Energy saving at home

In a reality that increasingly puts the available resources and the protection of our planet at risk, today it is necessary to counter the problem of excessive energy consumption through the use of measures aimed at making buildings more and more efficient. In fact, the latter are the largest energy-consuming machines in the city and for this reason it is necessary to counteract waste and encourage savings starting from simple daily gestures and personal habits.

Having clarified the importance of energy and its necessary optimization, we now see in the home environment how to contribute in a real way to the efficiency of your building.

Domestic appliances

The first contribution can be provided by household appliances: if you have to buy it, it is important to choose high-performance products, belonging to class A ++. In fact, in the face of an initial higher expenditure, it will benefit from lower consumption over the years. Furthermore, the most recent models allow you to opt for the “energy saving mode” which, for example, in the case of washing machines and dishwashers, provides for shorter washes and with less hot water, thus avoiding unnecessary waste in energy and economic terms.
A tip is also to get used to washing only at full load, so as to reduce the frequency and optimize costs and times. In the specific case of laundry, the use of the dryer is increasing today, which at first may seem very comfortable, especially during the winter season, when clothes hung in the sun find it hard to dry. However, the energy consumption is considerable and therefore it is necessary to reflect on the use or not of this appliance, anticipating a little sacrifice but obtaining some more benefits. If the chosen energy dispenser provides for the differentiation of costs according to the time slots, it is advisable to operate the washing machine, dryer and dishwasher at the most convenient hours (usually in the evening and early morning). As far as the refrigerator is concerned, the same rules apply, in fact it is necessary to choose the model suitable for your family needs and to avoid prolonged opening of the door.
With regard to the water system, the advice is to opt for mixers, better if equipped with flow reducers or nozzles, able to dilate the water in an intelligent way, ensuring lower consumption. Granted then, remember how the tap must be operated only and exclusively when it is used directly.  

Lighting

From the lighting point of view, targeted choices can also be made to promote energy saving. First of all is the one that involves the use of LED lamps capable of reducing consumption by up to 80% and ensuring a long life. Whenever you move away from an environment it is essential to remember to turn off the lights that are no longer needed. For the most inattentive, the optimal solution is represented by lighting systems equipped with motion sensors: the light will turn on only in the presence of the user and turn off shortly after his absence.

Heating

Although these attentions are essential to improve the energy needs within the home, the aspect that determines most of the consumption concerns the heating systems. According to some studies, in fact, it represents about 79% of total expenditure. For those in possession of traditional radiators, the advice is not to cover them with curtains and accessories to avoid the dispersion of heat in the room and if they are equipped with thermo valves, reduce the temperature in your rooms by one or two degrees. In fact, this measure can lead to a decrease of 7% on total consumption.
Thermal insulation is also of fundamental importance: if the windows and doors are dated, it is necessary to cover any drafts, if instead you are in the renovation phase, you should choose windows with a thermal break section and double or triple glazing in order to to maximize thermal performance.

If you own a boiler or use district heating, one of the rapidly growing solutions is represented by wifi thermostat. It is a useful tool designed to regulate and control the temperature inside the home in order to avoid unnecessary waste and limit energy consumption. Programmed on the characteristics of the room such as the light that enters it, the heat produced by people and devices, the possible presence of air currents, it is able to detect every slightest change and adjust the temperature accordingly. Once the thermostat has been purchased and installed away from sources of heat or too cold places, but preferably placed in a strategic place where the main activities are concentrated, the minimum temperature must be set as needed. Below this value, heating will be activated. A useful tip may be to keep the heating at a low value throughout the day so that when you return home the environment is warm and free of humidity. Furthermore, it is possible to differentiate the heating of the different rooms according to the specific needs. On the market there are various products that differ in characteristics and performance. The first, most common and easy to use are the mechanical thermostats that automatically start and stop the boiler, defining only the maximum and minimum temperature. Then there are the electronic ones, which can be programmed by time to be switched on or off. This possibility considerably reduces consumption since the instrument is activated only in the moment of real need. Some products also allow you to set fixed temperatures and activities, day by day or week by week depending on the climate and domestic habits.

Finally, the most advanced products are undoubtedly represented by smart thermostats that can be adjusted even away from home. The latter guarantee the most convenient remote management and allow considerable savings in terms of money and time; in fact, thanks to the ability to connect to the wi-fi network, through simple Apps installed on smartphones, it will be possible to operate the heating system and adjust the temperature according to your needs even before returning home.

Using the voice assistants, it is easy to switch on or off the systems and change the settings according to the weather known by the thermostat itself, thanks to the direct connection to the internet.
Some products are also equipped with GPS capable of detecting the user’s position so as to proceed with switching on only when he is near the house. These smart devices bring substantial benefits in terms of energy savings with variable but still lower consumption compared to homes without a thermostat. On the market there are many products that differ in design, technology and costs, an example of this is Smarther from bticino which, in addition to providing the services mentioned above, allows the creation of customized commands on the different members of the family so as to meet specific needs at different times. different. In this way, everyone is free to establish their own thermal comfort conditions.