Energy Saving Tips

Save water 

Take a shower instead of a bath. Three times more water is consumed for a bath than for a shower. This way, you can save 80 EUR a year. Take quick showers and turn off the water when you lather yourself with your favorite shower gel. The water does not have to run continuously. The same goes for brushing your teeth.
Some old houses are equipped with old toilet cisterns which consume nine liters of water per flush. Replace the old cistern with a modern flush with a stop button. This way, you can dose your water consumption.
It often takes some time until warm water pours from the tap. Therefore, always open the hot water tap and use the water as it warms up. Only then let the cold water run. It takes so much longer for the water to heat if you open both faucets. They consume more energy and thus more water.

Ventilate the rooms only at night in the summer. This has several advantages: Your apartment is cool, especially if you leave the blinds down. Your refrigerator and your freezer consume less energy if the temperature in your home is lower.

The right room temperature 

The kitchen temperature should be around 16-18 degrees. The kitchen anyway heats up when you cook and bake. As for the living room, a healthy atmosphere is created if the temperature is between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius. The bedroom can be cool.

Airing instead of permanently tilting the windows

The walls cool if the windows are tilted continuously and they heat mostly on the outside. It is better to open the window several times a day and use the radiator during the rest of the day.

Check the windows and doors to see if the room is drafty. You can do this either with a lighted candle or simply with the back of your hand.

What about your refrigerator? 

If your refrigerator or freezer is a little older, then you should buy a new one. Class A++ refrigerators are the most economical. Old equipment is simply power-hungry.

You should thaw the frozen food in the refrigerator. You should protect yourself against salmonella so pour away the thaw and rinse the chicken with hot water.

Refrigerators should be located away from sources of heat such as the stove, dishwasher or radiator.
The temperature in the refrigerator should be 8 degrees Celsius. The frozen food should be cooled to -18 degrees.

You should consume the frozen foods and defrost the refrigerator if you go away for an extended period of time. Unplug the freezer or refrigerator when you leave and plug it back into the socket when you return from your trip and you have filled it up.

Preheat your over to 180 degrees and then cook the potatoes. You do not usually need to preheat it, even if it says so in the cookbook. Preheating is only necessary when you make dough.

You should use the burner when cooking. The advantage is that burners remain hot for a longer period of time.

You can cook potatoes or noodles faster if you boil the water in a kettle and then pour it into the pot. This way, you can save time and energy.

Save energy at home 

Use energy-saving light bulbs instead of conventional 60-watt bulbs. They use 80% less electricity than conventional bulbs. You only need a 12-watt energy-saving lamp to replace a 60-watt bulb. The energy-saving lamp is more expensive, but holds up to eight times longer. They require 80% less power than conventional light bulbs, so you can save 80% on the energy costs.

The power of the television 

Almost everyone complains about how lousy their television is, but they keep it anyway. It seems that people cannot find the off button on their TV.

What do you watch on television, what really interests you? Does it often happen that you fall asleep watching TV? Does the TV replace your hobbies and leisure time activities? Do you still get to talk to your loved ones or are you that caricature of a man who prefers beer drinking and watching inarticulate grunting monsters on TV rather than spend time with his wife?

Be revolutionary. Log off your cable connection and sell your TV on eBay. Your family and your wallet will thank you. And you will remain an interesting man.

If you are not quite as revolutionary, then be selective in choosing your favorite TV shows and turn the television off when you do not watch it. Remember that it consumes power in stand-by mode, too.