Many ways to slash your electricity bill
Do you know that LightEmitting Diode (LED) bulbs consume significantly less energy compared to incandescent ones?
A 9W compact fluorescent lamp gives as much light as a 75W incandescent lamp. Yet, the two bulbs will affect your electricity bill differently. Lighting accounts for fifteen percent of electricity usage in a normal household. Therefore, investing in efficient lighting saves a great deal.
With the electric tariff being increased to the shocking level of 66 percent this week, it is imperative that power consumers remain mindful of their energy consumption. Here are some tips on how you can save energy at home throughout your daily tasks and avoid hefty bills at the end of the month.
Most refrigerators, especially freezers are energy guzzlers. You may not realise it, but they consume 30 - 50% units of a normal household. But most refrigerators are underutilised. They don’t contain more than a few bottles of water, dry fish and leftovers of cooked food.
Choosing the right size is critically important as the bigger the refrigerator’s capacity, the more energy it consumes. A 190-litre refrigerator would be sufficient for a family of five. Mind the door always since open doors result in a drop of 10-20C.
Don’t stand with the door open while you drink water.
If items that require deep freezing (ex: ice cream, meat, fish…etc.) are absent from the refrigerator, lower the settings to a bare minimum. Maintain settings at a 40% level (between 2 and 3 on a scale from 1 to 5), when deep frozen items are stored.
When it comes to cooking, it’s high time we challenge our conventional chefs! Do you know the 20-40 minute cooking art? It’s tried and tested. Cut the vegetables, meat, and fish and leave them to season, add curry powder and other ingredients.
Then turn the stove on and start cooking meat and vegetables, wash the rice in the meantime, start cooking those that require more fire, and proceed to those that require less fire.
For more tips and resources on smart energy consumption, check out the guidelines prepared by Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority -- available on its website. https://www. energy.gov.lk/index.php/ en/knowledge/resources/ your-home