View Full Version : Saving Power, Saving Money. Some Ideas are Rattling in my Head
got our power bill today. bit of a shocker, so we are looking into saving power again. :)
our gas use was no problem. we've been using the heater pretty heavily (for us, very rarely for our friends! LOL), and the bill for gas was only $60 for the month. since that's our only heat source, that's good. :)
it was our electricity that is the problem. $120 to essentially run the fridge, range, washer, dryer, and I suspect, the hot water heater. I can't tell if it's gas or not.
we don't use much artificial light -- just for cooking dinner, everything else by daylight or candle light, including when we eat dinner. We also have our lap tops, of course.
we have only used the dryer once or twice, so I don't think it's that. But since it is old, inefficient, and testy (doesn't always tumble, doesn't always dry, etc), we've gone back to line drying. The sallies will take it away later this week.
the fridge is new (2 yrs old), small (apt sized), and we keep it relatively warm because nearly everything is eaten pretty quickly. This helps it use less power.
we do laundry every-other day (washing), and I think that it's the washer and the hot water heater that's eating the excess power.
So, to combat this use, we are limiting showers down to 5 minutes, and i'm doing laundry by hand. It took me about 30 minutes to wash, ring (by hand), and hang out the load.
I'm pretty sure that this will help, but we are seriously watching energy consumption now!
btw, power is very expensive in NZ. so the same kinda house in the US would probably be $50-60 for this energy use, rather than near $180.
also, i got a nice rock off the beach, and i use thta as my washing board. I scrubbed the rock clean with salt and water and a stiff brush. Who needs to buy a washing board?
You can tell how the hot water heater is powered by listening. If it's gas, you can hear the flame turn on. It it's electric, it will make a clicking sound as the heating element warms (when it cycles on).
If you have central heating, there is a fan (electric) that pushes air through the house. This is a factor for us in our winter bill, but it goes along with minimizing gas use and thermostat setting.
I track our utilities monthly for kWh and therms (of gas). This way I can see seasonal variation year by year and if we get a bill that seems high, I can compare it to that month the previous year. Cost is harder to track because it changes every time the rates do.
central heating is rare in NZ. most people have fire places -- wood burning stoves or gas. it's an interesting place. we also don't have (much) insulation, no double glazing (in some houses, yes, but no old houses have it), and so on and so forth. :)
i can't tell, to be honest. I think it's electric. It always just sounds like dripping.
Zoebird. Like, as in, $120 a month? This is a challenge I must say... Pretty hard to better what you are already doing.
Yes! The total bill was $180 for the month! We are used to paying under $100 for power because we really work to not use many resources (and to save money!)
We think the culprit is the hot water heater.
So, we have rationed showers down to 5 minutes (i wish i could put in a pedal, which you step on to turn off to soap up and turn on to rinse), and are hand washing dishes in warm with some vinegar in the detergent. This should cut down on the use of the hot water heater. It's not large, and I wouldn't say it's that efficient either. We also turned the temp on it down, so it won't get as hot, thus saving more power.
For hand washing, it's been going well. I got a tip online on how to do it 'quick and easy' and so I've started there.
Essentially, I like to soak overnight in whitening powder. This gets out any food stuffs that DS gets on his sleeves and what not.
Next morning, I drain the sink and do a quick rinse, and the start the actual washing. I pull the clothes out and put them into a basket, and then put water and detergent (a tiny amount -- 2 tsp according to the eco-cleanser manufacturer!) into the sink. then I add the clothes back in and agitate by essentially just squeezing each item to get the water "through" it entirely. Then you just agitate it a bit (like kneading bread), and then drain and rinse.
At this point, I would normally wring it, using the towel method that my mother always did (put clothes inside a towel, roll it up, etc), but quite honestly, it was messy and time consuming. I thought i could "splurge" and use my washing machine in this way -- the spin cycle!
I opted to run two 2-minute spin cycles which got the clothes pretty darn close to dry, and then put them up on the line. Neary everything was dry by this afternoon -- which is unheard of.
So, power use for today:
Fridge -- all day, per usual, though I remember when I was in africa that the power would be off during the day, and so long as you kept the fridge closed, everything was fine. So, it might work ok. Still thinking about it;
Range -- DH's breakfast, DS's and my Breakfast, and then while making breakfast, I also cooked off lunch. DH and DS came home around 2:00 and had a "hot snack" -- reheated some items -- and then of course, reheated some lunch/2:00 items for dinner for Ds. Our dinner was crock pot roasted chicken and raw veggies (salad).
