Other features of this series
- Part 1: Energy-saving Tips (this post)
- Part 2: How to Prepare for a Power Outage
- Part 3: Grocery and Food-Saving Tips
- Part 4: Check Your Self-sufficiency Level
- Part 5: Transportation and Travel-Saving Tips
- Part 6: Financial Preparedness
1. Check the best times to use electricity
One easy way to rationalize electricity use is to schedule activities that consume a lot of electricity outside of electricity consumption peaks.
For example, the use of washing machines and dishwashers and the oven, charging the electric car, and heating the vehicle should be done before 4 pm or after 8 pm. You should also be careful about electricity consumption in the mornings between 7 am and 9 am local time.
2. Adjust the brightness of the TV to a lower level
The default brightness of the TV can be unnecessarily high. At best, the TV's electricity consumption can be halved by lowering the brightness.
The tip also applies to computer monitors and smartphones, even though they don't use as much electricity as a typical television.
3. Turn off electronic devices and gadgets entirely when not in use
Computers and televisions should be turned off fully when they are not used. A large part of the energy consumption of devices is caused by keeping them in standby mode.
4. Don't waste warm water
In water use, energy is mainly consumed by heating water, so you should avoid using hot water. The most scalding water is consumed in the shower.
It helps significantly if you remember to close the faucets, for example, while soaping.
5. Wash clothes at a lower temperature and remember to spin them properly
Laundry is not the worst energy guzzler in the home, but with minor changes to the washing methods, energy consumption can be affected.
The temperature of the washing program should be kept reasonably low, and the laundry should be adequately spun to save energy. Wet laundry requires more power from the dryer, which increases electricity consumption.
6. Charge the electric car at night
The electric car should be charged in the wee hours of the night when stock exchange electricity is at its cheapest and overall nationwide consumption is lowest.
7. Adjust the home heating to a lower level
In the home, most energy is used for heating. You can lower the temperature of a room where you don't spend much time with a fair hand. Lowering the temperature by one degree reduces heating costs by an average of five percent.
The temperature in the living rooms should be 20–21 degrees Celsius and 18–20 degrees Celsius in the bedroom.
8. You can save money with an air source heat pump
The air source heat pump reduces the electricity consumption of electrically heated homes.
Using an air-source heat pump can save up to 1,000 euros yearly in energy costs at current energy prices.
9. Remember to turn off the underfloor heating
Bathroom underfloor heating is a significant electrical waste, but it has its job of drying moisture.
It's not a good idea to turn it off 24/7, but you can save a lot of money by adjusting the temperature to a cooler setting.
10. Remember to turn off the lights when you leave the room
There is less need to keep the lights on in a room with no one, even in the middle of winter.
You should always turn off the lights when you leave the room. Even small savings matter, especially when electricity consumption is at its highest.
11. Switch to LED bulbs
If you still have light or old-fashioned energy-saving bulbs at home, you should replace them with LED bulbs, which consume about one-sixth as much as incandescent bulbs.
New Christmas and other decorative lights are usually low-consumption LED lights, so you don't have to give them up first.
12. Defrost the freezer regularly
The freezer uses significantly more electricity if a thick layer of ice accumulates.
Defrosting is easiest when you can take the frozen food outside for that time when it's freezing.
13. Heat in the microwave instead of the oven
Compared to a microwave, the oven consumes much more energy, so in terms of saving electricity, it is essential not to use the oven to heat at least one dish.
You should therefore heat yesterday's leftovers in the microwave or, for example, with an air fryer instead of the oven. The microwave can also be used for food preparation.
14. Bathe and use the sauna less often
The infrared sauna or electric sauna located in the apartment should only be heated carefully.
Saunas are one of the biggest consumers of electricity in apartments. Bathing in warm water should also be left to less.
15. Use electricity consumption meters
You can check how much electricity your home's appliances use with an electricity consumption meter that you plug into the socket.
The meters cost around 15–20 euros, and you can borrow them from some electricity companies in some countries.
