It turns out that you can also save on laundry: a few practical tips. Learning to save: anti-crisis use of household appliances Washing at night
Readers have repeatedly contacted the editors of the Kaliningrad Country with a request to talk about two-tariff electricity meters.
Such a meter differs from the usual one in that it determines the amount of electricity consumed separately by zones of the day: in the night zone - from 23.00 to 7.00 and in the daytime - from 07.00 to 23.00. Each zone has its own tariff. For example, for owners of city apartments with gas stoves, 1 kW / h will cost 2.62 rubles at night, and 3.50 during the day. At the same time, with a conventional (so-called single-rate) meter of 1 kW / h in the same housing - 3.25 rubles. It turns out that in the case of using a two-tariff meter, the consumer will pay 25 kopecks more for 1 kW / h during the day and 63 kopecks less at night.
You can also lose
Consumers are interested in whether it is possible to save money by installing a two-rate metering device, - says Dmitry Vaseyko, head of the client services and PR department of Yantar-energosbyt OJSC. - It all depends on the characteristics of your consumption. But for real savings when using a two-tariff meter (at the current tariffs in our region), you need to consume more than 30% of the daily volume of electricity at night. If you are an average citizen working from 8.00 to 17.00, and the apartment does not have a large amount of “smart” household appliances, capable of working according to a given schedule, then you definitely do not need a multi-tariff meter. On the contrary, when you install it, you can even get an increase in electricity bills.
Of course, at night you can make the washing machine, dishwasher, bread machine, slow cooker and other appliances with a delayed start work…
This option is possible, - says the specialist, - however, leaving the equipment unattended can lead to a fire or flood. And such noisy equipment as washing machine, can lead to a scandal with neighbors.
We count on an example
But let's be persistent and still calculate how much we can save with a nocturnal lifestyle.
Let's say an average apartment consumes 300 kWh per month, says Dmitry Vaseyko. - With some effort, you managed to get 50% of the nightly consumption. Believe me, this is a very good result, requiring a radical reworking of established habits. In such a situation in our area, the monthly savings will be:
300 kWh x 3.25 rubles - (150 kWh x 3.50 rubles + 150 kWh x 2.62 rubles) = 57 rubles
At the same time, keep in mind that a simple two-rate meter costs about 1,500 rubles, while a single-rate meter costs about 500 rubles. You will pay back the difference of 1,000 rubles in about 1.5 years.
According to the Yantarenergosbyt specialist, there is another trap: in case of any changes in electricity metering or time counting (change of day/night time zone boundaries, clocks), such meters will need to be reprogrammed, for which you will have to contact specialists and, maybe pay for it. Do not forget about the regular verification of the counter.
Any consumer has the right to install a two-tariff meter, but the savings, if any, are microscopic. Indeed, to obtain real savings, all life activities will have to be carried out at night. Two-tariff metering can be beneficial for a small business (for example, a bakery), when the production cycle and, accordingly, the main electricity consumption (in our example, for baking bread) is carried out at night, and during the day the shop does not consume electricity.
In addition to two-tariff, there are also three-tariff meters and corresponding tariffs. The essence of the operation of such a counter is similar to a two-tariff one, but the daily zone is additionally divided into peak and semi-peak.
Personal experience
A resident of Kaliningrad, economist Stanislav Prishchepa installed a two-tariff meter several years ago.
I read on the Internet that it is beneficial. But in the end he began to pay more by 50-70 rubles, - said Stanislav. - The fact is that with my lifestyle, only 30% of electricity consumption will fall into the night tariff. For example, I thought that a washing machine consumes a lot of electricity, which can be turned on at night. But, as my experience has shown, the electric kettle and electric oven “eat” the most electricity. I do not switch to a regular meter just because the difference of 50-70 rubles that arose when installing a two-tariff meter is not so noticeable to me. I burn somewhere around 150 kWh per month. At the same time, I want to note that the idea itself - to consume electricity at night, when the peak load has decreased - is very good. But in our region, an unfavorable fork has been set for the population - the difference between the night and day rates is very small. And if the "night" time would not start at 23.00, but at least from 22.00, it would be better.
How to decide
The most accurate way to find out if it makes sense to switch to multi-tariff accounting is to take an energy consumption profile. To do this, for one month, write down the readings of the electric meter at 7.00 and at 23.00. After that, you can calculate the consumption for all zones and find out whether the replacement is profitable for you or not.
Only numbers
In the Kaliningrad region, only 26 household consumers out of more than 300,000 use two-tariff metering devices.
In Moscow, with a two-tariff meter, the “night” tariff costs the population 1.46 rubles. for 1 kW / h, daily - at 4.53 rubles, with a single-tariff meter - at 4.50 rubles. And many residents of the capital are really interested in turning on electrical appliances at night.
