You may have noticed that your tokens are depleting faster than usual. No, you didn’t leave your appliances running the whole night nor is your neighbour stealing your electricity. Electricity costs in the country have risen significantly which is why the tokens that used to last for two weeks a year ago can barely take you through a week today. There’s no denying that the high electricity costs have become a sore wound for Kenyans. It has put a lot of strain on Kenyans’ pockets who have expressed their frustration with the ever-rising electricity costs on social media.
However, it seems like things won’t be changing soon, so it’s best to look for alternative ways to save on electricity costs. Here are some tips to cut electricity consumption at home and reduce your bills.
Use energy-efficient light bulbs
This is one of the best ways to cut electricity consumption. You’ll be surprised how much energy the traditional bulbs use. According to experts, they convert only 10% of electric power to light. The rest is lost as heat. This means that they need significantly more power to light them compared to LED bulbs. If you can’t replace all your bulbs, you can start by replacing the ones in rooms that you use commonly such as the living room and bedroom.
Clean and adjust your fridge’s temperature
Make sure that your fridge is working efficiently by keeping the coils clean. The coils are responsible for absorbing and releasing heat from the fridge. Since they’re at the back, they can accumulate dirt over time and need to be cleaned every now and then. Make sure that you set your fridge to the right temperature. The ideal temperature is between 3˚and 5˚C, and -18˚C for your freezer.
Keep a stocked fridge
Another way to ensure that your fridge is working efficiently is to keep it stoked. Cooling an empty fridge is not only a waste of energy but also it works more to maintain a cool temperature. However, don’t overstuff your fridge either. Make sure there’s good air circulation. If you don’t have a lot of things to keep in your fridge, you can either size down to a smaller fridge or combine items with a neighbour and share the costs.
Buy energy-efficient appliances
Consider investing in energy-saving appliances if you’re in the market for new appliances. Energy-saving appliances are equipped with technology to reduce the energy necessary for their function which in turn, saves energy consumption in the home. When buying energy-saving appliances, look for an energy rating label such as A++. Some brands have a higher energy saving rating than others meaning that they’re more energy efficient.
Take shorter showers
This is a no-brainer. If you want to reduce your electricity bill, you need to avoid taking long showers using an instant heater. They can use a lot of power and the longer you stay in the shower, the more your electricity runs up. You should also unclog your shower head every now and then using a brush. When it’s clogged, less water comes out making you take longer showers.
Switch off when not in use
Many of us are guilty of leaving the TV or laptop on standby when we’re not using them. Appliances that have a standby setting such as TVs, computers and game consoles still draw electricity when left on standby especially if they’re older or don’t have energy-saving technology. When they accumulate, they can increase your electricity consumption significantly. Make sure to turn off such appliances on the wall when they’re not in use.
Don’t charge your devices overnight
Your phone and other devices will stop charging when they’re full to regulate their power usage. However, power will still trickle in to keep them fully charged if they’re still plugged in. To avoid this unnecessary consumption, ensure that you unplug your devices once they are charged sufficiently. Luckily, new devices use lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries which don’t suffer from the memory effect. You can charge or discharge them to any percentage without affecting their overall battery life span. Therefore, you can unplug them even when they’re not fully charged.