Reduce the electricity bill with efficient ventilation

The cost of electricity supply has become one of the most common nightmares in too many Spanish households. With the sharp price increases in recent years, reducing the electricity bill has become a priority for many people. Both in winter for those who use electric heaters and in summer, where consumption skyrockets with air conditioning equipment.

In order to cut electricity spending, it is not necessary to stop using the appliances we enjoy or to have to endure cold or heat. In fact, it is possible to lower electricity consumption simply with a few adjustments at home. And also trying to save by using energy efficiency in ventilation.

A clear example is to avoid the indiscriminate use of air conditioning units. A few decades ago, it was common to run these units at full blast in offices and homes. Today, we know that adjusting them to a lower ventilation speed and a more reasonable temperature level already means savings. To maintain comfort, all of this must be taken into account.

However, before that, there are several aspects we can look at and consider to reduce the electricity bill relatively easily and without losing comfort:

1. Check how much electrical power you have in your contract. Many people automatically contract a power volume without checking whether their usual use needs to have a large bandwidth contracted. Each power tier significantly increases the bill, so it’s advisable to assess our needs and reduce the power if that's the case. Many households are prepared for the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, heater, and heaters to be working all at the same time at all hours. And in many cases, that's not necessary. Reducing power is pleasantly noticeable in the electricity bill.
2. Monitor the more expensive consumption times. Many users are unaware that there are times when electricity is cheaper or more expensive. Usually, from 6 PM to 10 PM is the peak most expensive time, also having another peak in the morning or at noon. Check with your company when it is more expensive and try to use energy-intensive appliances only during the economical hours.
3. Rationalizing the use of appliances can be very helpful. Not keeping the refrigerator open unnecessarily, not using the washing machine if there's hardly any laundry, or avoiding using the oven are some examples. In the case of ovens, there are smaller ones that are much more economical. The dishwasher, on the other hand, adapts to the loading volume and can be used more frequently.
4. Replace traditional bulbs with LED ones. And use light colors to paint your walls, so they require less artificial light.
5. Set the air conditioning in summer to at least 26 degrees and tolerate a bit of cold in winter. Many times, we are accustomed to refrigeration or heating levels that are unnatural, and while it seems difficult to break these habits, it's not hard to do. It’s not normal to feel cold in summer and be hot in winter.

How to reduce the electricity bill with ventilation?

To lower electricity consumption, nothing is better than energy efficiency in ventilation. Beyond minimizing the use of air conditioning units, the interesting thing is to install ceiling fans. Because they consume less energy, around 10% of the total used by an air conditioning unit.

Before installing a ceiling fan, you can try using your air conditioning without the cooling option, just as a fan. In these cases, there’s not only the benefit of cooling directly thanks to the airflow, but it also helps circulate air and prevents hot spots from forming.