Many people think a lower electricity bill means buying expensive appliances or giving up comfort. Daily Bangladesh's lifestyle page says small changes to the fridge, the inverter and a few daily habits can save a good deal.
A fridge running day and night is one of the biggest power users at home. Many people keep cooling on maximum or forget to change the setting when the season changes. In hot weather a moderate setting of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius is suitable, and it can go a little lower in winter. A fridge pushed against the wall gets no air around the coils at the back, which strains the compressor, so keep it a little away from the wall where air can move.
Opening the door often, leaving it open to break ice or hunt for things, and putting hot food inside all make the compressor work harder and wear it out sooner. Do not open the door without need, and keep the thermostat correctly set.
An old inverter battery, or one low on electrolyte, takes much longer to charge, so the meter runs longer too. An installation that ignores the actual load can cause power leakage and overcharging. Check the battery water regularly, make sure the inverter switches to auto-cut once charging is complete, and switch off appliances on it that are not needed at the time.
Leaving fans, coolers or the TV on when you go out, or leaving phone and laptop chargers plugged in after they are full, creates a 'phantom load'. Replacing old bulbs with LEDs gives more light for less power. The article says that with these habits a monthly bill can fall by as much as 20 per cent.
Photo: Yinan Chen / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Source: Daily Bangladesh
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