Energy savings in the home

Small details in the daily routine, such as the correct use of electro-domestic appliances in the home, are essential to saving on electricity.

Electro-domestic appliances are tools that help us in our day-to-day tasks, including those that entertain us, but we often use them incorrectly, leading to unnecessary expenditure and the waste of energy. Labels inform us about electrical efficiency and consumption and these can help you to choose the right device for your home. Regularly taking this information into account when buying appliances, new or second-hand, can cut your bills down substantially.

Let’s look at which of the most common electro-domestic appliances consume the most energy, and some ideas for obtaining the best performance from them.

Chargers for mobiles and tablets do not consume excessively when they are plugged in - about 0.26 watts per hour - but we often leave them connected for much longer than necessary and when the device is already 100% charged. Disconnecting your charger when it has fulfilled its function can save on costs and environmental impact, up to 7 kg of CO₂ per year!

Although it's not the most ubiquitous electro-domestic appliance, the dishwasher does save a lot of water in the home and also needs less electrical power than other apparatus such as televisions or refrigerators. Nevertheless, it's often mis-used. Optimize its use by fully loading it. Place dirty items where they should go in the appliance, and put the detergent or tablet in the right compartment.

Although the sound system is somewhat losing its place in the pecking order of the home environment, in favor of more practical devices, they do contribute to electricity consumption peaking, especially when the radio is on, when demand can rise up to 14.4 watts per hour.

Computers account on average for 7.7% of electricity consumption among electro-domestic appliances in the home. To avoid surprises when receiving the electric bill, from an item we think doesn’t consume when we’re not actively using it, consider what you can do: deactivate the screensaver, lower the brightness of the monitor, and only switch on peripherals like speakers and printers when you’re going to use them, turning them off completely when they’re idle.

For many homes the leisure item par excellence, the console, functions in an odd way. Plugged into the wall but switched off, it consumes just one watt per hour. But when left in sleep mode and ready to use, although it’s not doing anything, this electricity consumption rises to 23.3 watts per hour. If you’re not going to use it, the best option is to save your game and turn it off completely.

In the kitchen, the electric oven is responsible for 8.3% of electro-domestic consumption. Here are three simple tips you can follow to optimize that energy use. Don’t open it when it’s on – you can lose 20% of the heat accumulated. Keep it clean of fat – it will be more efficient – and remember to turn it off a few minutes before cooking time is up so as to use the residual heat.

Our best friend in warm weather is also a big electricity consumer. Running air conditioning for many hours a day will evidently result in a significant cost, but this can be even bigger if you don’t follow a few practical rules. Only switch it on when the internal temperature is over 24°C; ensure doors and windows are closed; install it in a place where the air circulation is good.

A washing machine might be considered essential in a home, but the same cannot be said for the spin dryer; it depends on the region and climatic conditions. A complete two-hour drying cycle consumes 3.5 kWh. By using the dryer on average five days a week, the cost of the bill can rise by 80 euros. It’s better, therefore, whenever possible, to use natural means for drying clothes.

An indispensable appliance such as the washing machine is also a big consumer of electrical power (11.8% of all electro-domestic consumption). Since its use is deemed to be essential, it helps to take certain things into account. Short and cold-water programs will always be the most economic, as most electricity is used to heat water. Additionally, if the washing machine does not have an adjustable load function, wait till its full before switching it on.

The TV is one of the home appliances that consumes most electricity. It can reach 12% of total consumption by electro-domestic equipment. But this depends on two factors: type of TV and whether or not you fully turn it off.

LED-technology TVs consume 25% less power than LCDs and 40% less than plasmas. On the other hand, tube TVs can consume twice as much. Whether the switch-off is total or partial, a television on standby can consume the same as a computer working flat out.

The king of domestic electrical use is also in the kitchen. The fridge can amount to 31% of total electro-domestic consumption, but it can be held in check by bearing certain things in mind.

The fist and best known is not to leave open the door longer than strictly necessary. It is also important not to introduce warm food. In both these cases, the motor will need to redouble efforts to keep the temperature low and constant.

Sources: MediaTrends, Endesa clientes, ABC, Por el clima, Ecohouses and El Plural.