Home and household

Cooking

Don’t waste heat – you can use after-heat for baking
You can easily cook stews and casseroles in the oven even for a big family. When using the oven, remember to take advantage of the pre-heat and the after-heat.

Laundry

A half-empty washing machine wastes energy
A washing machine or dishwasher normally uses the same amount of electricity and water regardless of how full it is. Wash full machine loads to take full advantage of the electricity you use.

Hang wet laundry out to dry
Dry your laundry out in your garden or balcony when the weather permits it. It will acquire a nice fresh smell and get dry using free energy. You should avoid tumble drying if possible because the tumble dryer consumes a lot of energy. A drying rack or clothes line is a good solution for indoors.

Washing dishes

Clean your dishes in an energy-efficient way
The energy consumption related to dishwashing comprises the consumption and heating of water as well as electricity.  A hot water connection shortens the washing time, significantly reducing electricity consumption.

• Wash full machine loads to use energy and water more efficiently.
• You don’t need to rinse dishes under running water before washing them. It’s enough to remove the biggest food scraps.
• Regularly check the filter in your machine and remove any debris that may have accumulated in it.
• Also remember to check the spray arms. If the holes are blocked by debris, it makes the dishwasher work less efficiently.
• A clean machine cleans the dishes more efficiently.
• If you wash dishes by hand, don’t use running water. Wash and rinse the dishes in the sink.

Refrigeration equipment

Take advantage of subzero temperatures to defrost your freezer
Winter is a good time to defrost your freezer. You can place the frozen food outside or on your balcony in the meantime. You’ll save electricity at the same time. If the freezer has a thick layer of ice, it will consume considerably more electricity.

Keeping the freezer too cold is an exercise in futility
Set the temperature in your refrigeration equipment correctly: adjust the temperature from -23°C to -18°C. Freezing: set the freezer to freeze approximately ½–1 day in advance. Cool the product to freeze before placing them in the freezer. Turn off the freezing setting after approximately one day. Don’t leave it on by accident. It increases the freezer’s energy consumption by 30–55%.

Replace an old refrigerator 
It’s a good idea to replace your old fridge. For example, a 15-year-old fridge consumes roughly twice the amount of electricity compared to a new one. The most energy-efficient devices have an A+++ classification.

Sauna

Waiting doesn’t pay off
If your sauna has an electric stove, head in straight away when the temperature is high enough. More than half of the stove’s electricity consumption is spent on preheating the sauna; the rest is used on maintaining the correct temperature.

Use a mild temperature to save energy
Enjoy a mild heat by setting the stove temperature to 70–80°C. You’ll save energy while at it.

Heat the sauna for the whole family
The sauna stove is the one electrical apparatus in your home that consumes more energy than the rest. More than half of the stove’s electricity consumption is spent on preheating the sauna. That’s why it pays off to heat the sauna at once for the whole family to enjoy. The greatest waste is to keep the sauna warm when empty.

In addition to the number of times the sauna is heated, the duration and temperature have the greatest effect on energy consumption. A mild heat of 70–80°C is energy-efficient, whereas a 100°C temperature will result in a 20–30% spike in energy consumption.

Water consumption

A quick shower saves energy
A 15-minute shower consumes the same amount of energy as one sauna session. Don’t splash around unnecessarily.

Shower or bath?
A shower is more energy-efficient than a bath – using the bath usually doubles the water consumption.

A toothmug saves water
Use a toothmug instead of running water when brushing your teeth. Brushing your teeth for 3 minutes with the tap running can use up to 30 litres of water.

Other

Washing your windows saves energy
The dust and dirt accumulating on your window surfaces prevent light and heat from entering. Wash the winter dust and soot off in the spring. Dirt and dust can reduce the amount of light by up to 40%.