ELECTRICITY SAVING TIPS

HOW TO SAVE ENERGY WHILE USING YOUR APPLIANCES?

In recent times, our country has been experiencing a severe power crisis. There is power shortage and frequent power cuts. Here are some tips with the help of which you can save power and also save on your electricity bills!

TO SAVE ELECTRICITY AND KEEP ROOMS COOL DO THE FOLLOWING WHEN USING A ROOM AIR CONDITIONER:

Turn off any light and electric equipment that are not required as they generate heat.
Select the thermostat setting as desired. A temperature of 25°C is usually recommended. One will use 3 to 5 percent less energy for each degree air conditioner is set above22°C (71.5°F), so set the thermostat of room air conditioner at 25°C (77°F) to provide the most comfort at the least cost. The air conditioner should be shut off if the room is to be kept unoccupied for more than 24 hours.
The air conditioner should be shut off if the room is to be kept unoccupied for more than 24 hours.
Make sure that doors and windows are closed to keep the cool air inside the house.
During hot days keep the house closed tightly, and use natural or forced ventilation at night when the air is cooler. Use the "ventilate" or "outside air" control on the room air conditioner sparingly.
Do not block the air conditioner vents with furniture and other household.
Use the continuous air conditioner fan operation only when the resulting air movement is required to maintain comfortable conditions in the room.
Insulating your home for the summer is as good an idea as for winter. A well-insulated house will not let in hot humid air and will keep your house cooler.

SOME ENERGY SAVING FACTS FOR REFRIGERATOR:

Keep your refrigerator well stocked, but not overcrowded. Air circulation is needed.
Never put hot foods in the refrigerator ·
Don't store paper bags or anything else behind the refrigerator. They can cut airflow, making the refrigerator work harder.
Wipe the moisture off the containers stored.
Don't put foil on refrigerator shelves. It blocks cold airflow and makes the unit work harder.
Don't put uncovered liquids in the refrigerator. They force the refrigerator to work harder to remove the moisture.
Keep the freezer full by filling plastic milk bottles with water. A fully loaded freezer will stay cold longer than one that is partially full.
Keep door gaskets tight and pliable.
Don't open the doors unnecessarily.Never open the refrigerator door too wide. Keep door openings to a minimum.
Keep external coils free from dust and lint.
Placement of the refrigerator is very important. Direct sunlight and close contact with hot appliances will make the compressor work harder. More importantly, heat from the compressor and condensing coil must be able to escape freely, or it will cause the same problem. Don't suffocate the refrigerator by enclosing it tightly in cabinets or against the wall. The proper breathing space will vary depending on the location of the coils and compressor on each model--something important to know before the cabinets are redesigned.

SAVE YOUR ELECTRICITY BILLS ON MICROWAVE OVENS:

If your microwave oven has the defrosting feature, defrost frozen food before cooking it.
In case your microwave oven does not have the defrosting feature, save your cooking time, by defrosting frozen foods outside before cooking.
Plan ahead - defrosting food in a microwave may be convenient, but defrosting it at room temperature costs nothing.
Never peek into the oven many times when cooking. Each time you do that, a certain amount of heat escapes from the oven and the food takes longer to cook, thus increasing your electricity bill.
Keep inside surfaces clean so the microwave radiation can reach food effectively.

SAVE ELECTRICITY ON YOUR DESKTOPS:

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.