ENERGY SAVING TIPS FOR YOUR HOME APPLIANCES

Fig: CFL Fun Bulb

IN-HOME APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICITY SAFETY

The Domestic Sector accounts for 30% of total energy consumption in the country. There is a tremendous scope to conserve energy by adopting simple measures. This information is a guide, which offers easy, practical solutions for saving energy in Home Appliances. Please, take a few moments to read the valuable tips that will save energy & money and ultimately help conserve our natural resources. 

It would be useful to know which gadget consumes how much electricity. Economic use of home appliances can help in reducing electricity bills. The following table shows the energy consumption of various appliances normally used at home:

Appliances	Rating(Watts)	OperatingHrs/Day	Units/ Month
Incandescent Bulbs	40	6	7
	60	6	11
Fluorescent Tube light	40	10	12
Night Lamp	15	10	4.5
Mosquito Repellent	10	5	1.5
Fans	60	15	27
Air Coolers	175	8	42
Air Conditioners	1500	6	270
Refrigerator	225	15	101
Mixer/Blender	450	1	13.5
Toaster	800	0.5	12
Hot Plate	1500	0.5	22.5
Oven	1000	1	30
Electric Kettle	1500	1	45
Electric Iron	1500	1	45
Water heater-Instant Type(1-2 Ltr capacity)	3000	1	90
Water heater-Storage type(10-20 Ltr capacity)	2000	1	60
Immersion rod	1000	1	30
Vacuum Cleaner	700	0.5	11
Washing Machine	300	1	9
Water pump	750	1	22.5
TV	100	10	30
Audio system	50	2	3

  Useful Tips to Save Energy

Certainly! Here are some energy-saving tips for your home appliances:

Choose energy-efficient appliances: When purchasing new appliances, look for the Energy Star label. These appliances are designed to consume less energy without sacrificing performance.

Unplug idle appliances: Many appliances continue to consume energy even when they're turned off. Unplug devices like chargers, gaming consoles, and small kitchen appliances when they're not in use to eliminate this "phantom" or "vampire" energy usage.

Optimize refrigerator settings: Set your refrigerator's temperature to around 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit (3-4 degrees Celsius) and the freezer to 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to -15 degrees Celsius). Make sure the door seals are tight and avoid leaving the door open for extended periods.

Use energy-saving modes: Most modern appliances, including TVs, computers, and washing machines, have energy-saving modes. Enable these modes to reduce power consumption while maintaining functionality.

Wash clothes in cold water: Switching from hot to cold water when doing laundry can significantly reduce the energy consumption of your washing machine. The majority of the energy used by washing machines goes toward heating the water.

Air-dry dishes: Instead of using the heated drying cycle in your dishwasher, open the door after the final rinse and let the dishes air-dry. This saves both energy and keeps your kitchen cooler.

Adjust water heater temperature: Lowering the temperature of your water heater to around 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) can help save energy. This temperature is sufficient for most household needs while reducing the energy required to heat the water.

Use power strips: Plug multiple electronics into a power strip, and when they're not in use, turn off the power strip to cut off the standby power supply. This makes it easier to control the energy usage of multiple devices.

Maintain and clean appliances: Regularly clean the filters of your air conditioner, dryer, and vacuum cleaner to ensure optimal performance. Dirty filters can cause appliances to work harder and consume more energy.

Utilize natural lighting: Make the most of natural light during the day by opening curtains and blinds. This reduces the need for artificial lighting, saving electricity.

Install energy-efficient lighting: Replace traditional incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LED or CFL bulbs. They consume significantly less energy and last longer.

Insulate and seal your home: Proper insulation and sealing of windows, doors, and other areas where air can leak can help regulate temperature and reduce the energy needed for heating or cooling.

By following these energy-saving tips, you can reduce your energy consumption, lower your utility bills, and contribute to a greener environment.

By following these simple tips one can save energy to a large extent.

Lighting

Ø Turn off the lights when not in use

Ø Take advantage of daylight by using light-coloured, loose-weave curtains on your windows to         

       allow daylight to penetrate the room. Also, decorate with lighter colours that reflect daylight

Ø De-dust lighting fixtures to maintain illumination

Ø Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it

Ø Compact fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs

      and provide the same lighting

Ø Use electronic chokes in place of conventional copper chokes

Fans

Ø Replace conventional regulators with electronic regulators for ceiling fans

Ø Install exhaust fans at a higher elevation than ceiling fans

Electric iron

Ø Select iron boxes with automatic temperature cutoff

Ø Use appropriate regulator position for ironing

Ø Do not put more water on clothes, while ironing

Ø Do not iron wet clothes

Kitchen Appliances

Mixers

§ Avoid dry grinding in your food processors ( mixers and grinders) as it takes longer

time than liquid grinding

Microwaves ovens

§ Consumes 50 % less energy than conventional electric/gas stoves

§ Do not bake large food items

§ Unless you're baking pieces of bread or pastries, you may not even need to preheat

