Electricity is very expensive in Ghana and it’s one utility that many always fight government over.
So now the question is, what should you do to conserve energy to save on your electricity bills? These are many things you probably didn’t take note of and need to act on now to conserve energy and save electricity bills.
1. Provide More Ventilation
If you know you don’t have many windows in your house, you need to provide more because this is very important. When there is less ventilation in your house, you will depend on either fans or air-conditioners and all these consume a lot of electricity. Sometimes you need fresh air more than what machines provide because it is also good for your health and also saves on your pocket by reducing your electricity bills.
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2. Turn Off Your Lights When You Don’t Need Them
As Ghanaians, we have the habit of keeping our lights on even when we don’t need them and so it is very common to see houses still having their outside lights on even at night. Some even have lights on during the day. You may not see anything wrong with this but trust us, you will feel it in your pocket.
Photo: OnlineHomeGuides
3. Use More Natural Light
Instead of living your lights on, it will be better to open your windows to allow natural light in. There is no light more powerful than the sun. If you know your house is less ventilated or facing away from the direction of sunlight, then try and create a window where light can easily come through than leaving your lights on all the time.
4. Try Handwashing Your Clothes
These days, there are many durable washing machines on the market and they are cheap too and so many homes now boast of a washing machine but this does not mean you should be 100% dependant on the washing machine. From time to time, it will be advisable to do some handwashing and let the washing machine rest so you can save on some electricity bill. It is also very unnecessary to wash some few clothes with a washing mashing when you can use your hands. Not only does it save on electricity, it also saves on water too.
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5. Defrost Freezer Regularly
This is where it gets a bit technical. These days most of the freezers that come have a defrost technology so that part is sorted but in case you’re using a fridge that creates a lot of frost, don’t be happy and feel you’re getting “ice block” so it’s good, it is actually eating your electricity. It will be better to turn off your freezer to allow all the frost to melt then put it back on to save some electricity.
6. Check Your Refrigerator Temperature Properly
This is one thing most Ghanaians don’t know or take for granted. To most of us, the colder your fridge, the better but what we fail to know is that, whenever the refrigerator is at its lowest temperature, it needs more power to maintain that temperature and so it consumes more power that affects us later without our knowledge. There are some refrigerators that come with temperature regulators and so learn to set it at normal all the time if you want to save on electricity.
7. Turn Off Your Computer Screen Saver
Leaving your computer screen saver on is not advisable because this consumes electricity just like when you’re using it and so instead of setting a screen saver for your computer, allow it to sleep rather and this can save you more energy than leaving the screensaver on.
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8. Use An Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner
Most old air conditioners consume a lot more electricity than the new ones and so it will be better to change your air conditioner to a more energy-efficient one if you plan on making some savings on your electricity.
Photo: EmpoymentResources
9. Replace Incandescent Bulbs With Fluorescent Or LED Bulbs
It is better to use fluorescent or LED bulbs than incandescent bulbs because the incandescent bulbs use more heat and need more energy to do that.
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10.Unplug All Appliances When They Are Not In Use
Ever heard of vampire power? If not then you should know leaving things plugged in while not using them still consumes power. So putting off your TV and still living the power on still consumes electricity just like you’re watching it and so it will be advisable to pull out the plug and put the switch off when you are done and this will save you a lot of money.
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11. Don’t Leave Your Liquids Uncovered In The Refrigerator
One thing that is very common among most Ghanaians is putting hot liquids in the refrigerator uncovered. Whenever you put something in the refrigerator and it’s hot and uncovered, the heat from it increases the temperature in the refrigerator. This means the refrigerator will need more horsepower to stabilise the internal temperature by cooling down the contents of the new thing. It will, therefore, be better to cover all hot liquids before putting them in the refrigerator. That is if you can’t allow it to cool down first before putting it in the refrigerator.
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12. Get A Task Light For Your Working Desk
Instead of lighting up the whole room when studying for an exam or project, it will be better to get yourself a task light for learning to save energy.
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13. Use A Laptop More Often Than A Desktop Computer
If you own a laptop and a desktop computer, use your laptop more often because laptops have batteries that you can run on until it gets drained before switching to main power, unlike desktops that need constant DC power.
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14. Use An LCD Monitor Instead Of A CRT Monitor
CRT monitors consume more power than LCD monitors so it will be advisable to replace all your CRT monitors with LCD monitors.
15. Use Microwave Oven More Often
If you own an electric stove, it will be advisable to use your microwave when you’re heating something small than to put on your electric stove just to heat your food. It is not even advisable using electric stoves because gas is far better but if what you have is an electric stove than don’t use it anyhow.
16. Replace Old Refrigerators With Energy Efficient Ones
Most old refrigerators consume more power so if you know you have a refrigerator that is 20 years old, then it is about time you replace it with a new one.
17. Front Loading Washing Machines Are Better Than Top Loading Washing Machines
Front loading washing machines use less water but top-loading washing machines use more water and when there is more water, the motor needs more energy to rotate hence costing you a lot of money.
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18. Check Your Earth Wire
Earth wires are the major problems and the main reason why most of us are paying hugely on electricity. We are actually burying our money without our knowledge and this is because most of the energy we are paying for runs into the ground. Most of us don’t even know whether we are using the right earth wire or not because most haven’t tested it before. If your electricity bills are running out outrageously, get a qualified electrician to come check your meter and if the potency is less than 1, then it is dangerous for you.
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19. Do A Re-Wiring If Necessary
Whenever there is a break in the cables that run through your ceiling and this open wire touches any metal part or the roofing sheets, then you should know, your ceiling will be conducting electricity and that means you will be paying for it. If you notice this, we will advise you re-wire the whole building and when doing so, make sure they use pipelines for the wiring in your ceiling.
20. Check Your Air Conditioner Regularly
This is something most of us fail to do and it really affects us financially. If you own an air conditioner, it is advisable to have a regular maintenance schedule to have it cleaned and other defects rectified.
Photo: EmpoymentResources
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