It can be said that the majority of citizens are now staying at home and even working from home since the Covid-19 or Coronavirus pandemic. As a result, most of us will notice an increase in the latest electricity bill. Our electricity consumption will go up as we remain indoors amidst Covid-19 precautionary measures.

Nevertheless, we do appreciate the importance of electricity in our homes. We are able to stay connected with the outside world as well as keeping up with the current news and most importantly, allowing us to work from home. Yet, our children or students can still learn and attend classes online, though, without going to school/university/college. This certainly saves our expenses on fuel or transportation and also saves our energy and time. Thus, here are 8 effective ways on how you and your family can save electricity at home appropriately even during or without the Movement Control Order (MCO)/ lockdown period.

1. Turn off and unplug unnecessary electronic devices

Sometimes, we are not aware of how much electricity that we burn by having excessive plugged-in appliances.  For instance, computers/laptops, television, ceiling fans, chargers, and others. All consume a small amount of electricity, but be careful when using all of them over a long period, it will add up to major electricity costs. Thus, do unplug charging electronics such as our smartphone or laptop once it is fully charged. This is because any types of electronics can still consume electricity even at full charge or when constantly keeping them plugged in. Thus, we need to ensure that we must unplug and turn off any devices/electronics at the socket every time when not in use.

2. Manage your air conditioner usage

Do not fully rely on air conditioners throughout the day. We can still use a standing or ceiling fan instead, as the operation/usage cost of this electrical item is cheaper than the air conditioner’s operation cost. Hence, whenever you’re not at home or while you’re away, don’t forget to check and turn off the air conditioners!

3. Wash clothes in full loads

It is better to pool our laundry together rather than using our washing machine every day in which will consume a lot of electricity with each use. In fact, we should also schedule our laundry activity per week, perhaps twice a week. For instance, we can use the washing machine only for a few times every week in order to save as much energy as possible. However, do not overload your washing machine with a packed load, as this will only put pressure on machine motor and result in overheating.

4. Use window coverings

We can still open our windows during the daytime to bring light and fresh air into our home with our window coverings such as shades, blinds, curtains and drapes. Using window coverings are definitely energy efficient and can save money which help to preserve our furniture and walls, promote airflow and manage the sunlight control or amount of UV rays that enter our home. Therefore, we can keep out unwanted heat or cold by using any suitable window coverings at home.

5.  Hang dry your clothes

Apart from using the washing machine’s dryer or heating feature, we can also hang clothes to dry in the sun. If we choose to dry our clothes outside, the sunlight can help to disinfect and bleach our laundry naturally. In fact, applying a sun-dried method will help us to save on electricity consumption too. This is because using the washer’s dryer will take a longer time to dry the clothes, depending on the weight of the loads and it will only increase the usage cost of the electricity used.

6. Use the microwave

If you want to reheat your home cooking or food, you can use your microwave, although sometimes we also do reheat the food using an electric or a gas stove. A microwave actually uses less energy and takes far less time to complete the process of heating. Suffice to say, it is more efficient than an oven.

7. Avoid plugging in too many devices

It is important for all of us not to plug in too many appliances into one circuit or one power point. Excessive extension on the power outlet is very dangerous. This will only lead to a power outage, a short circuit and cause a fire at home. Be careful everyone, and never plug in too many things! Safety first!