Eight common mistakes that increase your power bill

Rising power bills is a hot topic for consumers and depends partly on external factors, such as the price of the energy commodity, geopolitical dynamics and the balance of supply and demand in the electricity market, and partly on daily electricity consumption. Among the items on your power bill, variable costs are influenced by consumption habits, where even a small oversight or repeated mistakes over time can increase your power bills. This guide contains eight of the most common mistakes we make in the home: find out how to pay attention to your daily actions. 

1. Leaving the lights on 

One of the most common things is leaving the lights on in the house, perhaps out of haste when going out in the morning or out of carelessness when going from one room to another. But how much do switched-on lights affect the power bill? It depends first and foremost on the type of light bulb (incandescent, halogen, compact fluorescent or LED), its power, expressed in watts (W), the hours it is switched on, and the energy price per kWh of consumption from your power supplier. 

Let’s assume that we have a 40W halogen bulb (0.04 kW), which stays on for 8 hours, and that the price of the energy component is €0.16/kWh. From the calculation (0.04 kW x 8h) x €0.16/kWh we obtain €0.05, which makes 5 cents the cost of the relevant consumption on the bill. Imagine the light bulb also has a higher wattage and is switched on at the same time as other bulbs: multiply the number of hours by all the possible lights left on during the year. How much does that increase your bill?

2. Choosing energy-efficient light bulbs

The costs for the energy component also increase with the use of energy-intensive light bulbs. Old incandescent and halogen bulbs, while providing good lighting, dissipate most of their energy into heat, while only a small percentage of energy is converted into light. Therefore, they do not have a high level of energy efficiency, last only a few years (about 1-2) and pollute a lot. 

Continuing to use obsolete light bulbs, instead of replacing them with energy-saving ones, such as LED bulbs or CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) is a choice that will affect the cost of your power bill in the long run.  

3. Leaving electronic devices on stand-by

How many times have you left your mobile phone charger plugged into the socket? Or kept your electric toothbrush on its charging base even if it did not need charging? These are some of the most common mistakes that can affect energy consumption. It might seem that home electronic devices do not consume power when in stand-by mode. They actually account for 8% of the bill.

It is not possible to work on all devices that remain connected even when switched off (such as the TV, washing machine and microwave). However, you can make choices for your home, such as a microwave oven with eco mode, which automatically adjusts the display to turn off and avoids 25% of stand-by energy consumption.

4. Thoughtless washer and dryer use

Energy class, consumption time bands, load, and chosen programmes influence the electrical consumption of the washer and dryer. It is therefore preferable to avoid low energy class appliances, not to use them during the day, when energy costs are higher, and to dose load and operating programmes. Here are some tips to bear in mind.  

• Avoid half load washes: they consume more water and electricity than full load washes; 
• Avoid overloading the washing machine or tumble dryer, forcing the motor to do extra work;
• Leave clothes to dry outdoors whenever possible; 
• Reduce high-temperature washes;
• Avoid the pre-wash function for more difficult stains whenever possible;
• Use the Eco programme for energy saving.

5. Incorrect refrigerator and oven management

Refrigerators and freezers are among the most energy-intensive appliances in the home because they need to maintain a constant cold temperature for 24 hours every day. When using them, some common mistakes, such as continually opening and closing the door, setting the temperature too low (for the refrigerator the average is 4°), or forgetting to defrost the device can lead to increased consumption. 

Did you know that a build-up of around 5 mm of ice in your freezer can lead to a 20% increase in electricity consumption. This is why “no frost” technology exists on energy-efficient models. 

However, the position of the refrigerator + freezer at the time of installation must also be considered. It is always best to place them about 10 cm from the wall to avoid overheating, and away from heat sources such as radiators, stoves or sunny windows.

The oven is also an energy-consuming appliance, although it is not constantly on like the refrigerator. In particular, the oven tends to consume more energy when it is first switched on, when it has to reach the desired temperature, and then stabilise. It is important to remember not to open and close the door continuously, to avoid heat loss and higher consumption, and to choose a ventilated cooking mode whenever possible.   

6. Choosing the wrong pots for induction cooking

Induction hob cooking is rapidly gaining popularity in Italian kitchens due to its 90% energy efficiency, faster cooking speeds and improved safety. The wrong choice of cookware, however, can jeopardise this potential, dispersing heat, increasing cooking time, and thus wasting energy. So make sure that the pans are made of magnetic material, have a symbol - similar to a coil - for induction cooking, and are the right size in relation to the cooking area.

7. Setting excessively low temperatures for the air conditioner

In summer, high temperatures can push us to unconscious use of air conditioners. For example, when returning home, one of the most common mistakes is to set the minimum temperature to cool the room faster. In fact, this increases energy consumption, whereas it would be preferable to set the device to the recommended summer temperature for indoors (around 26°) and let the air in the room condition. 

With smart technologies, it is also possible to regulate the switching on of the air conditioner remotely, preferably an hour before returning home, so as to find the room cool. Finally, remember that switching the air conditioner on and off continuously when the temperature is reached is not recommended: inverter compressor technologies automatically regulate the temperature when the set level is reached, reducing electricity consumption.  

8. No maintenance! 

The importance of proper maintenance should never be underestimated. Often, some common mistakes, such as not cleaning air conditioner filters, or checking worn gaskets, can influence the increase in costs on the bill. If the functioning of an appliance is marred by dirt, dust or damaged internal parts that are not easy to see, only regular maintenance can intervene in time and prevent more serious failures. Do not lose the user and instruction manual of your appliances and always rely on a specialised technician for routine maintenance operations that you cannot carry out yourself.

Your conscious daily energy 

Consciously managing your household energy consumption allows you to avoid certain carelessness that can affect your power bill. Take care of your consumption habits to better plan your household spending.

Enel Energia supports you in responsibly optimising your energy consumption, with solutions designed for you and your family and many money-saving power offers. Find out more on enel.it