With the various Movement Control Orders that have been in place since March, Malaysians are spending a lot of time at home, which means electricity consumption has gone up as well.

Here are some tips to control electricity usage and keep those TNB bills down.

1. Natural lighting

Why pay for electric light when you can use natural light for free during the daytime?

Open up the curtains and switch off the lights, especially if it is sunny outside.

If you are blinded by the bright sunlight hang a sheer curtain to reduce the glare and heat.

2. Take shorter showers

A long, relaxing hot shower is nice, but it also increases the electricity bill. Your water bill will be up there too.

Using a water heater can be high in energy consumption, so the longer the shower, the higher the power bill.

3. Set the timer on the air conditioning

It is near impossible to live in the tropics without a fan or even an air conditioner. Some people leave the air conditioning on throughout the night.

This is not cost-efficient as it uses a lot of electricity. Most air conditioners come with timers, so they shut off after a certain number of hours, which will save electricity.

4. Run full loads in the washing machine

Did you know that a single large load can save 25% to 50% of the energy of two small loads?

Using the washing machine for half-loads wastes energy and water too.

If you get impatient while your favourite garment is in the laundry basket, hand wash it instead of doing a small load.

5. Unplug unused electronics

One of the most common wasteful habits is leaving unused electronics plugged into the power outlet. Leaving devices and appliances plugged in and on standby mode uses electricity.

When a device or appliance is not in use, switch off the power and disconnect it from the outlet.

This can save up to 30% on your electricity bill, while also keeping your electronics safe from damage due to power surges or short circuits.

This article first appeared in kaodim.com

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