Computer -- 2-3 hrs in the evening.
Washer -- 4 minutes of spin cycle.
Hot water heater -- 5 minutes DH shower; 5 minutes DS shower; 5 minutes my shower; random warm water use throughout the day for kitchen use.
Lighting for story time -- about 1 hr of use of 3 lights.
I'm thinking that there's not much less I can do without going a bit nuts. Of course, I could always sponge bathe myself and DS in between hair-washing days. I only wash my hair every 3-4 day, and DS just does the same (his preference -- and it doesn't really need it), and so I could go to using that for my shower, and then the other days just use the sink, some warm water, and a wash cloth.
downright spartan. :D
Miss Cellane
7-19-11, 8:39am
Two things I can think of to help with the hot water (other than replacing the hot water heater). One, there are shower heads that have a switch so that you can set the water temp and get wet, push the switch to cut off the water flow, soap up, then push the switch again to get the water flowing, at the right temperature, and rinse off. Or you can get a separate switch to install with your regular showerhead, like this: http://www.amazon.com/Danco-89171-Shut-Off-Shower-Chrome/dp/B000JFNPJE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311078654&sr=8-1. This way, you set the water temp and keep the water temp, instead of turning the water completely off, and then having to turn it back on and waste water getting the right temperature again.
Two, if you have a hot water heater with a tank, there are insulation kits available that help hold in the heat, which means that you use less fuel to keep the water in the tank hot. If you have a tankless heater, these wouldn't help.
As for the refrigerator, I've read that the fuller it is, the better the energy consumption, to the point where if you don't have enough food in there, experts recommend keeping bottles of water in the fridge and bags of ice in the freezer to fill up the space. And the more you can keep the door closed, the better.
the fridge is usually full. it's a small fridge, so it's not hard to fill. it's usually only empty one day of the week, when we turn it off and I wash it on that day, too. that's also the day that DH makes the grocery run as well.
the hot water heater is insulated -- checked on that -- and i have use those shower wands with the switch. i'll check to see if our wand has one. I can't replace the water heater, no matter how awesome that would be. :) too much of an expense here in NZ and for a rental.
but, it looks like -- from reading the meter -- that we are already consuming less power per week. So that's good.
Where I live here in the States, the utility company will come out and do a free energy audit. They can tell you if your appliances are energy hogs, or where you might be able to save money on gas and electric. Might be worth a call to your energy company to see if they'll do something comparable.
we do nearly all laundry on cold water now.
I got a small toaster oven a few years ago in an effort to save on natural gas, which is what my stove/oven uses. It's turned out to be my favorite appliance. I use it for toasting bread, warming precooked meals, and even baking muffins. It doesn't heat up the house like the oven does, so it's especially useful in hot weather. It's a painless way to save on energy and you can take it with you if you decide to move. Mine cost $29.95 and I think it's at least five years old. Still works well despite near-daily use.
Ditto Kally re using cold water for clothes washing. I've been doing that for years, for everything.
The other plus of the toaster oven is I often move mine outside on the deck to bake something in hot weather.
Have you compared your most recent elec. bill with the bill from the same month last year? Was there a change in usage? Did the rates go up?
we use the toaster oven a lot too. But I have discovered that it doesn't bake things that are dense or deep very well. Like a loaf of banana bread will just get too cooked on the top and not in the middle. But it is great for low things.
do you think turning the fridge off one day a week might cost you more in terms of energy?
the fridge is usually full. it's a small fridge, so it's not hard to fill. it's usually only empty one day of the week, when we turn it off and I wash it on that day, too. that's also the day that DH makes the grocery run as well.
the hot water heater is insulated -- checked on that -- and i have use those shower wands with the switch. i'll check to see if our wand has one. I can't replace the water heater, no matter how awesome that would be. :) too much of an expense here in NZ and for a rental.
but, it looks like -- from reading the meter -- that we are already consuming less power per week. So that's good.
Originally posted by Kally.
do you think turning the fridge off one day a week might cost you more in terms of energy?
Originally Posted by Zoebird.
the fridge is usually full. it's a small fridge, so it's not hard to fill. it's usually only empty one day of the week, when we turn it off and I wash it on that day, too. that's also the day that DH makes the grocery run as well.I'm thinking the same as Kally. Quite a load to cool down a warm fridge.
I had major culprit for sucking down lots of power, but was never sure until it died and was replaced. My old dehumidifier was using a lot of power. After I got the new one, which is used just as much, I had a sizable decrease in my electric bills.
simplelife4me
8-10-11, 8:24pm
Turning down the fridge temp to the lowest possible will save some wattage.
