Saving tips: Electrical appliances
More and more electrical appliances can be found in every household. Just think of the laptop, the washing machine, the tumble dryer, the freezer, the fridge, the television, a second television and so on. Almost all these appliances use electricity continuously. As a result, the energy bill can sometimes turn out surprisingly high. By dealing consciously with electrical appliances in the home, enormous savings on energy consumption can be made on an annual basis.
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01Electrical appliances in the home
A notorious appliance with standby consumption is the digital receiver. Nowadays many households receive television channels via a digital receiver. When people are not watching television, the television is switched off but the digital receiver is not. So the digital receiver may be on day and night, which costs a great deal of energy.
Use power strips
By connecting several electrical appliances to one power strip, a whole group of appliances can be switched off in one go. This of course also prevents standby consumption.
Chargers and batteries
Always unplug chargers and batteries, such as those of a laptop, when they are not being used. This will also benefit the lifespan of the laptop, by the way. The energy consumption of chargers and batteries that are not being used is comparable to the standby function of many appliances. Although the appliances are not actively working, energy is still being used unnecessarily.
Electrical appliances on standby
Many electrical appliances, such as televisions, hard disk recorders and DVD players, have a standby function. Although the appliances are not active in this mode, they still use electricity. This is also called standby consumption. In the long term this of course adds up to a large amount of unnecessary energy consumption. So always switch these appliances off completely. Usually a button on the appliance itself has to be pressed for this. If necessary, the plug can be pulled out of the socket. Especially when a holiday is planned, this is really advisable.
Being aware of energy consumption
By realising how much energy a particular electrical appliance uses, we automatically deal with electrical appliances more consciously. When buying new appliances, it is also sensible to pay attention to energy consumption. A television with an LCD or LED screen, for example, is more economical than a plasma television. An electrical appliance often comes with an energy label that indicates how economical the appliance is. Appliances with energy label A are the most economical, appliances with energy label G the least.
Using the computer economically
The computer is a considerable energy consumer. Consumption can be limited by, for example, setting the screen to a lower brightness. It is also sensible to switch off the screen when something is being downloaded but the computer is otherwise not being used. Finally, it is advisable to switch on energy-saving mode or sleep mode. If the computer stays on unnecessarily, it will automatically use less energy after a while. Moreover, in this mode the laptop battery also lasts longer.
Keeping electrical appliances up to date
Although technologies around the development of screens and computers change quickly, it is still advisable to pay close attention to how much energy a particular electrical appliance uses. In recent years, computer and television screens have become increasingly economical, but this is also the case for other electrical appliances. Just think of the latest hairdryer that works at low temperatures. Such a hairdryer uses less and at the same time is also better for your hair.
Also think of the sound system around the television. The best method for saving on the energy consumption of electrical appliances is to use power strips. Then several appliances can be switched off at once. When buying a television, the rule is: the smaller the screen area, the more energy-efficient. Resist the temptation of large televisions and be sure to pay attention to the energy label. Also adjust the brightness of the screen: most default settings are set to full consumption, while this is often not necessary.
Other saving tips that help with saving on the energy consumption of electrical appliances can be found on our website.
02Frequently asked questions about saving on electrical appliances
Saving energy always starts with knowing your consumption. But how do you find this out? You will discover the answer to this and other questions in this FAQ about saving on electrical appliances.
Make use of smart sockets. These sockets can display energy consumption. Moreover, it is often possible to programme them or operate them remotely, for example via voice control. Another way is to disconnect constant consumers, such as the fridge, and to monitor night-time consumption.
How can I know how much energy my appliances use?
There can be many reasons for this. With many appliances, the transformer is the problem. A transformer works by means of a primary and a secondary coil with a core between them. You then connect, for example, your smartphone to the secondary coil so that you can charge it. When you do not connect your smartphone, however, current keeps flowing through the primary coil.
Why do appliances sometimes keep using energy?
This depends on many factors, such as the appliances connected to the power strip. If you switch off the power supply when not in use, you can count on a saving of about 1,40 euros per year for an LCD television. On a DVD player you save about 2 euros per year, on a games console about 2,40 euros per year and on an audio system you can easily save 8 euros per year. Is there also a TV decoder with a hard disk? On this a saving of no less than 26 euros per year is possible. Such a power strip therefore quickly pays for itself.
How much do I save if I put a power strip on the TV?
With a standby killer, all connected appliances are switched off when one appliance is switched off. If, for example, you switch off the TV, the other appliances such as the audio system and the decoder will also be switched off automatically.
What is a standby killer?
It depends heavily on the appliances you have at home, but in general a saving of a good 100 to 150 euros per year is certainly not impossible. Especially the PC (+/- €30 per year), TV decoder with hard disk (+/- €26 per year), internet modem (+/- €16 per year) and boiling water tap (+/- €16 per year) secretly use a lot of energy.
How much can I save by tackling standby consumption?
Saving energy and money on electrical appliances? Practical tips!
Electronic appliances, our home is full of them. ➜ How do you keep energy consumption limited? ➜ Save money right away with our free tips.
Work out the monthly amount with your usage and feed-in.