The internet space is saturated with many tips on how to conserve energy. But some of the information on saving energy, they are nothing but myths. Reason: The introduction of new technologies, has scrapped the old rules (most of it.) Most people believe, and observe these energy saving myths, yet when the electricity bills come at the end of the month, the hefty bills are not affected. Below I’ve listed common energy saving myths you shouldn’t believe, and some energy saving tips you can follow.
Opening the oven door to check on a dish doesn’t waste energy.
It requires a certain amount of self control to resist the temptation to check on the progress of your meal in the oven. But, when we do give in and open the oven door, we do waste energy. Every single time you open the oven door, the temperature inside is reduced significantly, by as much as 25 degrees. Thus, delaying the time it would take for your dish to get ready, and thereby costing you additional money. It’s best to turn on the light in the oven instead, and observe the progress. That way you conserve energy.
2. Limiting the use of household appliances will help you to conserve energy.
Most household electrical appliances are not meant to sit idle and collect dust for a long period. Myth has it that limiting the use of electrical appliances or not using them at all will help save energy. On the contrary, limiting the use of certain appliances can lead to early wear, and tear. Appliances like dishwashers are designed to come in contact with moisture regularly. When a dishwasher is left without usage for a long time, the seals may start to crack, further decreasing the life span.
3. Leaky faucets in your sink and tubs don’t pose as a major problem.
A leaky faucet can waste a lot of water within the space of a month, and if the leaky faucet is a hot water faucet, this will automatically have a water heater working constantly to heat the water. The energy saving tip here is to fix leaky faucets as soon as you notice the damage.
4. Turning off the heater and sitting by the fireplace.
Logically, this seems like a brilliant idea, but it isn’t a good habit to adopt. What you may not notice is the fire-place damper lets in lots of air, thus making the temperature inside your house drop. This means your heater system would have a lot of work, once it’s turned back on. In essence you aren’t really saving energy that way.
5. You can’t minimize the amount of energy used by some large appliances.
The recent electric appliances, refrigerators, and washing machines, come with an option of tuning it to use less energy. You can choose to ignore the coldest setting on your fridge, and simultaneously save energy. More so, most washing machines and dishwashers have energy saving modes too.
6. Leaving your computer on sleep or hibernate mode is okay.
It is widely believed that when you leave your computer in a state of hibernation or sleep that it consumes less energy. It’s a temporary solution, leaving your computer in this state actually consumes quite a bit of energy, because the computer is not switched off and would be ready for use at a moment’s notice. While this may seem tempting and convenient, It’s safer to switch off your computer when not in use, especially overnight. It will conserve energy and save you money.
7. The ceiling fan cools your home.
Ceiling fans are built to cool the body temperature and not the rooms in which they are installed. A ceiling fan’s job is to circulate air around the room; they do not particularly make the room any cooler. So, leaving your fan on when you are away, in hopes that the room would get cooler by the time you get back is another energy saving myth. Instead, you are just incurring additional bill charges. Turn them off to save energy when you are away.
8. Solar panel equals not paying electricity bills.
Installing a solar panel is one way of taking advantage of sunlight to gain free energy, but solar panels only produce energy during the day. Most solar panels are connected to the grid, therefore they can’t store enough electricity to last the night, which means you will still need electricity at some point. Solar panels will save you cash, but it doesn’t discredit the need for electricity.
9. Once a gadget is fully charged, it stops drawing electricity.
This is a popular energy saving myth, but the reality is gadgets will always draw energy for as long as the device is still plugged in. What to do? Charge smart phones, and other gadgets during the day to avoid plugging them in overnight, this way, you can truly save energy.
10. Radiators are more efficient when painted black.
We all learned that white reflects heat and black absorbs heat. There is an ongoing argument that when a radiator is painted black, it becomes more efficient. This is false because paint acts as an insulator and this means less heat is transferred to the room, despite the choice of color.
