Energy conservation and efficiency tips for

Provide tips to help in the efficient use of energy

1. Energy conservation tips

2. Making improvements to your lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bills.  An average household dedicates more than 30% of its energy budget to lighting. Using new lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in your home by 50% to 75%.  Lighting

3. Change to LED light bulbs.  They cost a bit more than ordinary light bulbs but then last up to 12 times longer and could save you a lot on your annual electricity bill over the bulb’s lifetime!  In fact they pay for themselves in as little as three months. Turn off the lights in any room you're not using or when you leave a room. Take advantage of natural light where possible Use outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a motion sensor so they will turn on only at night or when someone is present.  A combined photocell and motion sensor will increase your energy savings even more. Remove defective fluorescent tubes from circuit. Lighting

4. Press fabrics which require lower temperatures first as the iron takes longer to heat than to cool. Iron in bulk instead of one item at a time. Turn off the iron before attending to other business. Irons

5. Air conditioners account for about 6.5% of energy used in our homes and let’s face it, do we really need them.  Installing ceiling fans to supplement or replace air conditioners could greatly reduce our consumption as they generally use less electricity. To conserve energy in the use of air conditioners, kindly observe the following: Set your thermostat comfortably high.  Set your thermostat at 25°C instead of in the tens of low 20s and you probably couldn’t tell the difference, even though every degree less than 26°C results in noticeably higher bills.  Increasing the setting by only 1°C could save you a lot of money! For older air conditioners, use a power controlling device to reduce the energy consumption of the AC’s electric motor.  Air Conditioners

6. Look for the energy efficiency label when replacing or buying a new air conditioner.  Select a high efficiency model when replacing:  a five star rating is highest and is highly recommended.  This uses less energy and could save you a lot of money annually. Air Conditioners

7. Make sure air conditioners are properly maintained. Make sure air conditioned spaces are properly sealed, keep doors closed while in use and check for holes or cracks around windows, doors, and ceilings that can leak cool air or allow warm air to enter.  It is not recommended to use air conditioners in rooms with louver blades.  Keep the window curtains closed during the day to prevent the sun entering. Turn off uneccesary lights; they produce heat which works against the air conditioning.  Switch off air conditioners at the end of the day and when leaving the office for long periods such as lunch breaks Air Conditioners

8. Fridge doors should not be left open for longer than necessary Hot food should not be put straight in the fridge; they should be allowed to cool down first. Fridges should be regularly defrosted to keep them running efficiently, if it tends to frost up quickly, the door seal should be checked. Keep fridge way from cookers and boilers. Thermal overload devices on fridges, etc should be checked regularly as they may become welded and pass large currents. Replace bad seals on refrigerator doors. When purchasing a new fridge consider a high efficiency model. It is cheaper to run one large refrigerator than two small ones.  Refrigerators

9. Remember the more stars on the label the more energy efficient the product. Always look for the Efficiency Label. If a product is not labelled, it is probably not good Refrigerators

10. Refrigerators Ratings

11. Refrigerators Ratings Annual savings from star rating of a 250 litre frost free refrigerator Assume energy tariff of 0.85 cedis /kWh Star Energy consumed Bill Savings 1 320 272 2 256 217.6 54.4 3 205 174.25 97.75 4 164 139.40 132.6 5 131 111.35 160.65

12. Don't leave appliances, such as TVs, stereos, computers, monitors and DVD players, on standby and remember not to leave appliances like mobile phones or laptops on charge unnecessarily. Make sure your appliances, electrical circuits and cooling systems are properly maintained. Check your owner's manuals for the recommended maintenance. Only boil as much water as you need.  Why heat a whole kettle of water just to drink a cup of tea? When the opportunity arises to replace appliances form a habit of buying only energy efficient appliances. Avoid running large appliances such as Air conditioners, washers, dryers and ovens during peak demand hours (between 6 and 9 am and 6 and 9pm) Other appliances

13. When buying a refrigerator, consider the following factors: Kitchen space and layout: Measure accurately to fit the new fridge. Refrigerator style and configuration: Choose between different door types. Capacity and storage options: Consider your storage needs. Color and finish: Select your desired look. Defrosting method : Decide between direct cool and other options. Compressor type: Choose based on cooling flow. Brand, energy efficiency, budget, and warranty are also important considerations. Refrigerator buying guide