how to save electricity

[Guest guest]

Delhi consumer organisation VOICE, in a recent report on promoting energy

efficiency, has come out with household tips to reduce energy costs. While at

first glance the points seem rather common-sensical, they do need to be

underscored.

1. Cooking with covered lids can save up to 20% energy. Use smaller appliances

and cook on simmer.

2. A microwave uses a quarter of the energy that the conventional oven gobbles

up.

3. Avoid opening oven doors—th e ‘peek’ can cause the temperature to drop by 15

degree celsius.

4. Let frozen food thaw before cooking, as it can save 30 minutes a kg in

cooking time.

5. Refrigerators should not be placed right against the wall or under sunlight.

Ventilation can save 15% energy.

6. Allow food to cool before refrigeration. Check the door seal and keep the

temperature only as low as required. A change in one degree can save 5%

consumption.

7. Buy a fridge that is the right size—ideally, one that is two-thirds full.

8. Washing machines should also be two-thirds full and shorter cycles are

advisable for lightly soiled clothes. Soaking clothes in detergents, rather than

using hot water, saves costs. You can save 1,350 kilowatt hours of electricity a

year if you use only cold water. Clean the lint filter after use. A clogged vent

consumes energy needlessly and may become a fire hazard. For drying, nothing

works out cheaper than the sun!

9. Turn on the air-conditioner early on hot days. If the machine has adjustable

louvers, tilt them toward the ceiling when cooling, and towards the floor while

heating. Check the ceiling for weather-proofing. Even if your ceiling is

insulated, air leaks can cause up to 20% summer heat gains and 25% heat loss.

10. North-facing windows keep the sun out in summers and let it in during

winters.

11. Uncurtained windows can rob you of heat in winter and turn your house into

an oven in the summer. Curtains must be closed at the top, with a boxed pelmet

to prevent summer heat. In winter it works the other way.

12. Using one 15-watt compact fluorescent lamp instead of a 75-watt incandescent

bulb reduces power consumption by around 480 kWh (kilowatt-hour) over its

lifetime or Rs 1,920 at Rs 4 per kWh.

13. Use overhanging eaves and a well-planned garden in the balcony or verandah.

TNN

regards

Dr Meena Samtani

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