Powder
Washing powders are intended for washing "coarse" linen, it is better to entrust delicate fabrics and wool to other means. But the powder, according to experts, copes with difficult spots better than gels and capsules, while being cheaper.
“The composition of the washing powder is richer, due to this this agent is considered stronger,” notes Dagmar Reinumägi. – Therefore, high-quality washing powders are more effective than high-quality gels. I recommend using powders for washing, for example, work clothes or strong and tough fabrics.
What's in the composition? The main composition of all powders includes a mixture of anionic, nonionic, and sometimes cationic surfactants, soda, bleaches, enzymes, flavors, phosphonates.
It is also important not to confuse the powder for hand washing and for the typewriter. The fact is that the composition of the powder for the machine includes defoamers - an excess of foam (contrary to popular belief, the presence of foam does not particularly affect the quality of washing) can damage the machine. Therefore, strictly follow the instructions.
Pros:
Ideally falls asleep in the compartment of the washing machine intended for this purpose.
You can adjust the amount of funds.
Works well on rough fabrics.
Lasts for more washes.
Minuses:
It often doesn't rinse out very well.
When you put it in a container, dust rises into the air - it’s hard for allergy sufferers and sensitive people.
Leaves white marks on clothes.
Sometimes it does not completely dissolve and remains in the compartment of the washing machine.
Doesn't work well at low temperatures.
Washing gel
In Estonia, the gel has also ceased to be a novelty, although many do not trust it, believing that nothing can wash laundry better than powder. In fact, there is some truth in this - gels are more careful with the fabric, due to which not all stains will be washed off. If the stain is not fresh, there is almost no chance that the gel will take it.
“Indeed, gels are more fabric-friendly, so they are ideal for everyday washing,” comments Dagmar Reinumägi. - The gel will not damage the design on textiles, it is easier to rinse and dose. In addition, for fabrics such as silk or wool, special formulations have been developed that will not kill the shine or damage the pile.”
The specialist notes that it is better not to use universal laundry detergents if we are talking about wool - they may contain protease-type enzymes that break down animal fibers and simply "eat" wool.
The standard composition of the washing gel includes 15-30% anionic and nonionic surfactants, phosphonate, polyacrylate, enzymes, fragrances, polycarboxylates. Phosphates are not detected, this is a plus. True, there are phosphonates - as it turned out, also phosphorus compounds.
In order to pay for electricity almost half as much, you can switch to multi-tariff meters. They will install them for you for free. True, you will have to pay for the counter itself from your own pocket.
Multiphase meters are expensive but economical
“Such meters are beneficial, first of all, to those who use water-heating tanks, electric heating,” says Sergey Irkhin, head of the information and advisory center of PJSC Khmelnitskoblenergo, “that is, to those people who use electricity in large volumes. The meaning of multi-tariff meters is that with them the tariff for electricity depends on the time of day.For example, with a two-tariff meter, electricians charge for the consumed electricity during the day at the usual tariff, and at night - at a coefficient of 0.7 ".
“To put it simply, from 7 am to 11 pm, we paid as much as we pay for electricity. And at night, from 11 pm to 7 am, we give 30% less,” Sergey Ivanovich explains.
Although, there is one caveat: there are two-tariff and three-tariff counters from 400 to 450 hryvnia.
By the way, as we were told in the energy supply company, people who lead a "night" lifestyle are quite suitable for tri-tariff meters.
For electricity consumed from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., a fee is charged at a coefficient of 0.4. This results in a savings of 60%. But in the "peak periods" - from 8 am to 11 pm and from 20 to 22 pm the tariff increases one and a half times. And from 7 to 8 am, from 11 am to 8 pm, from 22 to 23 remains normal.
For example, a washing machine can be "set" for the night, as well as turning on a "warm floor", dishwashers and other energy intensive devices.
As we were told at JSC "Khmelnitskoblenergo", such a system of using electricity is beneficial to the power grids themselves. The fact is that the load on power plants during the day is uneven - in the morning and in the evening there is a peak in energy consumption, while at night power engineers have to drastically reduce energy production. This unevenness is bad for the equipment. In addition, during periods of highs, the company is forced to use all its capacities.
By the way, the installation and configuration of counters is free. These devices are "named" and are tied to a specific destination during installation. And in order to install a meter, you need to contact the energy supply company with an application for the installation of a multi-tariff meter, get technical specifications for the meter there. Differential meters are not just a "savings device" - they are meters that will take into account all the electricity consumed, but will be paid at different tariff rates, which will provide a real opportunity to save.
* The store of electrical equipment of the French company Legrand offers a wide range of products. Modular devices, cabinets, switches and sockets legrand, components. There are also "elements of a smart home" that are close. The website of the store is legrand-shop.com and is located in Kyiv. Carries out delivery across Ukraine. All Legrand products have a guarantee and a certificate of conformity to all accepted norms and standards.
