How to Pay Less for Electricity

Easy tips to save on your electric bill

Electricity price hikes are common, yet few individuals know how to efficiently utilize their consumption of electricity. As a result, monthly electricity bills are higher than regular consumption. It becomes costly and expensive. However, it can be avoided through awareness on how to use electricity well.

Lighting fixtures

According to Meralco’s Electricitips, about 20 percent to 30 percent of an electricity bill is accounted to consumption of light. Thus, using light efficiently is a must. Even something as simple as turning off lights when not in use is a good way to save on your electricity bill.

Aside from switching off the lights, replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can also reduce consumption of electricity. An incandescent bulb consumes and wastes electricity because it doesn’t only generate light but also heat. CFLs only produce light, therefore, they consume less electricity.

Regular cleaning of lighting fixtures can also reduce electricity consumption. Lighting fixtures in good condition would result to effective consumption of electricity. Another way you could save on your electricity bill is to use natural daylight as much as possible.

Television

Since television is one of our main sources of entertainment, it is usually used over long periods of time. It contributes to high consumption of electricity thus, a higher electric bill. To avoid such an increase, one must consider the size of the television; the bigger the screen, the higher the energy consumption.

Rather than keeping the television on stand-by mode, it should be unplugged because the stand-by mode still consumes energy. Switch off and unplug the television after watching.

Refrigerator

Refrigerators require a continuous supply of energy; hence, it should be properly maintained to keep it functioning well and avoid a higher consumption of electricity. Picking out efficient refrigerators can also help on saving electricity. A refrigerator with an Energy Efficient Factor is better than those with none. It saves money because the cost of operation is lower.

Just like in television, the size of refrigerators should be appropriate to the family’s needs. Avoid storing too many items because it blocks the air circulation and reduces the refrigerator’s cooling facilities. You should also let hot dishes cool before putting it in the refrigerator since hot dishes make the fridge use more energy to cool.

The distance between the refrigerator and the wall also affects the refrigerator’s capacity. Refrigerators should be at least 4-inches away from the wall as it prevents the motor from overheating. Lastly, check if the refrigerator doors are tightly sealed every time.

Electric fans and airconditioners

Regularly cleaning your electric fan will help it run efficiently. If it isn’t cleaned regularly, the dust and dirt cause additional heating, which means more consumption of energy. In addition, use the oscillating feature of an electric fan rather than using two electric fans at the same time.

Airconditioners have an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), which measures how much electricity it consumes.

The higher the EER, the more efficient the appliance will be and the lower the operating cost. To optimize the EER, airconditioners should be installed in a cool area. If it is installed in direct sunlight, it consumes more energy. Also, check if there are any spaces that would cause heat to enter the room.
Close all doors and windows tightly. In addition, avoid placing appliances near the airconditioners because other appliances give off heat that would make the airconditioner use more electricity. –HANNAH JOY GREGORIO SPECIAL TO THE MANILA TIMES