5 products with which to save on your electricity bill
As you know, 2022 has not started in the best way. In addition to Covid-19, Italians will have to deal with electricity bills which, just this year, have become much more expensive for the wallet. At the beginning it was estimated that electricity and gas prices would rise to around 20% and 50% respectively, but, following the outbreak of the war between Ukraine and Russia, the increases proved even more important, sending many families into difficulty. These increases would translate into an annual expenditure of almost € 1,000 more than the previous year, especially for families who use both resources.
The new increases have also affected those who own an electric car, since the latter are powered by electricity and even the owners of LPG cars are forced to incur higher expenses. The only ones who can breathe a sigh of relief are those who in recent years have installed a photovoltaic system in their home.
Having said that, we certainly cannot give up using household appliances, as they are part of our daily life, but it is possible to ensure that the latter consume less. In this regard, in this article we will report a series of tips that could allow you to consume less, even if the best way to save on electricity consumption is to have modern solutions, such as LED bulbs and smart sockets able to set times and days of ignition. Below we have compiled a list of products with which you can lower your bill costs and, at the same time, allow you to have modern and functional appliances at home. As mentioned, in the second part of the article you will then find practical advice on how to optimize energy consumption without compromising.
In addition to the time slots, there are other tricks that you can put into practice to save with the washing machine. One of these is to avoid prewashing, especially if the clothes to be washed are not particularly dirty. The pre-wash, in fact, increases the water temperature and this results in a high energy consumption, which is why use it only if the clothes are really dirty. Another tip that could make a difference on your electricity bill is to always use the washing machine with a full load, thus avoiding washing a few clothes at a time. Furthermore, it is recommended to focus on Eco programs and low temperatures, albeit at the cost of giving up perfect hygiene. As a final suggestion regarding the washing machine, there is to clean it regularly, in order to allow the appliance to always work flawlessly.
Also on the dishwasher the prewash program has an impact on energy consumption, so our advice is to try to remove the main food particles by hand and use the dishwasher only to finish cleaning dishes and glasses. Furthermore, it is preferable to avoid the drying phase, allowing the cutlery to dry naturally. Finally, also in this case the advice to use the Eco programs is valid. A series of compromises that, if well exploited, will allow you to save important figures.
The second advice concerning how to use the electric oven correctly is to avoid opening the door during cooking as much as possible. In fact, with each opening, most of the heat comes out and the appliance will have to work again at full load to bring the temperature to the set threshold. If you need to check the cooking of the food, try to do it through the front glass and to open the door only in the final stages.
Many people insert one or more aluminum sheets inside the oven thinking that cooking takes place more easily, but it is the exact opposite. The presence of sheets, in fact, does nothing but interfere with the ventilation of the oven, preventing hot air from flowing freely and, consequently, decreasing efficiency and increasing consumption. It would also be advisable to set the switch-off timer a few minutes earlier than expected, since, once it is switched off, the oven temperature will remain high for a while and will allow the food to continue cooking without consuming additional energy.
Another precaution to put into practice is the position of the refrigerator. If the latter is positioned too close to the walls, it will have difficulty releasing the heat from the compressor and will be forced to always operate at higher speeds than normal. Try to keep it at least 7-8cm from the walls. Also, try to open the door as little as possible, as with each opening the internal temperature rises and forces the refrigerator motor to restart to reach the optimal storage temperature again. interior of the refrigerator is another factor that could impact on electricity consumption. If the refrigerator is always full of food to the point where you can't add more, it will obviously make it more difficult to keep the temperature constant. An appliance that goes into difficulty translates into greater consumption, and this is why you should avoid overloading it with food, especially if these block the air vents.
Finally, the gaskets also play an important role . These should be checked periodically because they are the ones that ensure that cold air does not escape from the fridge and, at the same time, allow the hot outside air not to enter the door. So try to keep the door seals clean and replace them if you notice cracks or cracks.
The new increases have also affected those who own an electric car, since the latter are powered by electricity and even the owners of LPG cars are forced to incur higher expenses. The only ones who can breathe a sigh of relief are those who in recent years have installed a photovoltaic system in their home.