First thing I would do would be to get a KillAWatt power use tester or something similar so you can see how much energy each appliance is actually using, then you can use that information to focus in on the problem and deal with it, and don't forget to check appliances plugged in but not being used, they all use something when plugged in and it all adds up.
we have switches at the power source (each outlet) that turns off power, and we dont' keep anything plugged in that isn't 'in use.' the fridge is the only thing that stays plugged in and "on" all the time -- we even turn off our range when it's not in use.
I really don't want to buy an object to check, and no one I've asked has one, so i figure that just having the fridge on is ok. And it's a smallish fridge (well, very small by americano standards), and while I don't expect it to be efficient, there it is.
Also, I'm washing in the machine about 2 times per week, not using the dryer at all (double spins makes a huge difference in line-drying times), and then using the range throughout the day. Also, the computer and cell phone get plugged in on a regular basis.
also, regarding the fridge, I have a couple of ideas at play. one is forgoing the fridge altogether, but we do need the freezer. I have a very cool room where a chilly bin can keep things cold very well for a week.
also, we do keep the fridge "warm" (about the same temp as the cold room), but keep the freezer a little colder (just so things stay frozen).
i'm not that worried about it at this point. I can only assume that our power useage has gone down again. :)
I use a Compact fridge 4.3 Cf and it uses 75 watts when running, but as it begins icing up it stays on longer, this uses more power.
Freezers use a LOT of power typically for a full sized freezer 400 watts and up, a small compact freezer (3.5 Cf) will use 130 watts and as they begin to ice up they will use more and more.
Your range will be the biggest power user second only to an electric hot water heater but you mentioned a computer, the typical desktop computer and monitor will use 150 watts to well over 300 watts when in use and 4 watts when in sleep mode.
I used to use a lot of power myself and now use $24.91 the past 60 days but you can only deal with it IF you know what your dealing with.
Keep at it.
i figured out that it was the hot water heater and since we've cut back on that, it's made a big difference for us. Pretty much that and the fridge are the only things plugged in and on all the time.
we have a lap top, which is out of the house from 7 am until 7 pm, and usually not plugged in (it's not now), until we watch some shows and recharge it. I'm not sure what the wattage is, but I can't think it's that much. it's got the highest energy star rating, from what i understand. :)
after this, it's just the washer, dryer, and range. we've stopped using the dryer, we wash 2-3 times a week and on the efficient "eco" setting (which also uses less water), and I put it through an extra spin cycle so that our clothes dry in 1-2 days instead of 4=6 days!
and then the crock pot, of course.
Zoebird. One area where I'd like to interject, is the coolness factor of inner fridge temperatures and proper food-safe storage. This is a real concern when it comes to things like leftovers, so do be wise in respect to that.
loosechickens
8-11-11, 2:12pm
laptops use only a small fraction of the power that a desktop computer uses. And if any computer is turned off or put into hibernation when not in use, it will save on power as well.
I agree with everyone, to be safe you may want to put a thermometer in the fridge so you can see what temp it really is, no point in loosing $50.00 food to save a few bucks in energy and food poisoning is no fun either.
Your laptop should be using around 25 watts, no big deal there.
Might pay to see if you could get a water heater timer or check the setting on the water heater to be sure it isn't set too high.
Do you know what rater per kilowatt hour your electric company is charging you?
first, the power bill is down another $20! So, it seems to be working.
now, to address some concerns/issues: we don't have left overs and don't precook usually. it's just the way it works out here. but, i also know that the fridge is cool enough, because it keeps things fine -- and in some areas of the fridge, things freeze. and that's on it's 'warmest' setting. Frozen salsa anyone? had to move it to another spot.
there's no way i'd lose $50 in food. that would be a serious issue, since every item here is seriously precious. we were pleased that by going with the organic box company, and DH cutting back on his dairy consumption, we are saving $100 per month now on food. It was a big deal. I splurged and bought us some well-made sausages. Gorgeous!
i have tried to check the heater, because i'd like to lower the settings, but I can't get to it. It's been DIY insulated with god-knows-what from god-knows-when, and honestly, I don't know if i want to tug at it, KWIM? I'd love the landlord to replace it with an infinity water heater. that's what i would do -- they are tankless, and god they are efficient! I love those things! it's always "on demand" heating, and it's the best! our last place had one. :)
the rate per kilowatt hr for electricity is .2373; and for gas, it is . 07990. The government here offers a special service wherein they check on the different power companies in a given area and determine the best prices for that area, and after this assessment, this is the company that did have the best price.
power (among many things) is very expensive in NZ.
