What to do in order to cut electricity bills? This question has recently been bothering many people. Is it better to resign from watching TV or is it enough not to turn on the light? Even though consuming energy wisely may pose some difficulties at the beginning, it is worth making a habit of it. Discover our methods and try implementing them in your life. Saving electricity does not have to be onerous at all.
If there is a good moment to implement new eco-friendly habits, this moment is right now. An increasing electricity price is forcing an increasing group of people to look for ways to cut the consumption of electricity. According to the data presented by Statistics Poland, as much as 65 percent of electricity consumed by a household comes from heating, 16 percent – heating water, 10 percent – lighting along with electrical devices and 8.5 percent – cooking[1]. It is good to know that reduced electricity consumption will allow us to pay lower bills, meaning that we will save money, and to save electricity, meaning that we will be more eco-friendly.
Saving electricity is one of methods of fighting against climate change threatening the world. In Poland, electricity is generated mainly in power plants and combined heat and power plants that are powered by black and brown coal. Their resources are very limited, whereas their use is burdensome for the environment. By managing energy economically, we can not only cut electricity bills, which are one of the fundamental expenses in every household, but also contribute to the environmental protection and reduction in carbon emissions at the same time.
Apartment with guaranteed low bills
In the case of both traditional rent and subscription rent, a fixed monthly fee is accompanied by the costs of utilities consumed: hot and cold water, heating, electricity or waste collection. Just like in every apartment rented, bills may differ depending on how you consume utilities and the construction of the building you live in.
All Resi4Rent buildings offering subscription apartments (https://r4r.pl/en/looking-for-an-apartment-for-rent-a-subscription-apartment-may-be-what-you-are-looking-for/) are modern and have a comprehensive attitude towards ensuring that energy is used in an effective manner:
- Apartments are designed for rent in mind; therefore, non-usable areas are limited to a minimum. Thanks to this, residents of the building only pay for the residential area that they really use.
- All Resi4Rent buildings are new and insulated.
- Apartments are equipped with energy-saving washing machines and dishwashers offering an “ECO” mode.
- The buildings feature solutions limiting the consumption of energy, e.g. photovoltaic panels have been installed in some buildings, whereas the facade of the Kraków-Błonia building has been made of plants, which not only reduces the level of noise that can be heard inside, but also improves the quality of air and provides additional insulation.
How to save energy consumption at home?
See how it can be done effectively:
- Try to use daylight
It is the easiest and simplest way to save electricity. If you work from home on your computer, place your desk next to the window so that you can use as much daylight as possible. Do not close the curtains during the day. If it is possible, try to plan your tasks so that you can execute those requiring lighting in the first part of the day.
- Turn the lights off
This seemingly simple habit usually poses many difficulties. It is easy to forget to switch off the light when you leave the bathroom or a room where no one stays anymore. Try to fight this habit and encourage your roommates to do the same.
- Watch out for the fridge
A fridge-freezer is one of the most energy-consuming appliances in our homes. It constantly consumes energy since it is switched on all the time. Additionally, each inflow of warm air into the inside of the fridge makes it consume additional energy to lower its temperature to a required level. That is why you should never place even a slightly warm meal inside it and try to close the fridge door as quickly as possible. Moreover, pay attention to whether a given model features the No Frost system. If not, it will be necessary to defrost it at least once every six months as due to ice accumulation, the fridge must consume more and more energy, which also generates higher electricity bills.
- Use a lid when cooking
Did you know that you extend the cooking time and increase the consumption of energy while cooking without a lid? Lids not only limit heat loss, but also keep vapor inside in the pot, which accelerates the cooking process. Make sure that you have a set of lids to all pots in your apartment and use them as frequently as possible. By using lids when cooking meals, not only will you shorten the time of using the induction hob, which will save you both energy and money, but you will also start eating the meal faster 🙂
- Unplug appliances
Did you know that appliances that are not used but plugged still consume energy? We do not realize that household appliances left in standby mode are the largest thief of energy. A continuously flashing red light on a TV set may cost you as many as over a dozen Polish zloty per year. If you add all the players, the radio or the docking station, for instance of a vacuum cleaner, to it, you will get a considerable amount of money. Therefore, if you do not use a given appliance, switch it off and unplug it.
- Turn on the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
Another way to save energy is to use household appliances in a rational manner. All subscription apartments are equipped with modern household appliances, adjusted in terms of size and capacities to the number of residents living in a given apartment. Make sure that you do not run empty cycles on them. When the dishwasher is not full yet, do not turn it on. The same applies to the washing machine – wait until the drum is full and start it. This will enable you to use these appliances less frequently and save energy.
- Turn the oven off earlier
The oven remains hot even for several dozen minutes after it has been turned off. It is a good idea to use this temperature especially for dishes that are almost ready. They will certainly be completely baked or roasted without the appliance working longer than required and we will save a lot of energy.
- Boil as much water as you currently need
Sometimes everyone fills the entire kettle with water even if we actually intend to brew one cup of tea only. Remember that the more water you pour, the longer it will take to boil it and the more energy the kettle will consume.
- Do not open the oven while baking/roasting
Every time you open the oven, the temperature inside decreases and the appliance will have to heat up again consuming a lot of energy.
- Turn on the auto power-off function
Have you ever fallen asleep while watching a movie or TV series or left the TV or radio on and left home just to visit the store nearby? In such situations, equipment consumes energy totally in vain. Therefore, turn on the auto power-off function for your TV or laptop, which turns them off after they have not been used for e.g. an hour.
- Resign from ceiling light in favor of a lamp
You do not always have to provide strong light in the entire room. Ask yourself a question: how many activities during the day are you able to do using a standing lamp or a bedside lamp only? Using less intense lighting will allow you to save electricity.
These are just several examples that are free to implement; quite the opposite, they will allow you to increase your savings. Remember that it will take some time for you and people living with you to acquire a habit of saving energy. Do not give up, choose the best methods from the list presented above and stick to them consistently for at least a month. Soon you will feel that it works.
[1] “Energy consumption in households in 2018”, Statistics Poland, Warsaw, 2019.