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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Edition 10: Energy Saving Tips

HOME ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Energy Saving Home Tips
The following table shows the energy consumption of various appliances normally used at home:

APPLIANCES RATING OPERATING UNITS/MONTH
Incandescent Bulbs 40 6 7
60 6 11
Flourescent Tube light 40 10 12
Night Lamp 15 10 4.5
Mosquito Repellent 5 10 1.5
Fans 60 15 27
Air Coolers 175 8 42
Air Conditioners 1500 6 270
Refrigerator 225 15 101
Mixer / Blender 450 1 13.5
Toaster 800 0.5 12
Hot Plate 1500 0.5 22.5
Oven 1000 1 45
Electric Kettle 1500 1 45
Electronic Iron 1500 1 45
Water Heater-Istnat Type 3000 1 90
(1-2 Ltr. Capacity)
Immersion Rod 1000 1 30
Washing Machine 300 1 22.5
Water Pump 750 1 22.5
TV 100 10 30
Audio System 50 2 3

By following these simple tips can save energy to a large extent.
Lighting : Turn off the lights when not in use
n Take advantage of daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room. Also, decorate with lighter colors that reflect daylight
n De-dust lighting fixtures to maintain illumination
n Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it
n Compact fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and provide the same lighting
n Use electronic chokes in place of conventional copper chokes.
Fans : Replace conventional regulators with electronic regulators for ceiling fans
n Install exhaust fans at a higher elevation than ceiling fans
Electric iron : Select iron boxes with automatic temperature cutoff
n Use appropriate regulator position for ironing
n Do not put more water on clothes while ironing
n Do not iron wet clothes
Kitchen Appliances -
Mixers : n Avoid dry grinding in your food processors ( mixers & grinders) as it takes longer time than liquid grinding
Microwaves ovens : Consumes 50 % less energy than conventional electric / gas stoves
n Do not bake large food items
n Unless you're baking breads or pastries, you may not even need to preheat
n Don't open the oven door too often to check food condition as each opening leads to a temperature drop of 25°C
Electric stove : n Turn off electric stoves several minutes before the specified cooking time
n Use flat-bottomed pans that make full contact with the cooking coil
Gas stove : n When cooking on a gas burner, use moderate flame settings to conserve LPG
n Remember that a blue flame means your gas stove is operating efficiently
n Yellowish flame is an indicator that the burner needs cleaning
n Use pressure cookers as much as possible
n Use lids to cover the pans while cooking
n Bring items taken out of refrigerators (like vegetables, milk etc) to room temperature before placing on the gas stove for heating
Use Solar Water Heater a good replacement for a electric water heater
Electronic Devices : Do not switch on the power when TV and Audio Systems are not in use i.e. idle operation leads to an energy loss of 10 watts/device
Computers : Turn off your home office equipment when not in use. A computer that runs 24 hours a day, for instance, uses - more power than an energy-efficient refrigerator.
 If your computer must be left on, turn off the monitor; this device alone uses more than half the system's energy.
 Setting computers, monitors, and copiers to use sleep-mode when not in use helps cut energy costs by approximately 40%.
 Battery chargers, such as those for laptops, cell phones and digital cameras, draw power whenever they are plugged in and are very inefficient. Pull the plug and save.
 Screen savers save computer screens, not energy. Start-ups and shutdowns do not use any extra energy, nor are they hard on your computer components. In fact, shutting computers down when you are finished using them actually reduces system wear - and saves energy
Refrigerator : Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; frost buildup increases the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running.
 Leave enough space between your refrigerator and the walls so that air can easily circulate around the refrigerator
 Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold.
 Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight
 Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
 Do not open the doors of the refrigerators frequently
 Don't leave the fridge door open for longer than necessary, as cold air will escape.
 Use smaller cabinets for storing frequently used items
 Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge
Washing machines : Always wash only with full loads
 Use optimal quantity of water  Use timer facility to save energy  Use the correct amount of detergent  Use hot water only for very dirty clothes  Always use cold water in the rinse cycle  Prefer natural drying over electric dryers
Air Conditioners : Prefer air conditioners having automatic temperature cut off
Keep regulators at “low cool” position
 Operate the ceiling fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively throughout the room and operate the air conditioner at higher temperature  Seal the doors and windows properly Leave enough space between your air conditioner and the walls to allow better air circulation  A roof garden can reduce the load on Air Conditioner  Use windows with sun films/curtains  Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower will be energy consumption.  Don't set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling.  Don't place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
Plant trees or shrubs to shade air-conditioning units but not to block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.

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