How to cut down on your electricity bill in summer
What's the story
With rising temperatures, you must be dreading the electricity bill already. Temperatures in the Indian plain land can rise as high as 48 degree Celsius in the summer. While we can't help but use the ACs, air-coolers, and fans, our electricity bill skyrockets! Here are a few suggestions on how to control your electricity consumption and hence lower your bill.
#1
Place the fridge right
Cooling machines like fridges and ACs should not come in contact with direct sunlight. It lowers the working capacity of the machine and in turn, they pull in more power to perform well. Position your fridge in a way that direct sunlight doesn't hit it, and leave space around it for circulation. Do not fully stuff your fridge or it will draw more electricity.
#2
Don't overuse your AC
Firstly, you don't need the AC continuously. When the room is cool, turn it off and use the fan instead for some time. Working your AC at very low temperatures can put a lot of load on the machine and raise unit consumption of electricity. Anything between 20-25 degree C is cool enough, so you don't need to go lower than that.
#3
Switch off appliances when not in use
This is probably something we've learned since we went to kindergarten, but with time people give up on energy-saving habits and simply resort to wasting it. Relearn it and renew your habit of switching off lights, fans, and other electrical appliances when you are not using them. There's no need to have lights on in all the rooms unless someone is in them.
#4
Unplug devices and avoid 'standby' electricity
Unplugging devices from their powerpoints or outlets can help reduce energy costs by eliminating "standby" electricity that appliances and chargers use, even when they are not in use. Switching off a device isn't enough; turn off the main switch when needed and if possible, disconnect devices to avoid standby power consumption. Turn off the main switch before leaving for even a weekend trip.
#5
Practice energy-efficiency in general
Another suggestion we have been getting and hearing for over a decade now is to switch over from tungsten lights and regular tube lights to LEDs and fluorescent lights. This reduces power consumption a lot. Draw curtains and prevent daylight from entering the room post 10 am. This will automatically keep your home cool naturally and help you consume less power.