Time to seriously save electricity
2011-09-01
ELECTRICITY has become a valuable commodity. The cost has literally rocketed over the past few years with an annual increase of about 25% schedules for the next two years as well. It has thus become imperative for each and every electricity consumer to start using electricity sparingly. And the great electricity saving debate often surrounds a household’s hot water geyser. Local electrician, Patrick Wolfe, says that the argument about whether to switch a geyser off during the day when it is not used, or leave it on, is six of one and half a dozen of the other. “A geyser should be set at a lower temperature of 60°C. The thermostat of a geyser switches on for about ten minutes every hour-and-a-half in a 24 hour cycle to keep the water at temperature. “If switched off, the water cools and it will take about the same continuous time to get the water back to heat as leaving the geyser on all day. This basically comes down to the same usage of power. “A geyser blanket can keep the water in a geyser a bit warmer.” “People who are seldom at home, can profit by installing the GeyserWise timer which allows for individualised settings according to the day of the week.” Solar heaters are an option as well, but it will take years before the initial cost of purchase and installation is recovered. It is recommended to shower instead of running a bath to use less hot water. There are also many other ways of saving electricity on a daily basis. Make use of a microwave oven more often. A conventional oven uses the same power as 18 microwave ovens. If cooking on an electric stove, cover your pot tightly with a lid and keep your temperature moderate. If using the oven, do not open the oven door unnecessarily, as this allows heat to escape, prolonging the cooking time. Many people are changing to gas stoves. Even small camping gas appliances are being used in kitchens for quick cooking. When boiling water in a kettle, only boil the amount needed. Open and close your fridge door quickly when needed and do not overload your fridge and freezer. Appliances like dishwashers and washing machines must only be switched on when full. Switch the television completely off - when on stand-by mode, the stand-by light alone uses up to 50% of the power the TV would use if it was actually on. This goes for other electronic devices such as computers, printers, scanners, photo-copiers and modems. Unplug battery and cellphone chargers completely. Replace as many of your light bulbs as possible with CFL energy-saving bulbs. They may be more expensive than conventional globes, but they use less electricity and last much longer. Light-emitting diodes (LED lamps) are costly, but can last for up to ten years, saving electricity.
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