Household appliances that are bumping up your power bill

Winter arrives! Winter has its ups and downs, but one of the main downsides is how cold it gets! It most certainly is the season of woolen jumpers, fat pants and beanies just to avoid being frozen to death. In addition to this, the use of heating devices will be sure to sky rocket for most homes. 

Also, as the days are shorter and, to top it off, we spend more hours at home, the consumption of lighting also goes up. In total, between heating and lights, this expense is 45% of the variable part of the power bill. The remaining 55% will correspond to the different appliances you have and use them in the home, and if we get moderate consumption, we can reduce perhaps significantly the variable part of the bill, so that the power bill is not so painful.

In this regard, you can also choose reliable energy suppliers or power companies, which offer significant power deals.

Next, we are going to tell you about 8 household appliances that can really bump up your power bill. Read on!

1. Refrigerator

The refrigerator, especially if it is a combo with a large freezer, is the one that brings the highest consumption to the power bill, because despite being very efficient and having a low consumption in kWh, it works 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

It is estimated that its contribution to that 55% of the variable part of the power bill may reach 30.6%. However, if you use it in a rational way, this percentage can go down to 25% or less. To do this, you will avoid bad habits such as leaving the refrigerator door open while you calmly take on the task of introducing freshly cooked and hot foods, etc.

The loss of cold is very fast and misuse can reduce its efficiency by up to 20%. Taking into account that this appliance is plugged in all day, calculate the money you spend with it. Although it usually has a very linear consumption, every time we open the door, peaks of greater intensity are produced.

2. Television

Our entertainment device is placed second in terms of appliances that consume the most. In total, it takes 12% of the energy, about 225 kilowatts per hour. Although this consumption depends on the type of televisions because LEDs spend 25% less than LCDs and 40% less than plasma.

In addition, the cost of the television is calculated on average by 12% of that 55% attributed to household appliances. It can vary, however, depending on the inches you have and the screen technology you use. The main advice to reduce your consumption is never to leave it on standby because in this way your consumption can reach 7% more in the bill. Therefore, we recommend you to turn it off when no one is watching.

Also, for example, you go on a holiday or a trip, remember to physically turn off the television. And the same will apply to the rest of the devices with remote control.

3. Washing machine

The washing machine consumes 11.8% of the energy, which translated to kilowatts per hour is about 255. The highest consumption is produced by the heating of the water and its main activity is usually centered in the mornings, especially on holidays and in summer.

It is in the third position of the ranking on which appliance consumes more power. If you use short programs and cold washings or up to 30 degree Celsius, you can save electricity.

For saving in the consumption of the washing machine you must:

1. Try to wash clothes with cold water when you can, as the highest consumption is made by heating the water.
2. Always fill the washing machine to the maximum or put it to half load if you have little clothes.
3. Perform proper maintenance and cleaning of the same periodically.
4. Always switch it off when you have finished using it in order to save energy.

4. Oven

Another household appliance that consumes a lot of power is the oven. In total, it consumes 8.3% of the electricity bill and about 1000 kilowatts per hour. Each time the door is opened to check the state of the food, you can lose up to 20% of the heat inside, with the consequent increase in the electrical expenditure of the same.

Experts say that electric ovens are expensive to run than gas. In addition, it is important to keep it clean of fats, not to open it during cooking, a minimum of 20% of the accumulated energy is lost, and to turn it off beforehand to take advantage of the residual heat.

How to reduce consumption? Well, bet on the convection ovens, since the air favors the uniform distribution of heat. In this way, you can save energy. As mentioned above, you should avoid opening the door during the operation. It is better to use the microwave for defrosting.

5. Dishwasher

It has been shown that using the dishwasher instead of hand scrubbing, saves water. However, this appliance is one of the biggest energy vampires in the home and can consume an average of 246 kW / h per hour. Obviously, most modern models consume less, but you can also save by using an economic program and lowering the water temperature, which can reduce your consumption by up to 50%.

So, how to save money on the power bill when using your dishwasher. First of all, build up a load of dirty dishes before running the dishwasher to decrease the number of cycles you actually run in a week. In addition, you must not over-fill it and upgrade it to a new energy-saving model.

So much so, you should also consider hand washing in some situations. Most often, your dishwasher consumes less water than washing dishes by hand, particularly, when if you are using a high-efficiency model. But, if you really want to save some money, then we recommend you to roll up your sleeves and get the job done in an old-fashioned way.

6. Computer

The main element of work for many people, and equally leisure, the computer, involves an expense of 7.7%. Plugged into the network, if we incorporate connections such as mobile phones to charge them, a double screen or a hard disk, consumption is greatly increased.

The sleep or hibernation mode is recommended for the inactivity of your computer. Use, for this, the energy management configuration. Turn off your computer when you are not using it. If you’re not going to work with it for a long time, it’s best to disconnect it. You will save energy and, during the month, a considerable saving of power, which will be reflected in your bill.

Reducing brightness is another option. You can modify it depending on what you are doing. The most modern monitors have devices that adjust the brightness based on what is being viewed on the screen. In addition to reducing energy consumption, you take care of your eyes and the monitor releases less heat.

7. The Iron

Interestingly, an iron moves in much higher power parameters than other appliances. A normal iron can reach a power between 1000 W and 1500 W, this makes this appliance one of the largest users of energy expenditure/minute of use. If we, therefore, see the iron for what it is, a household appliance with a high level of consumption, it is probably easier for us to put some ideas into practice to reduce this consumption and therefore saving electricity.

The main advice for saving energy with an iron is that it should only be ironed when a considerable amount of clothing has been stored. When the iron is turned on for just a few pieces of clothing, you are not getting the most out of the appliance. It is preferable to unplug the iron if it is not used for some time. When an appliance is plugged in, even if it is minimal, it always consumes a certain amount of energy. Also, it is very important to keep in mind that wet clothes should not be ironed.

8. Water Heater

Heating water is responsible for around 12 percent of New Zealand home energy use. There are so many applications in which you use the water heater, for instance, showers, washing clothes, and/or cleaning dishes. It is a ubiquitous part of your daily routine. The average consumption of a water heater per month is 400 kWh.

Obviously, the actual amount of power or energy you spend on warm water depends on many factors, such as the type, size, and temperature parameters of the water heater, how long you take shower and whether you wash the cloths in hot or cold water. In addition, it doesn’t matter what model do you use and what your water habits are, there are a few things that you need to consider in order to save energy on the water heater.

First of all, check the thermostat and set it to 120 F. Also, insulate the water heater storage tank, as well as install a drain-water recovery system in order to capture the power/energy in the used water.

How to save money on power usage this winter

The energy consumption at each time of the year is completely different. In summer the air conditioning is used, in winter typically the heater has a greater use.

Appliances and equipment that fall into category A are more efficient in the use of energy. For example, a heater in this category could have 15% less electricity consumption. Up to 25% of energy can be saved in refrigerators. Air conditioning or heating could save you up to 30%.

Check the electrical installations and that they are in good condition. Maybe it is possible to change them for another type of more efficient technology. It is important to maintain a moderate temperature throughout the day (21 degrees is ideal) and not going up and down the thermostat, because these heat shocks can increase the bill considerably.

Use low consumption bulbs. These are a little more expensive but they provide the same lighting to the room. However, they save 80% of energy and also last much longer than normal. To save power, it is also important to be thoroughly informed about the different rates and coverage offered by each company, since not all of them will adjust to your personal needs and preferences. In this way, you will ensure that they do not charge you more unnecessarily.

Lastly, if you want to warm up a cold day without escalating power energy bills, then check out this article 10 ways to warm up on a cold day and follow the essential tips!