FollowWith inflation burning a hole in every pocket and the impending doom of exhaustion of all non-renewable sources of energy, energy conservation today is the buzz word. Not only from the financial point of view, it’s also a responsibility of every informed and vigilant household to contribute towards energy conservation. Howsoever clichéd it may sound but it’s true, energy saved is energy produced. Following are some tips to reduce energy consumption at your home:
1. Switch off unused appliances
First things first, always switch off the lights, fans or other appliances if they are not in use. It’s the easiest of all the methods.
2. Washing
Always wash full load in washing machines and dishwashers. Prefer drying clothes on lines as it saves about 3-5KW per load of clothes.
3. Computers:
Energy management options are in all computers. In Windows it’s in control panel. Mac users can find similar options in System preferences. Also instead of ‘stand-by mode’, prefer to use to use ‘sleep mode’. Set the computer to ‘Hibernate’ after about half an hour of inactivity. It consumes lesser energy then to restart the computer again.
4. Energy Star certified appliances
Prefer to use only Energy efficiency certified appliances at home. Also prefer laptops over desktops for they are more energy efficient. Switch over to energy saving TVs from the conventional ones. Use energy efficient lamps instead of tube lights and bulbs with heating filament.
5. Windows
Windows are a great way to cool the house as they allow ample ventilation but they must not serve as ‘leaking points’ of conditioned air. Fill in all cracks and crevices in the frames. Always close the windows while AC is on. Replace the windows which you don’t use. Use ‘window treatment’ to enhance their contribution to temperature regulation by exploiting their ‘greenhouse effect’ in winters and use shades/ awnings/ blinds/ shutters/ mesh/ reflector films etc in summers. Also put up exhaust fans in kitchen and bathroom windows to vent out hot and humid air.
6. Routine maintenance
Wipe the dust off the tube lights and bulbs as it decreases their illumination. Check that the door of your fridge closes tightly so that there is no air leak. It can be assessed by putting a currency note between closed doors and pulling the bill out. If it comes off easily, it indicates the need to fix it.
7. Renewable Energy
Photovoltaic energy is available free of cost and abundantly. So install solar water heaters/ solar lamps/ solar cookers/ solar chargers and batteries and see a drastic cut in your expenses. It’s just a onetime investment as the semi-conductors come with lifelong guarantee! Special materials can be used in flooring in cold areas, which absorb sun’s heat. This way they can be heated when the sun shines and would release warmth during the night. Similarly if you are stay in a windy city, then try to tap the potential of wind energy.
8. Temperature regulation
Set the temperatures of your refrigerator around 0-5°C and reduce the thermostat settings of geyser to around 60°C.
9. Fans
Prefer using fans over ACs as even fans reduce the perceived temperature by around 4°C (depends on humidity levels). Try to put AC in ‘auto’ mode and use fan instead as AC-fan consumes more power.
10. Energy audit
Locate an ‘Energy consultant’ and get an energy audit done for your home. They help to set a target and point out deficiencies in energy management in a very objective way exclusively designed for your home.
Source: ecofriend
