Probably the most important tip would be to use no more energy at all. But that is downright impossible. Nevertheless, you can make a big difference when it comes to saving energy with just a few small steps. For example, you can save as much as 40 percent of the energy you use in your daily cooking. Simply by putting the lid on the pot or pan during the cooking process. This reduces the heat generated inside the container enormously and the cooking process is completed sooner. The same applies when you prepare dishes in the oven. Do not preheat the oven, which is unfortunately still recommended in almost all cookbooks. Also, use the convection function instead of the top and bottom heat as before. This saves about 20 percent energy. And if you turn off the oven about 10 minutes before the end of the baking process, you'll save another 30 euros in your household budget at the end of the year. The food will still be cooked - and your heating bill will be reduced.
Remove the ice layer in the freezer compartment. This can reduce electricity consumption by up to 10 percent. If you want to freeze food, it makes sense to let it cool down completely first. If, on the other hand, you put hot food in the freezer or refrigerator, the appliance has to work much harder to cool the other food adequately. This costs energy and increases power consumption.
Did you know that electrical appliances that run in stand-by mode cost about 50 to 60 euros extra per year? You are therefore well advised to switch off your hi-fi system, computer or other devices and ideally connect them to a power strip. Disconnect the devices from the power grid when they are not in use. This saves money and protects the environment.
It is not absolutely necessary to turn on the washing machine every day. If you do, you don't always need to wash your clothes at 60 or even 90 degrees. Thanks to the high-quality nature of detergents, it is often sufficient to set the washing temperature to 40 degrees. This reduces the energy consumption of the washing machine by up to 50 percent. In general, it makes sense to dispense with the pre-wash cycle. This way, the appliance consumes almost 20 percent less.
Shock ventilation is important to create a healthy indoor climate and prevent mold growth. The problem with this, however, is that the premises cool down in seconds afterwards. Accordingly, the heating must then be turned up to full again. However, this usually makes the room warmer than it needs to be. A thermostat can provide a remedy. It adjusts to the individual conditions in the living space and regulates the heating temperature accordingly. In this way, you benefit from an energy-saving potential of up to 40 percent. It doesn't take much to reduce energy costs. It's just important to get into the swing of things and take these little tricks to heart.
