Behaviour Change

[andrewducker]

So, I picked up an Efergy wireless electricity monitor. Which proudly says on the outside of the box "Save up to 20% on your electricity bill through greater awareness!"

And I can see why they say that. Because the first thing I did, after clipping the sensor around the wire between the meter and the fusebox, was wander around the flat turning lights off and trying to get our electricity usage down to zero.

It turns out that the biggest thing I can do is turn off the TV and Amp when I'm not watching TV. That'll save me 1.5p/hour, right there.

The biggest thing I _can't_ do is turn off the fridge-freezer, which seems to gulp down electricity by the bucket load.

It seems that having the internet router/wireless use negligible amounts (the meter goes down to 0.01kW, but it didn't even register the router being turned on and off), so I shall cease worrying about that. Turning off lights as I leave the room is worthwhile though.

And so does replacing the fridge/freezer when we redo the kitchen, which is slated for next year. We'd been semi-planning to anyway, because it's noisy and clunky, but this moves it up the priority list.

I have a score to minimise, so now I am obsessed!

Comments

[autopope.livejournal.com]

Strong rec: investigate Miele washer-driers. They're very expensive, but they're designed for a 15-20 year heavy-use life, they're really efficient, and they're ridiculously quiet compared to a regular washer-drier. (Oh, and part of the regular package is a five year warranty from the manufacturer -- who provide the kind of service you usually associate with folks like Rolls Royce --so you can laugh at Comet if they try to upsell you an expesive policy.)

Bought one seven years ago -- haven't regretted it.

[alitheapipkin.livejournal.com]

But any drier is going to be more expensive to run than just having a washing machine and air drying your clothes. Those pulley airers are seriously great things.

[autopope.livejournal.com]

Yes they are, and one of these years I'm going to see whether it's feasible to get one installed in this flat. (The problem I foresee is that they have to be load bearing, so they need to be screwed or bolted to ceiling joists. Which is way beyond my handyman pay grade (which is actually very low).)

[andrewducker]

Those look gorgeous!

And sadly massively outside of my price range. The whole kitchen is going to cost about £3.5k, spending a third of that just on the washing machine isn't really feasible.

But I shall remember the make for when we've moved somewhere nicer and are redoing things in style. If I was planning on owning a washing machine for 15 years then they look like something worth having.