Combine your participation in an energy community with energy saving solutions, and achieve greater efficiency. By saving energy, you do not only reduce the cost of your bill, but you also protect the environment.
Dishwasher
It’s not necessary to use the dry cycle. Just open the washing machine door and let the dishes dry naturally. Also, start the washing cycle with a full tub.
Washing machine
Lower the washing temperature and fill up the washing machine. Today’s detergents are very strong and a temperature of 30°C is enough to clean our clothes effectively.
Water heater (if it’s not solar)
Turn it on 20-30 minutes before you take a bath and don’t keep it on all day. Set the thermostat to 50°C or 65°C, as there is no reason to heat the water up to the 80°C that a water heater usually reaches. During summer, the temperature can be even lower.
Interior doors
Small cracks under doors make it difficult to heat or cool a space. To control the temperature of a room, an easy, DIY solution is to put a draft stopper under the door, or a towel as a quick solution
Balcony doors and windows
When it’s cold, close the shutters to shield the house better, especially if they face the north side. When sunny, let in natural light through the windows. Also, close any existing cracks. A quick way is by getting the special tapes sold for this purpose
The biggest energy efficiency interventions in our homes and their energy upgrade cost a little more money, butthey are much more beneficial in the long run, such as:
Thermal insulation
The right insulation of your home (e.g. if you have a roof or a terrace without insulation) is very important so that your house does not have leaks and you do not lose energy – and money!
Replacement of frames
The old frames in our houses have large heat losses, even with the windows closed. Thus, you need to consume more energy and waste money. If you replace them with modern and double-glazed ones, you will have fewer leaks, lower bills and a better quality of life.
Heat pumps
It is the most economical solution for continuous heating and cooling of the house. If they are combined with a PV system for the production of electricity, then it is an excellent way – financially and environmentally sustainable – to cover your needs and eliminate heating costs.
Solar Water Heater
Our country is under direct sunlight for about 300 days per year! You can make good use of this and invest in replacing your electric water heater with a solar one. You will understand the difference, since he electric water heater is one of the biggest “enemies” of the electricity bill.
Turning your home into a Passive House or a nearly zero-emission building
Real energy savings come with upgrading our home to the passive building standards, or to a low to zero emission building. In this way, energy needs are greatly reduced, you can save money while the standard of living improves rapidly and immediately. This type of upgrade costs just 2% more than an ordinary renovation and offers multiple
benefits. Indicative interventions are: thick insulation, ventilation system with heat recovery, combination with a system of renewable energy sources, correct shading of openings, energy-efficient windows and frames.