Month: March 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has brought new rules, obligations, and responsibilities to everyone. Emergency state measures require staying at home and reducing interaction with people, which increases the amount of time we spend in our homes. If you are one of those who use the extra time to try out all the recipes that have been on the waiting list for a while, we bring you some tips that will make your kitchen more energy-efficient and thus reduce your energy bill.

Maintain your refrigerator and keep it full

The fridge is at the top of the list of devices that, on average, consume the most energy in a home, which is not surprising given the fact that it is always on, or active, to keep food fresh. Continuous use of each device affects its capacity, which is why its maintenance is essential. If you have one of the older models, consider replacing your fridge with a newer device that uses less energy. Also, keeping your fridge always full will help reduce energy consumption because the more items you have in it, the less electricity you need to cool it.

Use glass or ceramic dishes in the oven

What kind of dishes do you use when cooking? If your recipe calls for cooking in the oven, use glass or ceramic pans. The food will cook just as fast in these dishes, but you can keep the temperature about 10 °C lower than necessary, therefore reducing energy consumption.

Keep the oven door closed

Sometimes it is difficult to resist those chocolate biscuits while they’re in the oven, but opening the door while baking is bad for both the food and your energy bill. Each time you open the oven, you will lower its temperature, which means that it will need extra energy to return to the one it is set on. Instead of opening the door to check whether the food is done, rely on a timer, or turn on the light in the oven for a better look.

Turn off all unused devices

Whether it is a toaster, a coffee machine, or a mixer, there is an appliance or two in every kitchen that is not used as much. Be sure to keep these devices off if you do not need them, as otherwise, they will consume energy even if they are off.

Every March, Energy Efficiency Day is celebrated around the world, in honor of the first meeting of world experts focusing on this topic, held in 1998 in Austria. This day is an ideal opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of smart energy use. This is why the efficient use of electronic devices is in the focus of this month’s challenge. We bring you some simple tips to help bring this challenge into reality.

Turn off the energy “vampires”

“Vampires” are electronic devices that consume energy even when not in use, because they are not entirely turned off, but are instead on the stand-by option. Most home appliances automatically switch to this mode as it allows them to re-start quickly. This subtle use of energy has a significant effect on the total amount of energy consumed in your household over a more extended period, so remember to turn off all your appliances when they are not in use.

Use warm water wisely

Taking a bath or a shower, as well as doing laundry and dishes, are some of the most common reasons for using hot water at home. Taking shorter showers, using a dishwasher instead of washing the dishes on your own, as well as doing laundry at lower temperatures are just some of the ways to make smarter use of water, which will undoubtedly result in lowering your bills.

Consider using energy-saving gadgets

Some devices can help you control energy consumption in your home. For example, some chargers allow you to charge multiple devices simultaneously, while automatically turning off when the devices when they are fully charged, thus preventing already mentioned “vampire” power consumption. Another similar device is the smart thermostat that will help you control your heating system, therefore ensuring that your living space does not heat up more than necessary.

Use light bulbs

This energy-efficient measure is among the most commonly mentioned ones. Have you ever wondered why? Because, when compared to the ordinary ones, energy-saving bulbs heat up less, which automatically means they consume less electricity. The most common reason for considering switching to LED lighting is the temperature of the colors emitted by the lamps. Hence, it is important to note that there are several types of temperature colors of energy-saving lamps, such as warm white, natural white, and cold white.