Household energy has proved just as important as food and health during the coronavirus pandemic, but savings can be made to avoid sky-high electricity bills, according to a Turkish energy company, inavitas, in a statement on Friday.
The energy intelligence platform for utilities, renewables, businesses and homes prepared a list of 18 electricity savings tips.
1. Use daylight whenever possible to avoid the need for lighting
2. Replace light bulbs with more energy-efficient LED bulbs
3. Turn off lights when not in use, as lighting accounts for about 12% of a typical residential electricity bill
4. Use desk light instead of general lighting while reading a book or working at a desk
5. Keep refrigerators and freezers fully stocked for better efficiency, using water bottles if nothing else but bare in mind that overfilling will reduce airflow necessitating more power to keep items cold
6. Avoid using the heat drying option in dishwashers but opt to leave its door open for air-drying instead
7. Use the oven鈥檚 residual heat to reduce cooking times e.g. a 35- minute cooking time can be shortened to 30 minutes by turning the oven off while leaving the food in the oven for the last five minutes
8. Unplug any electronic items that are not in use
9. Opt to dry clothes naturally in good weather rather than using electric dryers
10. Do not operate kitchen ventilation fans if not required
11. Program the thermostat to avoid heating water when not needed
12. If possible, wash clothes at low temperatures in washing machines
13. Avoid placing heat-emitting devices, such as a lamp or TV, near the thermostat, as radiant heat will influence the sensor in the thermostat to register a temperature much higher than room temperature
14. Regularly clean or replace all air conditioning filters in the home
15. Unplug mobile phones and computers when charged and do not leave them plugged in overnight
16. Ensure solar panels are clean and working efficiently
17. Consider changing electricity tariffs or suppliers depending on electricity usage times, which can massively reduce electricity bills
18. Finally, check electricity consumption and target areas for lowering usage and make reductions accordingly
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr