save electricity

If you only use an electric water heater at certain times of the day, youre wasting electricity keeping the water hot 24-7. To solve that problem, install an electronic timer switch (Photo 1; sold at home centers). Timers are available for 120 and 240 volt heaters. They can be programmed for daily or weekly schedules so you only heat the water when you need it. A timer can save you $25 per year.To make your water heater even more efficient, drain the tank and flush out the sediment at the bottom (Photo 2). Otherwise, you could be heating through inches of sediment before heating the water.If your electric water heater is warm or hot to the touch, its losing heat. Wrap it with an insulating blanket (sold at home centers).

Smart metering programs vary among utility companies, but the basic idea is the same: The utility installs a special smart meter that tracks how much electricity youre using. The utility uses that data to make sure its power grid doesnt get overloaded and cause blackouts. If the grid nears capacity, the utility can shut off major appliances in homes for short periods of time (such as 15 minutes per hour). Not all companies offer smart metering, but some do and many others are considering it. Whats in it for you? Money! Some programs pay for signing up. Others let you view your homes usage online in real time so you can better manage your electrical consumption. Others let you choose real time or time of use pricing that allows you to pay less for electricity thats used during off peak hours (for example, on weekdays from early afternoon until 8 p.m.). These plans reward you for using electricity when its cheapest. Smart metering makes the most sense if youre away from home all day you wont notice or care if things get turned off (although its a good idea for everyone else too!). According to SRP, a power utility company, the plans cut 7 percent off your bill, which is $140 for the average $2,000 yearly energy bill. Check with your local company to find out what smart metering programs are available in your area.

Your refrigerator uses more electricity than all your other kitchen appliances combined. To keep its energy costs down, clean the coils twice a year, which improves efficiency by 30 to 50 percent. Your fridge and freezer run more efficiently when theyre full. Put water containers in the fridge and ice bags in your freezer to keep them filled. Keep the refrigerator setting between 35 and 38 degrees and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees F.Refrigerator door seals wear out over time. Test your seal by closing a dollar bill in the door. If it pulls out easily, replace the seal.If your fridge was made before 2001, its using at least 40 percent more electricity than new Energy Star models. If youre replacing your fridge, buy an Energy Star model and recycle your old one. Dont hook up the old one in the basement or garage an inefficient refrigerator costs as much as $280 a year in electricity. Any money you save buying food in bulk and storing it in an inefficient second fridge is lost in electric costs.

When you shop for appliances, look for the Energy Star label. It means the appliance meets certain energy efficiency guidelines. The average household spends $2,000 each year on energy bills. Energy Star says that appliances bearing its label can cut those bills by 30 percent, for an annual savings of about $600. But you dont have to replace everything to see a savings. Just replacing an eight year old refrigerator with a new Energy Star model can save $110 a year or more in electricity.Not sure what to do with your old appliance? Recycle it. Dont salvage and resell it that only passes the electricity hogging appliance along to someone else. Check with your utility company or local home center for programs for appliance pickup and recycling.

Motion sensors (occupancy sensors) automatically turn lights on and off so you only get (and pay for!) light when you need it (Photo 1). Using motion sensors can save you $100 per year. Some motion sensors need to be manually turned on but turn off automatically. Theyre great for bedrooms because they wont turn on when you move in your sleep.Some switches are installed in junction boxes; others are wireless. You can also buy light fixtures with built in motion sensors. Youll need special motion sensors for electronic ballasts that control CFLs. Special order them at home centers or buy them on the internet.Use timers to control bath fans so the fan will run for a preset time to air out the room and then automatically turn off . You can set the length of time you want the fan to run. Be sure the timer you buy is rated for motors, not just lighting (check the label).

Replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) is one of the quickest, easiest ways to save money and a place everyone can start. CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. This can save you up to $35 in electric costs over the lifetime of each bulb. Switching to CFLs in the five most frequently used fixtures in your house will save about $60 per year, according to Energy Star.Choose CFLs with the Energy Star label to get the greatest savings. Energy Star products have to meet energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and the Department of Energy. When you shop, keep in mind that light fixtures with dimmers require special CFLs; read the label.When your CFLs are finally spent, recycle them (to find locations, check with your trash hauler or local government).

Space heating in winter is a big power guzzler, and the same for summer cooling for those homes with cooling systems. Use localised equipment rather than central air conditioning or heating systems, and only heat or cool occupied rooms. The room temperature should not be more than 10 degrees (Celsius) more or less than the outside/ ambient temperature. Fan or oil heaters with thermostats are best, and avoid under floor heating. In summer use a fan rather than air conditioning. But rather than use equipment at all, the best no cost saving options are things like wearing warmer clothing and using blankets in winter or opening the windows in summer.

Cape Town water bylaws limit shower flow rates to no more than 10 litres per minute. To test this at home, hold a bucket under the showerhead for 12 seconds. Measure the amount of water within the bucket with a measuring jug. If there is more than 2 litres then your showerhead is inefficient. A good, modern product will save both water and electricity without compromising your shower experience, and the saving usually pays back the investment within a few weeks or months.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) use 75% less power than old incandescent bulbs, and last much longer. Note that CFLs contain small amounts of harmful chemicals, so please dispose of them safely. Best is to take them to safe drop off points e.g. at retailers like Woolworths or Pick n Pay. New light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are even more efficient than CFLs, and last 130 times longer than CFL bulbs. They have limited applications in homes at this stage, but are ideal replacements for halogen down lighting. They save the most, and although they may be currently expensive the cost is coming down as the technology develops. Of course, switching off lights in unoccupied rooms is also an obvious way to save.

This can save the most electricity of all. It typically saves about two thirds of water heating cost, but this varies and it should be installed with a timer for the best possible saving. With rising electricity tariffs, and the new subsidies from Eskom , the payback period is now no more than 5 years. Install a heat pump as an alternative, if a solar water heater is not possible. Heat pumps can achieve similar savings but they are a new technology for homes, so they are not well tested yet and may require more maintenance than a solar water heater.