Tips To Reduce Your Electricity Bill
As the summer heat gets intense, we tend to use air conditioners and coolers more often to keep ourselves cool. However, this increased usage leads to higher electricity bills, which can be a burden on our wallets.
Here, we will explore ways/tips to reduce your electricity bill and to deal with the hot weather and reduce electricity costs.
Understanding the daily electricity consumption of various appliances can help you lower your electricity bill. For example, a typical 80-watt fan consumes approximately 4 units of electricity per day. Similarly, a TV consumes around 3 units per day. If a regular one-ton AC is operated continuously for 24 hours, it consumes about 18 units per day. By being aware of these numbers, you can make informed decisions and take steps to reduce your electricity bill.
Tips To Reduce Your Electricity Bill
Following are few tips which can help you reduce your monthly bills.
Cut down on energy leaks:
To save on your electricity bill, make it a habit to turn off lights and fans whenever you leave a room. Additionally, unplug any electronic devices that are not in use, such as chargers for mobile phones and laptops, TVs, and other small appliances. Many times, people forget to turn off these small devices, leading to increased energy consumption and higher bills. By being mindful of these energy leaks and taking proactive steps to address them, you can effectively reduce your electricity usage and ultimately lower your monthly expenses.
Reduce electricity consumption during peak hours:
In Pakistan, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has established different tariffs for electricity during peak and off-peak periods. The rates are significantly higher during peak hours, which typically fall between 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM. In some areas of the country the peak hours are between 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. To save money on your electricity bill, try to avoid using high-energy appliances such as air conditioners, washing machines, irons, etc., during these peak hours. By reducing your electricity consumption during these times, you can lower your overall energy costs.
Paint Your Roof White:
During the hot summers in Pakistan, prolonged power outages, known as load shedding, can be quite troublesome. However, there is a simple and effective way to cope with this issue: painting your roof white. By applying a white coating to your roof, it reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it, which helps to cool down the temperature inside your house. In contrast, roofs with black tar tend to trap heat, creating an oven-like effect indoors and making it even hotter.
When your roof is exposed to direct sunlight, it increases the need for running the air conditioner for extended periods to achieve a comfortable temperature. By painting the roof white, it reflects approximately 90% of sunlight and significantly reduces heat buildup, thus maintaining a balanced indoor and outdoor temperature. This can potentially eliminate the need for an air conditioner to cool your room. The natural air movement will gradually lower the temperature inside your home.
In Pakistan, the cost of making your roof cool by painting it white ranges from PKR 15 to PKR 35 per square foot on average. This investment can bring long-term benefits in terms of energy efficiency and cost savings.
Furthermore, an interesting study mentioned in DAWN suggests that painting 1,000 square feet (92 square meters) of roofs white can offset 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. To put this into perspective, if approximately 2500 square kilometers of roofs in Karachi (estimated covered area) were painted white, it would be equivalent to removing 2,242,480 cars from the road for 20 years.
In summary, painting your roof white in Pakistan can help you combat the heat during load shedding, reduce the need for excessive air conditioning, save on energy costs, and contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.
Upgrade normal lights to LEDs:
You can significantly reduce your expenses by switching from regular light bulbs to energy-efficient LEDs. Even a small LED bulb, which consumes approximately 12 watts of energy, can provide much brighter illumination compared to a standard bulb. LEDs also have a longer lifespan than traditional bulbs, making them a cost-effective choice in the long run. By replacing the lights in your home with LEDs, you can save a substantial amount of money.
Choose Inverter Air Conditioners:
Inverter air conditioners offer a high level of energy efficiency, consuming approximately 40 to 60% less energy compared to standard ACs. Although the initial cost of inverter ACs in the Pakistani market may be higher than that of regular ACs, upgrading to these energy-saving appliances can result in significant electricity bill savings, particularly during the summer months.
By implementing these measures, you can effectively reduce energy usage, conserve resources, and reduce your electricity bill.
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