Having said that, we certainly cannot give up using household appliances, as they are part of our daily life, but it is possible to ensure that the latter consume less. In this regard, in this article we will report a series of tips that could allow you to consume less, even if the best way to save on electricity consumption is to have modern solutions, such as LED bulbs and smart sockets able to set times and days of ignition. Below we have compiled a list of products with which you can lower your bill costs and, at the same time, allow you to have modern and functional appliances at home. As mentioned, in the second part of the article you will then find practical advice on how to optimize energy consumption without compromising.
5 products to save on your electricity bill
Smart socket with energy monitoring LED bulbs Electricity meter Smart thermostat Current stabilizer Generic photos.Smart socket with energy monitoring
Generic photos. A smart socket like the TP-Link Tapo P110 has the ability to save you on energy consumption. This device, in fact, will allow you to intelligently manage the switching on and off of the lights, allowing you to set the times during which the connected devices must switch on and off. Through the dedicated application you can check energy consumption in real time and choose different modes of use. Among these there is also the one that simulates your presence at home, automatically activating and deactivating the connected lights at random times. Thanks to the support with Alexa and Google Home, you can then control the connected devices remotely. A negligible expense, but which will allow you to save small monthly amounts that could lighten the cost of the electricity bill.LED bulbs
Generic photos. If you still have old bulbs, now is the time to replace them with LED solutions. In fact, on the occasion of the rise in prices, installing a series of LED bulbs will guarantee you considerable energy savings. Our advice is to buy the Philips kit consisting of 6 bulbs in E27 format. These have a consumption of 13W but ensure a brightness comparable to an old 100W model. As it is easy to guess, with this kit the electricity consumption will be lowered and, at the same time, you will have a solution capable of illuminating the rooms with a powerful natural white light, making this one of the best purchases to fight the recent increases.Electric current meter
Generic photos. Despite being similar to the smart socket mentioned above, an electric current meter may prove more ideal for those who want to monitor energy consumption at a glance. The Maxcio solution, in fact, has a backlit LCD display from which you can check various data, including the maximum and minimum power supplied by the appliance, the voltage and the respective price. Thanks to the built-in battery, the collected data will be saved so that you can check it later even if the meter is disconnected from the socket.Smart thermostat
Generic photos. Heating systems are the ones that consume the most, especially in winter, and if you have a wired thermostat, now is the right time to invest in a smart solution that can intelligently manage the temperatures of radiators and other related circuits. This can be helped by the basic Tado ° kit, compatible with most heating systems, including gas, oil, condensing boilers, OpenTherm systems and underfloor heating. As mentioned, energy saving will be possible thanks to an intelligent management of the heating, which will take place above all when the sensor reveals that it is necessary to temporarily deactivate the heating, for example when the window is opened. Thanks to modern technologies, everything will happen independently and the thermostat will even understand if you are at home or not, acting accordingly to ensure that energy consumption is not wasted. The price to install this solution, and the related accessories, may seem high but, if we consider the recent increases, it could prove to be an excellent investment that will pay off in the long term.Current stabilizer
Among the solutions that can lower the current consumption are the current stabilizers. These are devices to which you can connect a series of household appliances and make sure that they always work in total safety, without short circuits, overheating, overloads and surges. The model we propose will allow you to connect 4 appliances for a total of 1200W, so it is suitable for TVs, computers, printers and video cameras. This stabilizer will also be useful when there is a power failure, since it will give you time to save your work. In this sense, the manufacturer declares that this will help to make the connected devices work up to a maximum of 50 minutes. The duration obviously depends on the type of appliance that you want to keep running. Compact and versatile, you can place it wherever you like, also because it is silent despite having a cooling system with a fan.How to save on electricity bill
As promised, let's now move on to the tips to make sure that the electricity bill is as low as possible for your wallet. Obviously, don't expect miracles, but if you put these tips into practice every day, you will certainly notice savings on energy consumption in the medium and long term. Without further ado, let's find out how to fight the recent increase in electricity and gas prices.How to save money with the washing machine
The washing machine is one of the most used household appliances and, consequently, if if it is operated incorrectly, the current consumption is bound to increase. To optimize energy consumption with this appliance, you should first know the details of your electricity supplier. As you know, most of the contracts are based on the so-called time slots, which are divided into F1, F2 and F3. Each of these bands corresponds to a different time and price, which should encourage you to use the washing machine only at the most convenient times. Usually, the F1 band is the one that will allow you to save from 19:00 to 8:00, the F2 is designed to further increase savings in the evening, while the F3 is the one to be exploited during the weekends.In addition to the time slots, there are other tricks that you can put into practice to save with the washing machine. One of these is to avoid prewashing, especially if the clothes to be washed are not particularly dirty. The pre-wash, in fact, increases the water temperature and this results in a high energy consumption, which is why use it only if the clothes are really dirty. Another tip that could make a difference on your electricity bill is to always use the washing machine with a full load, thus avoiding washing a few clothes at a time. Furthermore, it is recommended to focus on Eco programs and low temperatures, albeit at the cost of giving up perfect hygiene. As a final suggestion regarding the washing machine, there is to clean it regularly, in order to allow the appliance to always work flawlessly.
