How to save energy at home with smart and simple solutions!

Most of us consume more electricity because we don't use our electrical appliances in the best energy-efficient way.

For this reason, the team of INVESTA Real Estate real estate agency Larissa, gathered some smart practices that if we apply them in our daily life, will help us to save electricity with the least cost to the environment.

Heating

Research has shown that 70% of the energy we consume inside the house corresponds to heating, while 14% to hot water.

Install new technology inverter air conditioners to ensure optimal economy and healthy air conditioning conditions.

During the summer the temperature setting is recommended at 26-28°C for cooling, while in winter 20-22°C for heating. When we do not maintain these temperatures we burden the environment, while at the same time the conditions created are not friendly for the organism.

In winter, set your thermostat to a lower temperature when you go to bed and when you are away from home. In this way you reduce heating costs between 7%-12%.

50% of the house's total energy is lost through the walls, floors and roof, try placing aluminum foil behind the radiators to reduce the rate of loss.

The use of double glazing helps to reduce by 50% to 70% the thermal energy lost through the frames.

Insulation is very important to maintain the temperature of our home. By using insulating materials in the pipes of the central heating, in the water tanks and in the cracks of windows and doors, we contribute significantly in this direction.

Try not to heat the water above 55°C.

On sunny days, use a solar water heater.

Energy efficiency

Buy electrical appliances with high energy efficiency A+++.

Use energy saving light bulbs.

Dim the brightness on your computer screens.

Try to close the switches of your electrical appliances. In case you are not using them, you can also take them out of the socket.

Kitchen

Make sure that the refrigerator or freezer is away from places of high heat.

If you cannot replace the old models of refrigerators and freezers with new energy-efficient ones, ensure that they are defrosted frequently.

The temperature in the refrigerator must be set between 1-4°C, while the freezer at -18°C. Lowering the temperature even one degree lower causes a 5% increase in energy consumption, without however any difference in the preservation of the products.

Dust off the dusty cables at the back of the fridge as they can use up to 30% extra solar energy.

Let the food cool down and then put it in the fridge, this way you will save energy.

A full freezer uses less energy than an empty one. If it is empty, add plastic bottles with water inside.

Try to use cookware that fits exactly on the kitchen hobs, if they are even one centimeter smaller they increase energy consumption by 20% to 30%.

Use a pressure cooker as this cuts down on cooking time while saving 30% to 60% of the electricity.

Βathroom

When you brush your teeth make sure to turn off the tap to save liters of water and energy.

Prefer to take a shower instead of a bath, so you save up to four times more energy.

Make sure you don't have a leak in your toilet, as up to 200 liters of water can be lost per day. Amount corresponding to 50 times if we draw the cistern.

Wash your clothes and dishes smartly.

Fill washing machines and dishwashers before each wash. If you have small quantities, choose the economic plan.

Avoid high washing temperatures. Modern detergents are also effective at low temperatures.

Prefer to iron your clothes after they have gathered enough to benefit from the unnecessary energy consumption required every time you heat the iron at the start.

Increase your ecological footprint by reducing bills.

Prefer green electricity (wind, water, wood, sun) because it produces less harmful emissions and recycle the energy for your central heating. You can also install solar energy accumulators on the roof of your house.

Prefer to pay your bills online, reducing paper consumption and the energy required to send bills.

Adopt a general "green way of thinking", such as recycling your devices in the special bins.

Try to reduce the use of the car, and replace it with electric vehicles and bicycles!

So let's all contribute to changing some of our small daily habits, not necessarily only for financial reasons but also because it is now necessary!