliff - Hello from an Australian freelancer! I’ve been scratching articles together in Australia in a range of subjects for a number of ...
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