How to save money with the dishwasher
The dishwasher, together with the washing machine, it is one of the household appliances most used by families and also one of those that absorb the greatest current consumption, but you will be happy to know that you can implement a series of measures to limit consumption just like the washing machine. As appliances are quite similar in operation, the suggestions do not differ much from those mentioned above, but must be adapted to what is the typical use of the dishwasher. First of all, the ideal would be to have a dishwasher whose dimensions adapt to those of the family unit, since a model with 15 place settings will consume more than a model with 6 place settings. If you do not yet have a dishwasher and are thinking of buying one, take this factor into consideration because it will play an important role on your electricity bill and, at the same time, will also allow you to save on the cost of the appliance.Also on the dishwasher the prewash program has an impact on energy consumption, so our advice is to try to remove the main food particles by hand and use the dishwasher only to finish cleaning dishes and glasses. Furthermore, it is preferable to avoid the drying phase, allowing the cutlery to dry naturally. Finally, also in this case the advice to use the Eco programs is valid. A series of compromises that, if well exploited, will allow you to save important figures.
How to save with the electric oven
Electric ovens are appliances that absorb over 1.000W and can even reach i 2,000W if you are talking about very large models, so knowing how to use them correctly can only help you consume less power. In this regard, the first piece of advice we would like to give you is to avoid preheating it, but to immediately insert the food you want to cook, by doing so you will save precious minutes which, in the long run, have a negative impact on the electricity bill. .The second advice concerning how to use the electric oven correctly is to avoid opening the door during cooking as much as possible. In fact, with each opening, most of the heat comes out and the appliance will have to work again at full load to bring the temperature to the set threshold. If you need to check the cooking of the food, try to do it through the front glass and to open the door only in the final stages.
Many people insert one or more aluminum sheets inside the oven thinking that cooking takes place more easily, but it is the exact opposite. The presence of sheets, in fact, does nothing but interfere with the ventilation of the oven, preventing hot air from flowing freely and, consequently, decreasing efficiency and increasing consumption. It would also be advisable to set the switch-off timer a few minutes earlier than expected, since, once it is switched off, the oven temperature will remain high for a while and will allow the food to continue cooking without consuming additional energy.
How to save money with the refrigerator
The refrigerator is perhaps the only appliance in the house that remains on 24 hours a day, which is why optimizing its use can only be profitable for the bill. The following tips may seem obvious to you, but we are sure that many families do not put them into practice, increasing energy consumption when it is very easy to decrease them with a series of tricks. The first is obviously to invest in an energy efficient refrigerator. If your current model is old, it will certainly belong to a low energy range and this means consuming a lot even if the appliance works effortlessly. If you are not convinced of the efficiency of your refrigerator, check the information on any label printed on the refrigerator. If not, recovered the manual of your model, where all the possible and imaginable details are reported.Another precaution to put into practice is the position of the refrigerator. If the latter is positioned too close to the walls, it will have difficulty releasing the heat from the compressor and will be forced to always operate at higher speeds than normal. Try to keep it at least 7-8cm from the walls. Also, try to open the door as little as possible, as with each opening the internal temperature rises and forces the refrigerator motor to restart to reach the optimal storage temperature again. interior of the refrigerator is another factor that could impact on electricity consumption. If the refrigerator is always full of food to the point where you can't add more, it will obviously make it more difficult to keep the temperature constant. An appliance that goes into difficulty translates into greater consumption, and this is why you should avoid overloading it with food, especially if these block the air vents.
Finally, the gaskets also play an important role . These should be checked periodically because they are the ones that ensure that cold air does not escape from the fridge and, at the same time, allow the hot outside air not to enter the door. So try to keep the door seals clean and replace them if you notice cracks or cracks.