Which appliances use the most electricity?
In the first place - electric heaters, electric stoves and boilers for heating water. Behind them are refrigerators. Moreover, modern ones consume even more than the old Dnepr, since they have a larger volume. Next are air conditioners. Washing machines. Economical, but also more expensive, having class A. Behind them are televisions, by the way, modern "plasma" can be compared in terms of energy consumption with a washing machine or air conditioning. Further - irons, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, electric kettles and other household appliances.
You can save on them by using devices of less power. It's easier to save on lighting. So, an ordinary 100-watt light bulb can be replaced by a 15-watt energy-saving one. It costs six times more, but also serve several times longer.
And finally a few more useful tips about how to pay for electricity cheaper. Wiring must be changed every 20-25 years, otherwise, even with all electrical appliances turned off, leaks can be as if several lamps are working around the clock.
Turn off electrical appliances from the outlet: the TV or microwave indicator can wind up several hryvnias a year. Replace a desktop computer at home with a laptop that is several times more energy efficient. And if you want to drink a cup of coffee, then you don’t need to fill the electric kettle “to the eyeballs” and boil it.
Reference. Since April 1 this year, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission has increased the cost of electricity for the population. If the consumption of electricity does not exceed 150 kWh, the tariff remains unchanged (for the urban population - 28.02 kop. per 1 kW with VAT, for the rural population - 25.92 kop.) the increased tariff is paid for that part of the electricity that exceeds 150 kWh.
Belarusians have been called for more than a year to save electricity. And recently, the upcoming change in the system of payment for light has been added to the environmental and macroeconomic arguments. Officials have not yet revealed the details of how we will pay for electricity in the future, but the bottom line is that whoever consumes more electricity in a month will pay more. In a word, there is one more reason to really think about saving. And not only the rejection of the second TV or the purchase of energy-saving light bulbs will help in this. There are also more advanced methods. Namely, the installation of a special meter (multi-tariff electronic meter), which will count the money for the spent kilowatt-hours, depending on the time of day.
After 22.00 kilowatt-hour will fall in price almost three times
The "day-night" system in paying for communal services has been working in many European countries for a long time. Local housewives often do laundry at night - then water and electricity are cheaper.
Our system works like this: tariffs are divided into more expensive ones - in the evening from 17.00 to 22.00 and cheap ones - from 22.00 to 17.00 the next day, plus weekends and holidays. The difference in price is almost three times! (see table). True, so far such smart meters are the exception rather than the rule. The usual counters do not see the difference between when you turned on the TV - in the morning or in the evening.
Almost all new houses already have such counters. Those who do not have it can apply to the energy supply organization with a statement in which they must write that you want to switch to time-based tariffs, - explains Sergey Shebeko, head of the energy sales department of the Belenergo State Production Association. - A conventional counter must be replaced with an electronic one.
The issue price now is 500 - 600 thousand for the meter itself plus installation. If we translate this into electricity, then at current prices it is about 2300 kWh. That is, if a family spends an average of 200 kWh per month, then installing a meter is annual consumption electricity.
Will time meters become relevant when electricity becomes more expensive?
If you decide to replace a regular meter with an electronic one, then you don’t need to persuade your neighbors or the entire entrance. In a single apartment, the device will be changed, and you can safely use differentiated tariffs. By the way, you can install such a counter in a private house. True, as it turned out, not everyone uses smart meters.
I live in a new house, and I have such a meter. But I didn't write an application about switching to a differentiated payment system by time, - says Maria from Minsk. - I pay for electricity, like all ordinary consumers, at the usual rate. Because now it is not economically profitable for my family, and the general tariffs are low. Why should I switch to time-based?
But power engineers say that as soon as kilowatt-hours begin to rise in price, the owners of ordinary meters will think about switching to tariffs differentiated by time of day.
The volume of consumption for each family is different. It's very individual. The difference can be from tens to thousands of kilowatt-hours. Therefore, if you want to understand whether you should change the meter, you can take a calculator and calculate which devices work for you and for how long. And then everyone will be able to decide whether to install an electronic meter or not, - says the specialist.
COUNTER "KP"
If we take into account the fact that, for example, a washing machine draws 9.2 kWh per month, then with a conventional meter and an electric stove, you will have to pay 2,305 rubles for it. And if you put an electronic meter and turn on the car only on weekends, then pay 1613 rubles for it.
BY THE WAY
So far, electronic meters have been installed only in every tenth apartment.
What tariffs do we pay for electricity?
