Many of our students staying at Casita private lets wonder what are the best ways to save electricity. Usually, students staying at our purpose-built student accommodation do not have to be bothered with utility bills such as electricity, gas, water, and Wi-Fi. If you have decided to stay in one of our Casita private lets, however, you may be asked to pay utility bills which include electricity. This guide will provide you with the best tips on how to save electricity.

Adjusting Your Day-to-Day Habits 

To start saving electricity, you must first adjust your habits which will ultimately aid in saving electricity. Some of the best adjustments to your daily habits include switching off electrical equipment and lights when you’re not using them, adjusting your washing cycles, saving electricity in the kitchen, using more natural lighting, and unplugging appliances when not in use.

Switching off Electrical Equipment and Lights 

Switching off your electrical appliances and lights can help save up electricity and reduce your electricity bill. Switching off lights and appliances when not in use is the easiest way to conserve energy in your home. Turning off the lights when they are not in use can save help you save 0.4 USD for every 10 cents per kW in case you are using a 40 kW light bulb.

Adjusting Your Laundry Use

You can save money by adjusting your laundry use in various ways. The simple way is to wash your clothes once a day rather than having multiple cycles. In the US, if you apply this, you could save up to $250 a year on average. Another way to save energy while washing your clothes is to switch to cold water rather than hot water; this will also help reduce the electricity bill. Nowadays, various washing machines come with an eco-mode that saves water; this could also be used to reduce water bills. 

Saving Electricity in The Kitchen

Regarding electricity use in the kitchen, various methods can be used to save electricity. Simply ensuring that your fridge and freezer are correctly sealed can reduce the electricity. If you use an electric stove, you can also place frozen food in the refrigerator to reduce the food’s cooking time. If applicable, you can also use the microwave instead of the electric oven as it uses less electricity.

Use More Natural Lighting

Concerning saving electricity, it is best to use natural sunlight rather than turning on the lights and only doing so when the sun goes down. This tip goes hand-in-hand with our first tip, which is switching off electrical appliances and lighting when unnecessary to keep them.

Unplugging Appliances When Not in Use

The US Department of Energy suggests that simply unplugging your appliances can save up to 10% of your monthly electricity usage. Unplugging appliances is simply unplugging appliances not in use from the electricity, ultimately saving electricity. Idle devices connected to the power grid still take up energy even if not in use.

Lower Your Reliance on Appliances 

Appliances have facilitated many things, however, they come at a cost. If you find that a chore can be done without the use of an appliance, then this would save up energy. There are many ways you can rely on yourself rather than appliances, such as washing your clothes by hand, using a drying rack rather than a dryer, and, as previously mentioned, limiting your washing cycles.

Switching to Energy Saving Appliances

Thanks to modern technology, there are various alternatives to older appliances that use more energy, as well as various tools and practices that can help reduce your energy bill. Some of the uses to be discussed include switching to LED lights, using smart devices, replacing old equipment with new energy-efficient models, and using a fan instead of air conditioning.

Switch to LED Lights

LED lights are known to be more energy friendly than regular lightbulbs and use 90% less energy. This change of lightbulbs can have a substantial impact on your electricity bill along with reducing your light usage. Another benefit of using LED lightbulbs is that they are safer as they present lower combustion risks and do not break as easily as regular glass lightbulbs.

Use Smart Devices

Smart devices are also great electricity-saving tools and can tremendously reduce your costs in the long run. Smart devices used to save energy include smart plugs, which control the electricity usage of devices, smart lighting, which only lights up once you’re in a room, you can also use smart power strips, which can monitor your electricity usage by disabling appliances that are not in use, and smart meters which can easily help you track your energy consumption.

Replace Old Appliances with Newer Ones

Older appliances take up more electricity compared to newer ones; through energy ratings, you can replace old equipment with high energy ratings with ones with a lower energy rating. Switching from old, high-consumption appliances to newer, more efficient ones will drastically optimise your energy consumption in the short and long run.

Use a Fan Instead of Air Conditioning

When the weather is warm, consider switching to a fan rather than using an air conditioner. A basic air conditioner will consume anywhere from 600 to 500 watts a day, and it is even more for central air conditioners, which use an average of 3500 watts; fans, on the other hand, only consume anywhere between 30 to 50 watts.

Other Useful Tips

Stay Up to Date with Maintenance 

Keeping up with the maintenance of your appliances, such as ACs, ventilation, and heating, can ensure that they run perfectly, ultimately reducing your electricity bills. Faulty appliances can eat up more energy than they should; this is why regular maintenance and keeping up with your maintenance schedule is essential. According to a study, faulty equipment can sometimes take up two or three times the usual intake of electricity.

Defrost Your Freezer Every Once in a While

Defrosting your freezer allows it to run smoothly in the future by maintaining its performance and will also save up electricity. Leaving frost to build up in your freezer is a lot of work for your freezer’s motor, which takes up more energy. Allowing your freezer to rest by eliminating the frost build-up is a great way to save up energy.

Use Insulation for Your Water Heater

The US Department of Energy recommends applying insulation for your water heater, which will lead to energy consumption, reduce heat loss by 25 to 45%, and reduce heating costs by seven to 16%. However, when insulating your water heater, consult an expert to prevent any safety hazards.

Keep Track of the Fridge Temperature

Many of us don’t give much thought to fridge temperature; by simply increasing the fridge’s temperature from 4 degrees to 7 degrees Celsius, you can reduce your energy consumption to anywhere between 15% to 25%. Another strange electricity-saving tip is keeping it full; the emptier it is, the more energy it will consume as you will lose more air the emptier it is; it is recommended to keep it two-thirds full.

At Casita, we hope to help all of our students to find their perfect student accommodations while ensuring that all of their needs are met, as well as their questions and concerns answered. If you are a student living in the UK, you can also read about the different types of utility bills in the UK. For more information regarding student accommodation, check out our website Casita.com, or reach out to our accommodation experts.

FAQs

1. What Are the Best Ways to Save Electricity at Home?

The best ways to save electricity at home include changing personal habits such as leaving the lights and appliances on or even leaving the appliances plugged in while idle. Other ways to save electricity include switching to LED lights, replacing old equipment with newer ones, keeping up with maintenance dates, and using a fan instead of an air conditioner.

2. What is the cheapest way to save energy?

If you are keen on not spending money on renovations and swapping equipment, you can simply focus on changing your habits, which will not cost you money. The best practices that you can do for free include making use of the sunlight during the day instead of using the lights, closing in the lights after usage, unplugging unused devices, doing manual chores rather than relying on equipment and lowering your washing cycles.