Tips

Good insulation multiplies the functionality of heating and air conditioning, and significantly reduces energy consumption. If doors and windows help maintain heat in winter and cold in summer, savings can reach 70%. If heat doesn't escape on cold winter days, heating operation time can be reduced; and if cold is maintained in summer, there won't be a need to lower the air conditioning temperature so much.

Each supply point has a contracted power that the consumer chooses. This power will depend on the maximum energy needed at any given moment. Thus, it's not the same a small apartment where one or two people live without heating or air conditioning and with a gas stove, than a large house with many devices connected to electricity, heating in winter and air conditioning in summer, and an induction hob. Lowering the power to the property's needs can mean savings of between €8 and €40 per month.

Space lighting has undergone a huge change in the last decade. Traditional incandescent bulbs have given way to low-consumption or LED bulbs. In fact, incandescent lamps are no longer manufactured due to a European directive that aims to progressively eliminate them from the market. The change in lighting in a home, business, workshop, warehouse, etc. can mean savings of between 50% and 70% with low-consumption bulbs and between 85% and 95% with LED bulbs. In addition to energy savings, LED lighting is less polluting and reduces CO2 emissions by 80%.

With something as simple as turning off lights when they're not needed, you can achieve great savings in electricity. It's advisable to use natural light whenever possible and only use artificial light when really necessary. On the other hand, there are more and more electrical appliances in homes and offices, all with their standby option. Although the TV, DVD, computer, printer, microwave, coffee machine, etc. are not working, they continue to consume energy, this is called silent consumption. It's a residual consumption but it can mean savings of between €60 and €100 per year for a conventional household.

We have more and more appliances connected to the electrical system, which is why we need their consumption to be as low as possible to minimize the impact on the electricity bill. Each appliance has a label that indicates its energy efficiency, that is, its consumption. In this way, the use of class A appliances can mean savings of up to 80%.

90% of the electricity consumed by a washing machine is used to heat water, which is why it's important to use cold wash cycles or temperatures not exceeding 30° or 40°. It will also save energy to wait until the washing machine is full before starting it, thus avoiding having to do another wash that means another electricity expense. The same applies to the dishwasher. The energy needed to complete a wash should be well utilized, so it shouldn't be done until it's full. On the other hand, it's not advisable to overuse hot water when showering. A bath consumes four times more water than a shower, and a temperature of 30° - 35° is more than enough to enjoy a good body sensation under the water.