Energy-saving tips – Save electricity at home

Save energy by lowering room temperatures, sealing windows and doors, and airing your home quickly through cross-ventilation. Lowering the temperature by just one degree can reduce heating costs by up to five percent. In addition to lowering your heating bill, you will also reduce your household’s carbon footprint.

• Direct electric heating: Check that the thermostat is working properly. An old mechanical thermostat may become sluggish and react slowly to temperature changes, which can cause significant fluctuations in room temperature and increased electricity consumption.
• Oil, pellet, wood chip, and wood heating: When the fuel runs out, heating usually switches to electric resistance heaters. Burner faults or blockages in the system can also activate the electric heating. Make sure there is enough fuel and service the heating system regularly to maintain its efficiency.
• Heat pumps: You can save energy by choosing a heat pump with the right capacity and placing it in a suitable location. Regular maintenance, filter replacement, and proper settings are also important. For a ground source heat pump to operate efficiently, correct sizing is essential. In a partially sized system, some of the heat is produced by another heating method, such as electric resistance heating. In a fully sized system, all heat is generated from geothermal energy, although backup heating may still activate during very cold periods. More information on different heat pumps is available on the websites of the Finnish Heat Pump Association and Motiva.
• Underfloor heating: A suitable temperature for underfloor heating is 20–24°C. The purpose of underfloor heating is not to heat the entire bathroom, but to keep the floor surface pleasantly warm. You can check the surface temperature, for example, with an infrared thermometer.
• Mechanical supply and exhaust ventilation: In summer, it is advisable to turn off the post-heating and pre-heating functions of mechanical ventilation. For energy-efficient operation, the ventilation unit should be serviced regularly.

Food storage, preparation, and dishwashing account for approximately 10–30% of a household’s electricity consumption. Refrigeration appliances are among the biggest energy users in the kitchen, but their consumption can be reduced by up to a third with simple measures.

• Place refrigeration appliances away from heat sources such as radiators and stoves, as the higher the room temperature, the more electricity they consume.
• Defrost your freezer regularly and check the condition of the seals at the same time.
• Consider replacing an old refrigeration appliance with a newer, more energy-efficient model.

Heating and cooking small portions in a microwave is more energy-efficient than using a stove or an oven. An electric kettle uses less energy than a stove, so it is better to boil water with a kettle.

Domestic hot water accounts for a significant share of a home’s energy consumption: up to 30% of a building’s annual heating energy is used to heat water.

By reducing your hot water use, you can significantly lower your housing costs. For example, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and fix a leaking toilet or dripping faucet. Choose a shower over a bath and try to shorten your shower time.

A single-heating electric sauna heater is by far the most powerful individual electrical appliance in a home. In a traditional electric sauna heater, about half of the electricity used for heating the sauna is consumed during the preheating phase.

If you use the sauna daily or almost daily, a “ready-to-use” (always-on) heater can be a cost-effective option. This type of heater maintains the temperature of the stones continuously, with an annual electricity consumption of approximately 2,000–3,000 kWh. It is important to regularly check the condition of the seals, as worn seals increase the electricity needed to keep the sauna ready for use.

It is advisable to schedule sauna use so that as many people as possible bathe during the same heating cycle. Do not keep the electric sauna heated unnecessarily.

A large share of the electricity consumption of televisions, computers, and other consumer electronics comes from standby mode. Many devices actually consume more electricity over their lifetime in standby mode than during active use. By using a power strip with a switch, you can easily turn off multiple devices completely at once.

There are 8,760 hours in a year, and a continuous consumption of one watt amounts to approximately one euro on your annual electricity bill.

Lighting accounts for around ten percent of a Finnish household’s electricity use. If you want to reduce lighting consumption further, the best advice is simple: turn off unnecessary lights and avoid lighting empty rooms.

Halogen and incandescent bulbs should be replaced with energy-efficient LED bulbs.