Paphos People

The ministry of energy has published a list of recommendations aimed at saving energy at home in the wake of ongoing price hikes.

There is advice on how to use air conditioning (AC), lighting, kitchen appliances, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines and tumble dryers so as to keep electricity consumption as low as possible

Air Conditioning
Only have AC on in room you are in
Make sure the AC filters are cleaned frequently
Ventilate and clean the AC’s unit radiator fins with a special brush.
Avoid using conventional electric air heaters
Make proper use of windows and shades. On hot summer days, close the windows and shutters, draw the curtains and open them in the evening to create a natural air current to cool the desired premises
Set the AC thermostat correctly, ideally at 25-26 degrees Celsius during hot summer days
Adjust your clothing choices according to the weather, even when inside a building or a room
Always keep doors and windows closed when the AC is running
Make use of ceiling fans rather than AC
Turn off the AC about half an hour before leaving the room where it is running
Lighting
Do not use more light than necessary and place smaller lamps in corridors, storage rooms and in common areas
Turn off the lights in rooms you are not using
Do not leave lights on unnecessarily
Make sure lighting appliances and windows are dusted regularly.
Make the most of natural daylight and avoid artificial lighting when possible
Use energy-efficient light bulbs
Rearrange the furniture in the room taking into account the natural lighting provided by windows
Use light colours on the walls
Do not use lampshades made of dark and thick fabric
Kitchen appliances
Preheat the oven only when necessary and for a short period of time
Avoid opening the oven door when in operation
Clean the oven immediately after use and while still hot
Use cookware that has a flat base and fits the size of the hob. The use of pressure cookers is also recommended
When boiling water, cover the pot with its lid. Do not boil more water than necessary
Turn off the oven and hotplates just before the food is cooked to take advantage of the residual heat
Refrigerators and freezers
Avoid placing the refrigerator near radiators and built-in spaces or exposing it to sunlight. Place your refrigerator away from the stove.
Avoid placing hot objects in the refrigerator and the freezer
Check the fitted rubber appliances on the refrigerators’ and freezers’ doors to make sure the door closes tightly
Check that the defrost setting on refrigerators and freezers if it is not automatic, so that no more than 0.5 cm of ice accumulates in the appliances
Do not open and close the refrigerators’ and freezers’ doors unnecessarily and do not keep them open for a long time
When you are away for long periods of time, unplug the refrigerator, empty it and leave the door open
Washers and dryers
When possible, hand-wash clothes
Use washers and dryers without overloading them
Set washing programmes to lower temperatures. Select the economical wash cycle.
Pre-washing should only be used for heavily soiled clothes.
Take advantage of detergents that work effectively at lower temperatures
Clothes dryers are the most energy-consuming appliances. If you must use it, it is better to do so for consecutive cycles, taking advantage of the temperature build-up. Clean the dryers’ air filters after each use
General advice
Make sure you always choose how many electrical appliances are simultaneously turned on according to your needs
Ensure that maintenance schedules are adhered to and that maintenance is carried out by suitably trained personnel
Make sure that any damage to the heating and AC units is fixed immediately
Make sure that the energy saving interventions already implemented in the house or building are working properly
Ensure that the main ventilation system and fans in the toilets stop working when the premises are not in use
Do not take the elevator to go up a maximum of two floors
Do not leave any electrical appliances on when they are not needed, as they will consume energy even when on stand-by

https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/08/10/ministry-issues-advice-on-how-to-use-less-electricity/

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Dave
Moira And Dave

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

switch off or unplug the hundred or so items in your home which are on standby.
this does exclude your main internet router