One of the most feared season, when it comes to consuming electricity in the country for the past decade, is summer. This season usually starts from April to July. But, since the world is battling its changing state due to global warming, these months may sometimes change. This is the season where the temperature cranks up to levels where almost everyone doesn’t want to go out and face the raging sun. We usually stay at home and turn on the air conditioning unit or the fan to at least make our bodies stay cool. This is also true now that most of the working force is allowed to stay at home and do their work there. This means that although we can save money on transportation and food, we also use a lot more in terms of electricity. It’s tempting to turn that air conditioner on and work in a cold environment or make your computer run 24/7 to keep tabs on the stocks market you are monitoring. Sure, it is blissful to be working in an environment you are comfortable in, especially when you are saving a lot to manage your bills. However, you may have noticed that outrageous Meralco bill you can’t seem to understand. What makes your electricity bill reach certain amounts? How is it possible that most of your budget only goes to electricity?
According to the Department of Energy (DOE), the major users of electricity are the industrial sector (29.12%), residential (28.6%), and commercial (21%) with losses at 15.2%. Household electric consumption is only second to the industrial sector which means that the effect of saving power, including the simple task of turning the light off when not in use, greatly affects our total consumption, not including the fact that we are also saving our own resources by doing so.
Conserving Electricity and Saving Money
There are a lot of ways to be more energy efficient this coming summer. Keep reading this article and check out the tips we have prepared for you so you can cut down the cost of your electricity bill in half!
So, here are the best ways to save more on electricity this summer:
1. Download the Meralco App
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.meralco.phone.move
The best way to save something is to recognize what is being used and what can be saved. This is the reason that the first step is to plan everything by diagnostics. All solutions came from a place where the problem is acknowledged, so, go to your application store (iOS or Android) and download the Meralco app. This app will help you check the amount of electricity (kW/h) your appliances and gadgets consume in an hour or day. The amount of wattage is also important to know when considering the electric consumption. The higher the wattage requirement for a single appliance or gadget, the higher their consumption will be.
Not using Meralco? For the nearby provinces like Batangas and the far ends of Laguna, an online calculator will be of help as well! You can click the links below for Batelec (Batangas I Electric Cooperative, Inc.) and Fleco (First Laguna Electric Cooperative, Inc.)
Electricity Calculator:https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/electricity-calculator.html
Batelec: https://www.batelec1.com.ph/
2. Induction Cookers Are Better
As reported by Power Lab Tests, Induction cookers are way better and are more efficient than gas and electric coil-type stoves. Induction cookers are 82% more efficient in heating or cooking food than gas burners and electric coil-type stoves, which only falls to 36%. This is due to the fact that using induction cookers produces precise temperatures and creates less ambient heat. This will also allow you to save more on cooling costs which also require more electricity, as well as being able to save space in your kitchen since it doesn’t require a gas tank. Induction cookers are safer too, preventing problems like gas leaks and explosions.
3. Conventional vs. Microwave Oven
The conventional oven usually needs time to preheat before cooking food. The compartment of the conventional oven needs to be heated to properly cook or heat food. This is the reason why microwave ovens are very efficient when it comes to heating food because the energy generated directly heats the food and not the compartment not to mention that it also uses 30% less energy than regular ovens. Thank God for this invention that we can not only heat food instantly but also save energy in using it. For better efficiency and to save electricity further, you can also use the right container when heating food. Glass or ceramic containers like plates or bowls will retain heat better than the plastic ones. This will lessen the power needed to heat food and also will make your meal taste better while it’s hot.
Another tip to maximize the use of your microwave oven is to not open it immediately to check on it. Up to 20% of the heat can be lost while checking the food each time you open the oven door. You should also turn the oven off before heating or cooking is complete, to make use of the residual heat, and let your dish cook within the few final minutes. Just leave it in the compartment for up to 15 minutes depending on the dish.
4. Lights On, Lights Off
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) are energy-saving light bulbs that are far more superior than the traditional incandescent light bulbs generating the same level of intensity. But, have you heard of newer ones that almost completely changed the way we look at lights, and their energy efficiency now in the market? Light Emitting Diodes are the product of technology almost as old as the light bulb itself. It has been one of the most important parts of electronics nowadays since its invention in 1927. The LEDs now are being used in almost every gadget and home appliances you know of, from car headlights to phone and TV screens. This is because the amount of electricity that the LED needs to operate is far less than the CFLs that we use in our home, without sacrificing the intensity and brightness it produces. Not only that, LEDs have a longer lifespan compared to CFLs and incandescent bulbs.
