Tips
How To Reduce Your Electricity Bill In Nigeria
With the recent increase in power rates, everyone is looking for methods to save money on electricity bill, especially if you have a prepaid meter installed at home.
Since October 2020, the new tariff has increased by more than 100%, implying that everyone will soon be paying twice as much as they did previously.
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Things are difficult enough as it is, and you must adjust properly if you do not expect to pay double. Although you would undoubtedly spend more, learning how to reduce your electricity consumption would be really beneficial.
To begin, you should be aware that these suggestions will only work if you have a prepaid meter installed. Your charge will be based on estimates if you don’t have a prepaid meter, leaving you little chance to argue its accuracy. Start by installing a prepaid meter at home if you want to save energy.
Continue reading to learn how to save money on your electricity bill.
Replace all your bulbs at home with energy-efficient models
Replace all of your incandescent lights with energy-efficient bulbs.
Although non-energy-efficient bulbs are less expensive to buy, they are more expensive to use in the long run. This is due to the fact that they utilize significantly more electricity than energy-saving bulbs.
A common bulb, for example, has a wattage range of 60 to 200. Energy-saving bulbs, on the other hand, use as little as 7 to 11 watts. This means that one would consume ten times the electricity of the other; the decision is yours.
It would also assist if you were more careful about how long you left your bulb on. Especially your kitchen, toilet, and bathroom lights, turn them off during the day and when you want to sleep at night. Keep your security lights on only at night.
Unplug all electronic devices
When not in use, unplug any electronic equipment such as televisions, DVD players, home theater systems, laptops, desktop computers, decoders, and other similar devices. This is because plugged electronics consume a lot of electricity even when switched off. When household devices are turned off but not unplugged, they consume 75% of the electricity they consume.
To avoid this, cut off power to a device by turning off the socket and the device’s power switch.
Reduce the amount of time your fan run
The ceiling fan is one of the most power-hungry appliances in the house. Your fan may not be running all day and night, but it is consuming electricity even in its off state. This has a huge impact on your power expenses.
If you have the financial wherewithal, you can replace all of your fans with energy-efficient models. If you do not have the energy-saving model, simply adjust the length of time the fan runs.
Buy energy-efficient appliances
Low-voltage products, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines, are now common. These appliances might help you save money on your electricity bill. When purchasing an appliance, make sure to verify the stand-by usage or request energy-saving devices.
Use Solar power
Using electricity from distribution companies in combination with electricity from solar power generation is a great method to save money on your electricity bills.
Nigeria’s tropical position ensures that the country receives plenty of sunshine throughout the year. Every year, the country receives about 2,600 hours of sunlight (about 7 hours of sunlight daily, on average). To save money on electricity bills, solar devices should be utilized.
Solar power generating equipment are more expensive than fuel-powered generating sets, although they are insignificant when compared to the costs of powering, servicing, fueling, and maintaining generating sets.
Reduce the amount of time your air conditioner run
The capacity of an air conditioner to consume electricity is widely recognized. Keep it running for a day and you will notice a significant difference in your costs. At a rate of N60 per kilowatt, a 1.5hp (1119watts) AC running for 10 hours would cost well over N30,000.
To save the cost of electricity purchase, you can shuffle run time between your fan and the air conditioner. You can save hundreds of naira by limiting your air conditioner’s use per day.
Chargers should be unplugged
Though it is highly convenient to keep chargers in the wall to charge your phone at whatever time, they are still consuming energy that isn’t being used.
When you’re finished charging a device, simply unplug it and place it near an outlet. It’s well worth the extra three seconds it will take out of your day.
Water heater usage should be kept to a minimum
You are wasting electricity by keeping the water hot all day if you only use an electric water heater at particular times of the day.
Switch your heater on 30 minutes before use and switch off after use or install an electronic timer switch available for 120- and 240-volt heaters.
They can be programmed for daily or weekly schedules so you only heat the water when you need it.
Drain the tank and flush away the sediment at the bottom to make your water heater even more effective; otherwise, you could be heating through inches of sediment before heating the water, wasting more energy.
Because it utilizes less electricity, use a tankless hot water heater.
Install dimmer switches
Dimmer switches allow you to customize the brightness of a room to suit your needs. Using dimmers also helps in conserving energy. Electricity Bill In Nigeria
Household Energy Consumption
Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, electric water heaters, and other energy-intensive equipment consume a significant portion of our electricity. Here are some suggestions for conserving electricity when utilizing these gadgets in our houses.
Use Your Air-conditioners Wisely
Here are some tips on how to reduce electricity bill while using your air-conditioner.
- Air conditioners should be kept out of direct sunlight because they use up to 10% more electricity. Plant tall shrubs or shade trees near yours if it is in the sun, but don’t enclose it or obstruct the airflow.
- If your air conditioner is more than 12 years old, replace it with a more contemporary Energy Saving model to save 30 percent on cooling expenditures and maintenance costs.
- Ventilate at night or early in the morning to store the coolness for the day and cut down on your air conditioning usage during the day.
- Close the curtains or shades. The sun can really heat up a space when it’s open. Turn the lights off. They produce heat in the same way as sunlight does.
- Maintain the same temperature in the air conditioner. Don’t change it all the time. It’s more effective this way.
- Always service your air conditioners when they’re due because they use less energy when they’re working properly.
- Clean the filter and the fan of your air conditioner. It’s great if you do it once a month, but even once a year will help.
Refrigerator and Freezers
Another appliance that uses the most electricity at home is the fridge. A refrigerator’s average daily watt usage is 1200 watts (depending on the model), making it one of, if not the most power-hungry appliances in the house. You can cut down on consumption by buying a smaller freezer (which is a more expensive approach) or doing the following:
- Move the refrigerator to a location with good air circulation, since this will help it run more efficiently.
- Make sure your refrigerator or freezer is at least 5cm (2 inches) from the wall and that air can circulate freely.
- Replace any worn-out refrigerator door seals to ensure that they don’t require any additional energy to keep cool.
- Replace your old refrigerator with this one. It uses at least 40% more electricity than current Energy Saving models if it was built before 2001.
- Make sure your refrigerator or freezer is kept as cold as possible, away from heat sources such as radiators, direct sunlight, or other large energy-consuming gadgets.
- Keep your refrigerator or freezer organized and labeled so you can get to the food as quickly as possible.
- Keep these gadgets’ doors closed.
- You should also avoid over-stuffing your refrigerator. Because there is less room available for air circulation, the unit’s overall efficiency suffers. In order to meet the demand, the unit would have to draw additional electricity. Also, make sure to defrost the fridge on a regular basis.
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