Electricity consumption in winter may be higher than the annual average due to the operation of heating devices throughout most hours of the day. These expenses can be reduced in simple and efficient ways, while still maintaining average temperatures for the season.
Here are 7 warm recommendations for a pleasant and economical winter.
Heating the house: preferably with an air conditioner
The air conditioner is the most efficient means of heating the house in winter – two or three times more than other means of heating.
Tips for economical use of air conditioner:
- Do not raise the degrees – the recommended temperature for the winter months is 20 degrees, each additional degree increases the cost of operating the device by about 5%.
- Clean filters – dirt in the air conditioner filter requires it to work harder to heat the room, so it consumes more energy and the heating is less efficient
- Adjust the air conditioner blinds downwards – the warmer air is at the top of the heated space, so it’s important to point the heater’s heat vents downward to ensure free airflow from the appliance to the room.
- Close windows – When applying heating – make sure all windows and doors are closed. Make sure the openings are sealed – windows/doors that are not tightly sealed, cause heat escape, will not allow you to warm up properly and will also cause the air conditioner (or any other heating medium you use) to waste a lot of unnecessary energy on the effort to heat.
Dress well
Warm clothing keeps your body warm. Even at home, dress in warm and comfortable clothing. You don’t have to impose all the work on the heating device.
Drink warm and smart
In winter, most of us drink more hot drinks, which warm our bodies from the inside as well. The kettle sitting in our kitchen may seem innocent, but it is one of the most wasteful appliances in electricity, because water has a high heat capacity – meaning it takes a lot of energy to heat it.
If you just want to make a cup or two, heat up just as much water as you need.
In addition, the tartar that accumulates in the kettle should be cleaned periodically. When the heating element is covered with limescale, its heat conduction is impaired, and the operation of the kettle becomes less efficient, which increases energy consumption per operation.
Switch to energy-saving bulbs
In winter, artificial lighting is used more. It is recommended to replace incandescent bulbs at home with economical fluorescent bulbs, or LED bulbs. Using them will reduce household electricity consumption for lighting by about 80%.
Schedule your shower
The boiler is operated only close to the time of water use. In the always-on boiler – the water heats up and cools unnecessarily, and precious energy is wasted. It is enough to turn on an electric boiler for about 10 minutes, if the boiler does not heat the water in a relatively short period of time, there is probably something wrong with it and you need to call a technician. As with the kettle, here too the main problem that impairs the functioning of the boiler is the accumulation of limescale in the heating element.
In addition, it is recommended to invite a licensed electrician to install a timer, with the help of which you can plan in advance the times of operation of the boiler. There are also smart switches for operating the boiler that are connected to the home internet network and controlled via a mobile app.
It is also important to remember that if we have a solar water heater at home, there is not always a need to turn on the electric boiler. During the hot daytime, the winter sun often manages to warm the water, so it is recommended to check its condition before turning on the boiler.
Set the refrigerator’s thermostat
If during the summer your refrigerator was set for maximum cooling, in winter it can be set to a lower cooling power because the ambient temperature is much lower.
Dry correctly
In Israel, an average of 60 days of rain per year. In fact, most winter days in Israel do not rain. Therefore, even in this season, wet laundry can be dried on ropes. If you do decide to use a tumble dryer, run the washing machine as fast as possible – depending on the type of laundry, thus shortening the operation of the tumble dryer and saving power consumption.