Lumens are one of the key factors to saving electricity. This means that the brighter the light is the more wattage it requires. The higher wattage a device uses, the more electricity it consumes. So, knowing how to make use of the devices that can control the lumens can definitely save you a lot. This is the reason why it will be beneficial to replace those CFLs with LED light bulbs, much of which are smart devices that can connect to your phone and have automated/voice control. You can also manage the time your lighting turns on or off by setting it in your phone for some. Having this control can also let you use the light according to the areas of your home and how much light it needs. You can have mood lighting in areas you don’t need the light to be too bright in, and make use of task lighting when needed. Getting the right amount of light will basically cut the cost in the long run.
5. Air Conditioners
This machine is one of the big boys of energy consumption partnered with refrigerators and fans. The air conditioner is one of the most important home appliances in the Filipino household that makes all of our lives more comfortable, especially to the work from home employees in the pandemic. That is why planning the usage of this machine will certainly help in saving energy and electricity. The summer will pose a risk of having too high consumption levels in the appliances like fans and air conditioners. The heat of the outside will tempt us to remain indoors and turn that air conditioner on, and while it’s comfortable to be in a cool environment, the fear of seeing a spike in the consumption of electricity constantly haunts us.
You can start by knowing the type of air conditioner you have or want to buy at least. Inverter type air conditioners are always a good purchase since the technology also lets you consume less power with the same output. You can check the link below to check your air conditioner manufacturer and how much power it consumes (WATT) and its rated cooling capacity (kJ/h) as well as its Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). Just remember that the higher the EER, the better the air conditioning unit is at conserving power. You will always see this when you buy an air conditioning unit. See sample below:
List of certified split and window type room air conditioners as of December 2021
- Certified Split Type Room Air Conditioners in the Philippines as of December 2021
- Certified Window Type Room Air Conditioners in the Philippines as of December 2021
No matter how you plan on using your air conditioner, whether you turn it on only at night or use it in the afternoon as well, make sure that it will run efficiently by knowing its capacity and regularly schedule it for cleaning and maintenance to make sure that it’s at its optimum condition.
3. Refrigerators
Do you remember the time when we were kids and we try to check the refrigerator all the time? Yes, we are still doing it now that we are adults. These are the same mannerisms we have to take out of our systems to be efficient this summer. Unlike the air conditioning units, refrigerators are running all the time, and keeping the temperature from rising is one of the key things to remember to save power. First off, check the type of unit you are using as well as the power it consumes to operate. You will also have to maintain a certain number of items to make it easier to cool. Making sure that the compartment’s temperature is maintained will also be important, so refrain from storing hot food in your refrigerator. Allow your food to cool down first before putting it in. Lastly, allowing air circulation by arranging the food 2 inches away from the back and all the sides will prevent the motor from overworking.
4. Computers
When the pandemic showed us that being digitally prepared in work, business, and education is very important, almost everyone bought their own. Whether it is for school, gaming, business, or work, the computer has been one of the essential parts of a home. The only thing that we didn’t know is that the computers now are not what they are like before in terms of power consumption. Technology allowed us to produce stronger computing power and of course, also required higher power consumption. The common CPU in the market now consumes around 500 to 1200 watts of electricity to operate. This will also greatly affect the ambient temperature of your room since the CPU constantly releases hot air. Being able to control the amount of time your computer is on will greatly help you to save electricity. As it is true for all other types of devices, machines, or gadgets, keeping your computer clean inside and out will also be a factor in how it performs, so plan a schedule for maintenance regularly and keep your computer clean.
Being Energy Efficient
As we are continuously growing in technology, the modern age still has its biggest drawback which is energy consumption. Over the last couple of centuries, the need for energy skyrocketed dramatically, especially because of our technological evolution. The energy produced by fossil fuels, coal, natural gas, and nuclear fission reaction can barely provide the need of the world’s population. This is the reason why we are also looking at other sources of electricity by using wind, sunlight, and hydropower. We know today that the combined effort of everyone in saving energy may give us more time, at least until we find a solution to this growing crisis.
Bria Homes, Inc. believes that a sustainable home can help the environment and the whole community have a better future for generations to come. To know more about Bria Homes, please visit https://www.bria.com.ph/company-profile/
Written by Gene Llanes
