Nearly 60 per cent of Malaysians will not have to worry about the 12 per cent electricity tariff rise. For the rest, the challenge is to conserve. Nobody says it’s going to be easy. These tips came in during lunch today and here are some pointers to ponder:
1. COOLING
The air-conditioner. Most urban homes have at least one. But there are cheaper ways to cool down than running the AC. It should be the appliance of last resort. Install ceiling fans to circulate air in the room. Even if they are left running full-blast 24/7, it still costs less than turning on the AC half the day.
Complement the fans with open windows, and replacing the clear glass panes with dark-tinted ones which cut down the glare.
Running a one-horsepower air- conditioner for around six hours a day amounts to RM43.60 per month — and that’s without factoring in the fridge, television, computer and all the other things that vie for electricity in most urban homes.
If you cannot live without air-conditioning, know how to make the most of one: Buy less powerful units for smaller rooms, and set the temperature to the mid-range instead of super cold, say 24-26°C.
2. REFRIGERATOR
Repeatedly opening and closing the refrigerator door is a no-no. Do not put uncovered liquids in the fridge — these produce vapour which adds to the compressor workload. Ensure that you clean the condenser coils (usually found under the unit) every three months or so, to allow them to exchange heat efficiently.
Finally, perform the RM1 test: Place a RM1 note against the frame of the fridge and close the door on it. If you can tug the note out without much effort, the rubber gasket needs replacing, because energy is being wasted through poor insulation.
3. LIGHTING
Go for compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. These cut down on electricity usage by as much as 70 per cent compared with regular filament bulbs.
How much can you save if you switch to CFL? Use this formula:
Let’s say you replace 10 regular 60-watt bulbs with 10 15-watt bulbs. You save 45 watts per bulb, or 450 watts for all 10. Let’s say all your lights are on for six hours a day, five days a week. That’s about 1,500 hours a year. So your 450 watts multiplied by 1,500 hours equals 675 kilowatt-hours (kWh). If you’re paying 21.8 sen per kilowatt-hour, you’ll save RM147.15 a year.
For those who leave their porch lights on all night long, why not replace them with motion-sensor lights, or light-sensor bulbs?
4. HEATING
Make sure your water heater is an individual unit instead of a central one that provides the entire household with hot water.
While most Malaysians still use gas stoves, a few use electric ovens for cooking. If you do, just remember these tips:
If you are cooking on the stove, use a cover to contain the heat within pots and pans, which quickens the cooking process.
If you are baking, use glass and ceramic containers. Their heat-retention properties are better than metal pans.
Boil water in large volumes and pour it in vacuum flasks the old- fashioned way, instead of using electric water kettles and flasks. If you need a small quantity of hot water, use a microwave.
5. ELECTRONICS
Change your old TV sets for one of the new LCD/plasma models. Not only do they look cool, they use less power.
Many people leave their television sets on standby when not watching — a glowing LED (usually red) on the unit is the giveaway. This standby mode exists on many electronic devices with remotes. If you are not using the TV or radio or Astro decoder for a while, don’t leave them on standby, turn them off.
Computers, on the other hand, are best left on standby unless you are leaving them alone for more than 12 hours. This is because shutting down and starting up a computer strains the circuitry within. But you should make a point of setting your computer on standby or "sleep" mode if unused for more than 15 minutes
