Eight Steps towards Energy Savings – 500 Euros less in your Bill

The best way to fight the nowadays energy crisis is use as much LESS energy as we can. Even if new renewable and more efficient technologies could help in order to reach the goal of a complete sustainable energy production, the first general step is understand that use less energy in the every-day life does not mean less comfort. It has called consumption rationalization. Shown below there are eight simple and non-conventional steps in order to reduce the house energetic bill.

Next calculations have been made considering an Italian average electric energy price of 0,17 € per kWh, an Italian average methane price of 0,62 € per Sm³ (Standard Cubic Meter) and an Italian average water price of 1,10 € per m³.

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1. A class A fridge consumes almost two times less energy than a class C If it is coated with more than 5 mm of frost, electric freezers consume 30% more energy. Assuming an average energy load of 300 kWh per year, it means that the fridge could consume even 390 kWh per year (15,3 € more expenses). Keep this in mind and defrost your freezer every six months.
2. Energy-saving light bulbs offer two big advantages: they consume one-fourth as much energy as incandescent bulbs and they last eight times longer. Assuming that a four-people family consumes about 35 kWh per month, 420 kWh per year. We could save almost 300 kWh (51 €) per year not considering the economical savings due to the better duration of the energy-saving light bulbs. Another basic step could be to SWITCH OFF THE LIGHTS if WE ARE NOT IN THE ROOM!
3. Try to use as much households electrical appliances as possible during night time because the general energetic demand is lower and, as a consequence, the energy costs almost 2 cent less (0,166346 € per kWh of daytime slot and 0,159976 € per kWh of nighttime slot).
4. Covering the boiling water pot reduces the energy used by a factor of two. Considering an average methane flow rate of 2 m³/h and considering 10 minutes in order to boil a normal pot with a cover, it would use almost 0,3 m³. Without covering the pot, we would use almost 0,3 m³ more methane. If a normal family would cook twice a day, in a year they would waste about 200 m³ (120 €) more.
5. Turning down the heating system temperature by 3°C at night can cut your home bill by 8%. Considering a four-people apartment consuming almost 12 m³/day of methane, we could save one m³ per day, 30 m³ per month (winter) and an average of 200 m³ per year (120 €).
6. Turning off the water while brushing your teeth actually makes a difference! Given an average flow rate of 10 liters per minute you could save 30 liters of water (tap on for 1 minute and off for 3 minutes). Four-people family brushes their teeth at least 3 times per person per day: 12 times in total per day, 360 liters wasted per day. 10800 liters wasted per month (11,88 €). 129600 liters wasted per year (142,56 €).
7. Turning off the water while having shower makes – again – a difference! Given an average flow rate of 7 liters per minute you could save 28 liters of water (shower on for 5 minutes and off for 4 minutes). Four-people family have a shower once per person per day: 4 times in total per day, 112 liters wasted per day. 3360 liters wasted per month (3,7 €). 40320 liters wasted per year (44,4 €).
8. Turning off the water while shaving your beard. You can use a bucket with 3 liters of water to wash your razor instead of using 50 liters of running water. Assuming that is only the father who shaves himself, he could save 50 liters per day, 1500 liters per month (1,7 €) and 18000 liters per year (19,8 €).

Every one of our family, following the eight steps, could save almost 400 electric kWh, 400 m³ of methane and 70000 liters of water per year. It means 500 euros less costs per year, less wasted energy, less environmental impact but the same comfort. Just try.