Weed out the usual suspects in energy wastage
There are usually very few smiles around when the electricity bill comes rolling in, and in recent years with the cost of energy on a constant rise, reasons to be cheerful are certainly few and far between. The problem is that an increasing majority of UK consumers now expect that their electricity bill will be a major outlay and are doing little or nothing to control the costs.
Yet it can be done. And those who succeed in showing the necessary disciplines in controlling their electricity usage are smiling a little more than those who mistakenly accept that this form of energy costs cannot be controlled.
With an average UK paying around £1,000 for electricity every year and with raw material costs constantly on the rise, it seems like inevitability that that sum will creep up. Yet just a little attention to detail can help to reduce that sum, with some experts saying that cuts of 50% being achievable.
What needs to be done is to take a close look at the "usual suspects" who burn up the most electricity and take the necessary steps to curb the energy wasted through their inefficient use. One of the biggest potential energy guzzlers is none other than the domestic refrigerator. Home owners often make the simple mistake of pushing the back of their refrigerator too close to a wall. By doing so they close the vital path needed for hot and cool air to circulate and condense the appliance's temperature. This form of overheating can be avoided by maintaining a gap of at least one inch between the appliance and the wall near it. This simple action will prevent the refrigerator's compressor from working at maximum capacity and save a lot of electricity. In general, it is good practice to keep refrigerators at a safe distance from sources which directly generate heat.
Washing machines should only be operated when the machine water temperature is set to cool. Working with hot water costs a lot more and the results are just the same when cool water is used.
Heating in the winter and air conditioners or fans during the summer should only be used after every effort has been made to prevent treated air (hot or cold) from escaping. Windows and doors should always be kept closed and large gaps in doorways should be filled.
If you operate an air conditioning system during the summer months, special attention should be made towards keeping the filters clean, and that neither electric heaters or air conditioning is being operated unnecessarily.
These are just a few examples of what can be done to keep wastage down to a manageable level. Every appliance you use should be examined and advice sought as how to get the maximum value out of each one of them.
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