§ Don't open the oven door too often to check food condition as each opening leads to a

a temperature drop of 25°C

Electric stove

§ Turn off electric stoves several minutes before the specified cooking time

§ Use flat-bottomed pans that make full contact with the cooking coil

Gas stove

§ When cooking on a gas burner, use moderate flame settings to conserve LPG

§ Remember that a blue flame means your gas stove is operating efficiently

§ Yellowish flame is an indicator that the burner needs cleaning

§ Use pressure cookers as much as possible

§ Use lids to cover the pans while cooking

§ Bring items taken out of refrigerators (like vegetables, milk etc) to room temperature

before placing on the gas stove for heating

Ø Use Solar Water Heater – a good replacement for an electric water heater

Electronic Devices

Ø Do not switch on the power when TV and Audio Systems are not in use i.e. idle operation

leads to an energy loss of 10 watts/device

Computers

Ø Turn off your home office equipment when not in use. A computer that runs 24 hours a

day, for instance, uses - more power than an energy-efficient refrigerator.

Ø If your computer must be left on, turn off the monitor; this device alone uses more than half

the system's energy.

Ø Setting computers, monitors, and copiers to use sleep-mode when not in use helps cut

energy costs by approximately 40%.

Ø Battery chargers, such as those for laptops, cell phones and digital cameras, draw power

whenever they are plugged in and are very inefficient. Pull the plug and save.

Ø Screen savers save computer screens, not energy. Start-ups and shutdowns do not use

any extra energy, nor are they hard on your computer components. In fact, shutting

computers down when you are finished using them actually reduces system wear - and

saves energy

Refrigerator

Ø Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; frost buildup increases the

amount of energy needed to keep the motor running.

Ø Leave enough space between your refrigerator and the walls so that air can easily

circulate around the refrigerator

Ø Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold.

Ø Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight

Ø Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture

and make the compressor work harder.

Ø Do not open the doors of the refrigerators frequently

Ø Don't leave the fridge door opens for longer than necessary, as cold air will escape.

Ø Use smaller cabinets for storing frequently used items

Ø Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge

Washing machines

Ø Always wash only with full loads

Ø Use optimal quantity of water

Ø Use timer facility to save energy

Ø Use the correct amount of detergent

Ø Use hot water only for very dirty clothes

Ø Always use cold water in the rinse cycle

Ø Prefer natural drying over electric dryers

Air Conditioners

Ø Prefer air conditioners having automatic temperature cut off

Ø Keep regulators at “low cool” position

Ø Operate the ceiling the fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the

cooled air more effectively throughout the room and operate the air conditioner at higher

temperature

Ø Seal the doors and windows properly

Ø Leave enough space between your air conditioner and the walls to allow better air

circulation

Ø A roof garden can reduce the load on Air Conditioner

Ø Use windows with sun films/curtains

Ø Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference

between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower will be energy consumption.

Ø Don't set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air

conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling.

Ø Don't place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses

heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than

necessary.

Ø Plant trees or shrubs to shade air-conditioning units but not to block the airflow. A unit

operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating

in the sun.

Electrical Safety Tips for Homes

Sponsored:

Electrical Hazards

Shocks

§ Electric Shock causes an involuntary grip which prolongs the period of contact.

§ More the period of contact, more the damage

§ Passage of current through the heart, stops the blood supply to the brain, resulting in

loss of consciousness and termination of breathing

§ When a person standing at a height receives an electrical shock , it is most likely that

he will fall

§ Personal sensitivity to electrical shock varies from person to person

Burns

§ Whenever an electrical flash appears, and if a part of a body comes within the flashing

distance, burns can be caused

§ Burns may be caused by short circuits as well, because a short circuit could create an

electrical fire

Preventive Measures

Ø Allow only a qualified person to attend to your electrical repairs

Ø Service your electrical equipment at frequent intervals through a competent electrician

Ø In case of a short circuit or a fire, switch off the mains instantly Make sure that you have

easy access to switch off the supply source quickly, in case of an emergency

Ø Make sure your extension cords are free from cuts, improper insulation, or joints

Ø Ensure pins of your plugs are tight and not loose

Ø Use switches of the correct current rating and preferably with indicators to indicate whether

the switch is ON/OFF

Ø Use appliances with 3 pin plugs and connect them to 3 pin sockets

Ø Do not overload electrical outlets or use extension cords in place of additional outlets

Ø Switch off electrical appliances when not in use

Ø Provide proper earthing for the building/house