How to Conserve Electricity This 2023
This year’s summer pushed us to use more of our appliances, we were left with no other option than to brace ourselves for higher electricity bills these past few months. And if you want to conserve electricity without having to replace your current appliances (yet!), sit tight as we let you in on some of our electricity-saving secrets!
1. Refrigerator or Freezer
Refrigerators are one of the highest contributors to your electricity consumption, so tweaking their settings or planning their usage can be helpful. And here are some ways you can do it:
- Optimal Temperature Setting: To lower your consumption without compromising food’s safety, set your refrigerator’s temperature between 36 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit or 2 to 3 degrees Celsius, and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or -18 degrees Celsius
- Allow Air Circulation: Did you know where you place your refrigerator can make a difference? To avoid making your compressor work harder–which means using more energy–ensure there’s enough space around it to allow airflow. Avoid placing it near heat sources such as ovens or direct sunlight, too
- Keep the Door Sealed: This may not be new to you if you grew up in an Asian household, but keeping the refrigerator’s door sealed actually has its advantages! Keeping it sealed prevents cool air from escaping and warm air from entering, which reduces energy waste. Check the door gasket for any cracks or gaps, too, and have it fixed or replaced if needed.
2. Air Conditioner (AC) Units
With the heat, fans alone aren’t sufficient anymore to keep us cool. The good thing? We have air-conditioning units to help us get through the day! The downside, however, is that it isn’t economical to use one often. But we’ve got some tips to make using it with less guilt!
- Get it Maintained Regularly: For optimal AC Performance, regular maintenance of air filters, evaporator, and condenser coils is important, as dirty filters and coils can reduce efficiency and increase energy consumption. For the air filters, experts recommend that they are cleaned or replaced every one to three months
- Use Curtains or Blinds: During the hottest part of the day, closing curtains or blinds not only blocks out sunlight but also prevents heat from entering your home. With curtains, we help maintain a cooler indoor environment, while reducing the load of the AC Unit, too
- Turn On Your Fans: In conjunction with your air-conditioner, turn on your ceiling fans to create a wind-chill effect. With this, you can adjust and raise the thermostat temperature by a few degrees, saving you a few bucks without sacrificing comfort.
3. Laptops or Desktops
Working from home? Here are ways your laptop or desktop can use less energy, too! With 40 hours (or more) of usage weekly, it’s as worth looking into as other appliances in your home.
- Use Sleep or Hibernate Mode: Instead of leaving your computer operating or turned on all the time, set it to enter sleep mode when it’s idle for a certain amount of time. With this, it can conserve power by reducing energy consumption during inactivity
- Close Unnecessary Applications and Processes: By simply closing any unnecessary applications and processes in the background, you can extend your battery life and increase your power usage
- Properly Manager Battery Charging (for laptops): If you are using a laptop, avoid keeping the battery at full charge for extended periods. Occasionally allow it to discharge and recharge, too, to optimize battery health, and to be more efficient with energy, as well!
And that’s it for our secret ways to save on electricity! If you loved this, make sure to check out our other articles to learn more about sustainability and renewable energy. Have a topic in mind you’d like to see in your blogs? Send us a message at info@buskowitz.com!