On January 1st electricity prices went up and homeowners can expect to see a 3-6% increase on their bills. Given this price hike, home owners and community presidents are actively looking for ways to cut their consumption with the aim of reducing bills and lessening their impact on the environment.
As we told you last week, Endesa are rolling out Smart energy meters for all their clients, which means customers will be charged on their actual use every month rather than relying on estimations. The Smart meter also shows where the electricity is actually being used, so consumers can identify the most power-hungry items and you can learn to use these less, in a smarter way, or look for power-saving alternatives.
Here are a few tips for cutting electricity use and bills this year –
Invest in eco appliances where possible
Disconnect plugs which are not being used, phone chargers etc.
When replacing ovens try halogen, they are much more energy efficient than fan ovens
Clean all filters on tumble dryers, vacuums etc as blocked filters impair performance so you need to use it for longer
Use energy saving light bulbs and solar lighting outside
Keep heat in by drawing the curtains and using draft excluders
Don’t do half loads – fill dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers completely for less washes
Check whether your electricity costs less at different times of the day and adjust accordingly. For instance it may be cheaper to save all your washing until after 9pm at night if you’re on a day/night tariff
Around 6% of electric usage in the home is actually used by devices being left on standby so make sure you turn off at the mains
Investing in home solar panels could reduce your electric bill by up to 80%, they are likely to pay for themselves within 5 years, you could even sell back any energy you produce to the power company.
Make it your New Year’s resolution to reduce energy bills in your property and throughout your urbanization and share these useful tips with other owners via your community website.