Issue No. 14
July 05, 2013
Stop the house party
H
ouse parties are not only limited to people. Your house can waste energy and money even if you are not around. Your may have many appliances in your house that add to waste of energy. Most of the energy offenders in the house are the cooling system, refrigerator, water heater, lighting system, and other electronics. If you want to stop the party, take control of your home. Here are some practical tips: •
Turn off the lights. A basic reminder since we’re little, always turn off the lights when you leave a room.
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Unplug your appliances. Appliances that are not used regularly should be unplugged. Your chargers should be kept unplugged until you need them. It is more helpful if you’ll use power strips in switching off your televisions, radios, and other home theater equipment. Your electronics appear to be off but their standby consumption can be equivalent to 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.
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Sleep or hibernate your computers. If a computer is on a “sleep mode” it uses less power during periods of inactivity. The “hibernate mode” switches your computer off wherein you don’t need to reload everything when you switch it back on. It can save more energy. If you’re done for the day, it is better to shut down your computer. Use your appliances wisely. Make sure your refrigerator’s door seals tightly. If you have a microwave oven, use it for cooking or reheating small items. Do not go beyond the load limit of your washing machines. If you use a dryer, clean the lint filter after each use. Dry heavy and light fabrics separately.
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Use energy-efficient appliances. The Philippine market is now offering a variety of energy-efficient appliances. These appliances can use 50% less energy than older models.
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Use sunlight wisely. During summer or even just during the day, leave your windows or blinds open to let the light come in. You don’t have to switch on your lights because you already have a natural light coming from the sun.
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Switch to eco-friendly energy. This might cost more, but investing in solar energy powers or other powers from renewable sources rather than polluting fossil fuels can help the environment a lot. You will also save on your power consumption in the long run, giving you more savings in your monthly bills.
Sources: http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/genergy.asp http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Energy-in-Your-Home
Published by the Trade and Industry Information Center (TIIC) for the DTI ENERCON Management Team in support of the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program. If you have Enercon tips to share, other suggestions or requested topics, please e-mail us at publications@dti.gov.ph.