Tweaking power consumption can give big savings
By EUGENE MAHALINGAM
eugenicz@thestar.com.my
If you don’t need it, don’t use it HIGH electricity bills are so common that they have become a way of life. We all complain about it but most of us hardly do anything about it.
However, by living a more frugal lifestyle and tweaking your electricity consumption a little bit, you’ll be surprised at the amount of money you can save from your monthly utility bills. Here’s how:
Many of us are guilty of not switching off electrical appliances such as air-conditioners, fans and lights in a room even when we’re not using them.
“A lot of people leave these items on with the intention of using them later, but many never do,” says Michael Toh, a Kuala-Lumpur-based electrician.
“Switching off items such as your air-conditioner when you are not using it can actually save you a lot of money, but a lot of people take this for granted. At the end of the day, it comes down to a lifestyle change,” he says.
Toh also points out that appliances that are on “standby” mode or are having their batteries charged also use up power.
“With nearly everyone owning a smartphone and iPads or laptops these days, you’re bound to hook it up to an electrical port and have it charged at least once a day.
“However, many people continue to leave these items hooked up to an electrical port even when it’s already fully charged. It’s true that it doesn’t take up much power, but you’re still wasting money using up electricity that you don’t need. Doing this everyday for a month will surely increase your utility bill,” he says.
Replace with energy-efficient appliances
A good way to manage your utility bill is to replace your household items with energy-efficient ones, says Petaling Jaya-based salesman Simon Chai.
“There is still the perception that energy-saving items are more expensive and it’s deterring a lot of people (from buying these products). But in the long run, it saves you more money,” he says, adding that the awareness level for energy-efficient electrical appliances has improved over the years.
Chai points out that customers looking to purchase energy-efficient electrical appliances can check the product’s “energy efficiency rating” to determine its (energy) efficiency.
According to Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s (TNB) affiliated website TNB Buzz, the energy efficiency rating, which was introduced by the Energy Commission in 2005, uses a star rating to rank certain electrical items. Products that are least energy efficient score one star and the most efficient products are given five stars for example.
Chai says a lot of customers are still oblivious to this energy-efficiency rating system.
“Most of our customers come looking for a particular brand or product with the lowest price,” he says.
Alternatively, Toh says customers can invest in cheaper bulbs or lights with lesser watts for smaller rooms.
“If you have a small room, a 50-60 watt bulb may be sufficient, rather than a 100 watt one, for example.”
According to TNB Buzz, electrical appliances like compact fluorescent lights use up two-thirds less energy and may last six to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs, as well as producing less heat.
The website says current energy-saving refrigerators, for example, use 40% less energy than conventional models 10 years ago.
Reduce air-cond use
For many, having an air-conditioning unit (or two) at home is considered more of a necessity than a luxury.
“Our country is just so hot-lah, how to live without air-cond,” laments Lam Wee Keong, 25, who, like many, has to “pay the price” for a soaring monthly utility bill due to the high energy consumption from using an air conditioner.
Chai says a good way to curb this is to reduce your air conditioner usage or use alternatives such as fans.
“They’re much cheaper alternatives,” he says.
According to the TNB Buzz website, a typical air conditioner unit uses as much as 1,000W, while the average fan – a mere 50W.
Frugal habits
If energy-saving appliances or other cheaper alternatives don’t seem to cut down your monthly electricity costs, then modifying your daily lifestyle habits may be your solution.
“If you have to use your air-cond on a regular basis, then regular maintenance helps,” says Toh.