GTeam Ways to Save Electricity

We must all play our part in saving electricity in an attempt not to overload our current electricity infrastructure which is currently running at its maximum capacity following the 2011 tragedy. Summer is approaching, temperatures are already high, and the electricity infrastructure will have serious problems in the summer if we do not all try to help AHK and ourselves. By reducing senseless consumption of electricity we prolong the existence of the natural energy reserves and we limit pollution of the atmosphere while at the same time we save money, as we have all recently experienced the expensive electricity bills. Reduction in consumption in electricity is possible if we follow basic guidelines in our daily routines. By reducing senseless consumption of electricity we prolong the existence of the natural energy reserves and we limit pollution of the atmosphere while at the same time we save money, as we have all recently experienced the expensive electricity bills. Reduction in consumption in electricity is possible if we follow basic guidelines in our daily routines. We have listed below some useful tips to minimize electricity both in the office and at home.

Summarized daily tips:

Switch of lights if there is no one in the room In the office, switch off lights when we leave Shut down all pcs, printers, scanners when leaving the office Do not leave chargers on sockets when they are not charging anything Utilise natural light as much as possible Always print double sided, saving both paper and energy needed to produce it Do not leave appliances on stand-by for long periods Plants in doors and windows act as a sunblock, keeping rooms at a lower temperature

More detailed tips:

Lighting Allow natural light to enter a room Ensure that lights in the rooms do not remain switched on when not needed Prefer a low general lighting and additional lights at the points needed Use low energy consuming lamps. Ordinary incandescent lamps consume as much as 5 times more energy than a fluorescent lamp giving the same amount of light. The low energy consuming lamps may cost more than the ordinary lamps, but their lifespan is 8 times longer and they consume five times less electricity Clean regularly the lighting fittings and lamps

Energy markings on appliances Appliances are classified in categories (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) depending on their energy consumption. The more efficient models will bear the category letter A whilst those with the worst efficiency will bear the category letter G. Electric Cooker Ensure that your cooking utensils (saucepans, pans etc) fit properly on the cooker rings. You waste 20-30% more heat and electricity when the base of the utensil is 1-2 centimeters smaller than the cooker When boiling water, cover the saucepan. It boils faster and with less energy Avoid the needless preheating and the frequent opening-closing of ovens. Each time you open the oven door 20% of the internal heat escapes. Clean regularly the cooker rings and the oven For heating up of small quantities of food, prefer, if you have it, the micro-wave oven for it saves both electrical energy and time

Refrigerator - Freezer Refrigerators consume a lot of energy because they work over the whole 24 hours. Select an appliance with low energy consumption Place your refrigerator away from the cooker and places under direct sunlight, otherwise its consumption may go up by as much as 30%

If your refrigerator does not have automatic defrosting ensure that you defrost it regularly. A layer of ice 5mm thick increases the electricity consumption by 30% Regulate the thermostat of your refrigerator so that the temperature of the conservation area is 7oC and that of the freezer is -18oC. This way you may save up to 15% electricity Do not open the refrigerator door often and do not keep it open for a long time Make sure that the rubber seal of the door is clean and closes very well Do not cover the ventilation openings of your refrigerator, dust well the radiator at the rear of the refrigerator and allow a clearance of at least 5cm from the wall When you are absent from your home for a long time (holidays) remove the refrigerator from the supply socket, empty its contents and leave its door open Do not place warm food in the refrigerator. You would better allow them to cool dawn first (this is also recommended for health reasons)

Washing Machine Select a washing mashing with low consumption of water and electricity. There are many differences from one appliance to another For large saving of energy you may select a modern washing machine of the hot fill type which can be connected to a solar water heater Clothes are washed equally clean at 60oC as at 90oC and with the new programs and detergents even at 40oC. Thus prefer the operation at the lower temperature Connect your washing machine with your solar water heater for hot water supply When you are absent from home shut the supply of water to the washing machine

Dish Washer Select a dish washer with low consumption of water and electricity. When you are absent from home shut the supply of water to the dish washer

Small appliances Before purchasing any appliance request information about its consumption as that there are differences between appliances (even when on stand-by mode) Small appliances as a general rule consume less electricity than larger ones therefore, whenever possible, prefer small appliances Switch off the television set, the coffee-maker, the iron etc when not using them Use the switch of the appliance to switch off the television set, the video Hi-Fi set etc and not the remote control because otherwise these appliances remain on stand-by mode and continue to consume electricity

Thermal Insulation Appropriate insulation is a basic prerequisite for the protection of a building from cold or heat. In order to reduce thermal losses one can: Close any gaps around the rim of doors or windows using insulating materials, self-adhesive foam ribbons available in shops or silicon rubber Close window shutters and curtains on cold winter nights in order to conserve heat within Insulate thermally the roof of the building Replace the single-glass-pane windows with new thermally insulated double glazed windows Insulate the walls

Space Heating Use solar energy to heat your building. On sunny winter days allow the sunrays to enter through the southern windows If you have your own autonomous heating systems do not set your thermostat over the 20oC mark. For each additional degree you spend up to 7% more energy Do not cover the heating panels in any way because this reduces severely their efficiency. Ensure that the burner is correctly set and the boiler is cleaned every summer by a competent person, who should also issue a maintenance certificate, in accordance with the law, giving measurements of the efficiency of the installation, of the fuel stack temperature of the fuel gases and of the carbon dioxide and soot content.

Space Cooling - Air conditioning Before buying an air conditioner investigate alternative ways of cooling. Air conditioners consume large quantities of electricity especially at the hours of the system maximum demand and their operation will be costly. Over and above they pollute and heat up the environment. Use shades on all your windows. Select the appropriate shading system depending on the orientation of the window. Plant trees in order to shade your building but also in order to create, wherever this is possible a more favorable micro-climate.

Select light colours for outside walls and roofs Reduce the internal heat sources. Install lamps and other appliances of low consumption. Do not use high-energy-consuming appliances (e.g. electric cooker, iron) which also contribute to the warming of the space especially during the periods of high temperatures During hot days ventilate your building only at night

Openings over doors, over staircases, ventilating chimneystacks, in conjunction with certain openings at low points in the building can create very effective vertical ventilation, without the need to open all your windows Install roof mounted fans in the rooms. A roof fan cools while consuming negligible energy (as much as an ordinary lamp). You will feel cool even when temperatures are relatively high and you can do away with the need of installing an air conditioner. Alternatively, use a free standing fan.

When deciding to buy an air conditioner: Request to be informed of its power input given that this will significantly raise your electricity bill especially during the summer months Ensure that it is suitable for your space consult a specialized engineer and not merely salesman before you select. If you intend to install air conditioning for the whole flat or an entire building ask for a study Set the air conditioning using a good wall mounted thermometer and do not seek temperatures lower than 26oC in the summer Ensure that the windows are shut during operation of the air conditioning system so as not to lose valuable energy Apply diligently the instructions of the manufacturer for the installation and maintenance of the air conditioning frequent cleaning of the filters is indicated for health reasons also

Water Heating Siphons Switch on your water heater only when and for as long as necessary to cover your needs and do not leave it switched on when not needed Do not let the tabs dripping and do not allow hot water to run needlessly Prefer a solar water heater instead of an electric for water heating (the solar water is in a position to cover 70% of your annual needs in hot water with a corresponding reduction in your electricity consumption)