Plate type
The cost of 1 kWh (17.00 - 22.00) on a weekday according to an electronic meter
The cost of 1 kWh (22.00 - 17.00) on a weekday according to an electronic meter
The cost of 1 kWh on a weekend or holiday (around the clock) according to an electronic meter
The cost of 1 kWh according to a conventional meter
Electrical
501.2 rubles
175.4 rubles
175.4 rubles
250.6 rubles
590 rubles
206.5 rubles
206.5 rubles
295 rubles
HOW DO THEM
They also live in Lithuania according to day and night tariffs. There for those who have gas stoves, from 7.00 to 23.00 one kWh costs 1550 rubles (in terms of Belarusian rubles), and from 23.00 to 7.00 - 1080 rubles. If there is an electric stove, then one kWh costs 1430 and 1016 rubles, respectively. In Bulgaria, from 6.00 to 22.00 one kWh costs 1100 rubles, and from 22.00 to 6.00 - 330 rubles.
ONLY NUMBERS
A few years ago, engineers from the Belarusian Institute "BelTEI" calculated how profitable it is to install an electronic meter in an apartment and pay for electricity depending on the time of day. The experiment was carried out among 128 high-rise buildings and 441 private house most of which were equipped with gas stoves. It turned out that only those who consume more than 400 kWh per month could save. But those who spent less than 200 kWh, on the contrary, began to pay 36% more compared to the usual tariff, which is not differentiated by time.
We have become so accustomed to the presence of washing machines in our lives that we have forgotten what it is like to wash by hand. However, what about the fact that this unit consumes 15% of all electricity in your home? Choice quality device for laundry, the benefits of using overnight rates for water and electricity, and other ways to reduce the cost of laundry will help to reduce this figure significantly.
Ways to make laundry cheaper
To make washing cost several times cheaper, you need to follow seven simple but effective rules. They will help not only save on the consumption of water and electricity by the washing machine, but also reduce the waste of your own time and money.
1. Selecting a household appliance with high energy efficiency.
Such devices are more expensive, but the savings with them are greater (in the consumption of water, electricity, long service life and infrequent repairs)
2. Connecting the washing machine to the hot water pipe.
In this case, the device will not need to heat the water on its own, which saves electricity, and the heater will not have to be changed often. If you use the water heating function in the device, then do not forget to add a descaling agent to the heating element every 3-6 months. It can be sold separately, or it can be included in laundry detergents and other substances.
You can save up to 15% on washing by loading the appliance with linen completely: it is designed for 5 kg - that means 5. Do not put too few things, but do not overdo it: overload leads to various breakdowns of the washing machine, and a large number of clothes are not washed properly at a time.
4. Quick wash.
With this program, clothes are washed in 30 minutes (if they are not very dirty), which reduces energy consumption.
5. Washing at low temperature.
Not too dirty laundry can be washed at 30-40°C, which will save you money by 50%. Soak especially dirty items. When soaking, bleaching and pre-washing, the machine needs a water temperature of at least 90 ° C, which means more electricity consumption. You can rinse your laundry in cold water, instead of warm, it washes out the powder no worse.
6. Powder saving.
Whatever the quality of the powder, 1 tbsp. l. per kg of things, quite enough. The use of more detergents increases the water consumption of the device when rinsing. You can fight high levels of pollution with a powder booster.
7. Power off.
A connected to the network, albeit a non-working washing machine, consumes up to 10% of the total electricity consumption.
Stop sleeping - wash
Now in Russia, various tariffs for electricity are available, depending on the time of day. According to calculations, the use of a two- or three-rate counter in comparison with a single-rate counter saves up to 80% of financial resources, and this is only for one wash!
Two-rate billing (day/night) and three-rate billing (peak/half-peak/night), depending on the time, imply a price difference of about 4 times. This means that it is more economical to wash at night (from 23:00 to 07:00) using the minimum rate. And residents of houses with electric stoves receive an even greater discount on electricity. If you are using a single rate meter, only the basic rate is available to you, with no price difference depending on the time.
Washing machine under the sink: recommendations for selection and installation
Higher quality machine - more economical washing
Do you think the more expensive a household appliance, the more electricity it consumes? Everything is exactly the opposite. For example, Eurosoba washing machines cost 1.5-2 times more than the average. But they are more energy efficient, which means that during washing they save your money by 2-3 times. Such a device is easy to “set up for savings” using various functions (pay attention to their presence when buying a device). Using a washing machine, you will understand how important it is to take into account the max load, the ability to change the water temperature, the delayed start timer and various additional functions.- Function of energy-saving mode of operation (the machine heats water less than 50 ° C and consumes it more economically; washing time increases up to 3 hours).
- Quick wash (for a short time lightly soiled laundry is washed).
- Delayed start (the time after which the wash will start is set; suitable for night operation of the machine with the onset of “cheap electricity”).
- Night wash cycle (has a reduced noise level and does not interfere with sleep for you or your neighbors).
- Devices that have the function of mixing powder and water separately, when the finished product arrives at the things detergent, capable of high-quality washing even at a 20-degree water temperature.
- Washing modes (for things from various materials).