Looks like you are doing what is practical, one last thing is your electric range.
Two things are much more efficient and the first is to use a Microwave oven which does reduce energy consumption over an electric stove but I went a step further and got a propane camping stove with oven and when propane was compared to the cost of electricity for cooking the same meal it was 1/5 the cost of electric, even the microwave, but again it depends on the cost of the fuel and how many people you are feeding.
Looks like you have a good handle on things, keep at it!
If you think the water heater is the culprit, I like the idea of using a heater blanket and or adding simple pipe insulation to the lines. My water heater is gas and I keep the temperature control down to where if I take a shower it is comfortable with all hot water with no cold to temper the water temperature. I also only use cold water for wash except for occational whites that are heavily soiled. And do all my drying on the outdoor clothes line.
A while back I bought a Kill o Watt meter, which helped me to evaluate the electrical consuption the various appliances and devices in my house use. I think it was about $30 and I understand that some libraries and utility companies have these to lend out for free. Gas use is my problem and I recently had the utility company do an energy audit. It cost $120., but helped me to prioritize where to spend some money to help. It might be worth asking your local utility company how much they would charge for an audit.
we haven't used a microwave for over a decade; we don't feel/believe that they are healthy. I would prefer to cook with gas, but I would not prefer to use a camp stove/etc. we cook too much for it. but, we do use our crockpot a lot, which saves a lot of power, and we rarely use our oven, honestly. mostly the stovetop, and usually 3 burners at a time. so a camp stove may not work for us. propane prices are pretty expensive.
our heater is wrapped up, which is why i can't get to the area to discern the temp setting, etc.
since this bill had 2 weeks with the washer still running on warm/hot, and still taking long showers, etc, and then two weeks were we were conserving off of it, I think that we could effectively cut the bill by another $20-30 this month, and as we move toward spring, we'll be using the gas less (or not at all), and it may be that we are using little/no gas at all come october/november.
If hot water for showers is a problem you might try a camping shower.
Fill bag with 5 gallons of water, leave in sun all day.
Hot water ready....No cost after you buy.
We have used them and they work okay.
Look here: http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-5-Gallon-PVC-Camp-Shower/dp/B0009PUT20/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313519268&sr=8-2
JRJ
it's winter, and we don't get a ton of sun at this house (eg, "all day" becuase of the ridge. it goes down at about 2:00 in the winter, and about 4:00 in the summer.
but seriously, a wash cloth with hot water is a great bath, and then a shower every 2-4 days works well.
but seriously, a wash cloth with hot water is a great bath, and then a shower every 2-4 days works well.
Just follow directions on the bottle of liquid Dr. Bronner's! :D
We noticed our electric bill go up considerably in the winter. Not enough for the extra lighting to be the cause. Dh said that while we have gas heat it does use electricity to turn it on and off through it's cycle.
I'm going to have dh put in some clothes line in the basement this winter. I'm hoping that this will help reduce our heating costs. Electric I'm not sure about. I have yet to figure out a way to reduce our usage. We have no tv, but were we live it's dark from 4 pm on during the winter months. Our cat prohibits the use of candles.
I wish you luck.
thought i would return to this.
using the spin cycle 2-4 times made a huge difference in drying times, and overall our power usage was/is way down.
but one other area where we saved was in turning off our internet at night. turn it off at the plug, and it saves us a few more watts. we're getting there.
There is actually a TV program in New Zealand where they do an energy audit kind of thing and give people back the cash they would save in a year for making energy-saving changes. Your house might be a real challenge for them!
http://www.wastedtv.co.nz/index.cfm?&action=home
Unbelievably, I saw this on Chinese TV, where it is dubbed and they don't seem to realize that NZ dollars are different to US$ -- but interesting turn in the globalization of media.
lhamo
yeah, wild stuff. i'll check it out. :)
Glad you're getting there!
If you have room in the frig/freezer, fill containers with water, freeze overnight outside, and then put them in the freezer or frig.
Do the same when it's warmer - put jugs of water in the sun to heat the water, use that to do dishes, sponge bathe, hand wash some clothes, etc.
I just checked our current ele bill - almost $60 in BS charges before we even used a watt. But we're down almost 200 KWH from this time last year, mostly because the weather has been pretty mild lately.
Mr. Electric at http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/ has some nifty online calculators and tips.
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