Using household appliances correctly and reducing time to use are some ways to reduce home consumption

When using the microwave oven, have you ever paid attention to whether the power of the equipment is suitable for the function? Did you know that by making this adjustment, you can save energy? This is because consumption is calculated from the power of the equipment and the time of use. In the case of the microwave, for example, using the correct function of the equipment can result in energy savings. Neoenergia guides its customers to use the household appliances correctly, following the manufacturer's guidelines and observing the efficiency of the consumer classification table of the Brazilian Labeling Program (PBE/Inmetro) and the Procel seal. Consumers should also reduce the time they stay connected.  

"Small changes in the routine, such as a simple adjustment when using the devices we have at home, can make a difference at the end of the month. We seek to make our consumers aware that, in addition to saving, by reducing the use of electricity, we are contributing to the preservation of the environment", says The Energy Efficiency Manager of Neoenergia, Ana Christina Mascarenhas.  

Check out Neoenergia's tips for some of the main household appliances and know what can be the savings provided by changing habits:

• Lamp

During the day, the ideal is to reduce the use of lamps. For this, two orientations are important: consumers can open curtains and windows to make the most of natural light and, on the walls, they must prioritize light colors.  

Brazilians use 6.5 lamps in their homes, according to the Survey of Tenure and Habits of Use of Electrical Equipment in residential class 2019 (PPH 2019), conducted by the National Program for The Conservation of Electric Energy (Procel). If all of them are halogen of 42W, when used for five hours per day during the month, they represent about 6.3 kWh or R$ 5.66 considering a price of R$ 0.899/kWh. However, when choosing LED models with 9W power, they can spend 1.35 kWh or R$ 1.21 i.e. a savings of R$ 4.44 per lamp. LED lamps are the most efficient on the market, and are more durable and can have a service life up to four times longer than fluorescent ones.  

• Refrigerator and freezer

If in a house there is more than one appliance such as refrigerator, minibar and freezer, the orientation of Neoenergia is that the use is concentrated in only one, reducing energy consumption. One of the main ways to make more efficient use of this equipment is by regulating the thermostat according to the temperature of the day and the amount of food that is stored: in colder times or when they are not too full, the thermostat should be adjusted to higher temperatures, already on very hot days, should be used near the total cooling capacity to better conserve the food.  

The effectiveness of refrigerator door sealing rubber should be checked frequently because if it is not in perfect condition, energy consumption may increase. A simple way is to test with a piece of paper, placing it by closing the door and testing whether, when pulling it, there is resistance – if there is not, it is time to change the rubber. Checking the refrigerator fluid periodically is also recommended.  

The place where the appliance is positioned in the house interferes with energy consumption. Refrigerators should not be near the stove and, if possible, should be moved about 15 centimeters from the wall. This allows the heat exchanged by the coils to circulate freely, otherwise there will be a higher energy expenditure to make the thermal exchange with the environment. That's why you shouldn't put clothes and cloths on the back.  

If the consumer is going to change the refrigerator, be aware of the Procel seal those with seal are the most efficient. However, this is not the only information that should be observed. A study by the Choices Institute showed that refrigerators classified as "A" by Inmetro are considered inefficient in other countries, such as Kenya, India, Mexico, usa and Jamaica. Prioritizing those that have Procel seal, comparing the consumption information that appears in the tables, and choosing the reverse models can minimize the problem. Also, be aware that the litour of the equipment impacts on energy consumption, the higher the more consumption.  

A frost free refrigerator with Procel seal of 387 liters can have an average consumption of 31 kWh per month, while one of 394 liters with the same characteristics, but of another brand, can consume about 55.3 kWh per month. This difference of 24.3 kWh/month is equivalent to the monthly consumption of a 93-liter (14.1 KWh/month) minibar plus five 9W LED bulbs connected for five hours per day or the consumption of a 205-liter (19.8 kWh/month) freezer plus three 9W LED bulbs using five hours per day. This difference costs an approximate loss of R$ 21.84 per month, considering the price of R$ 0.899/kWh. As a refrigerator has a shelf life of 15 years, during this period, the consumer may lose about R $ 3,932.04.  

• TV 

Among television models, the LCD with the use of LED lamps (EDGE LCD/FULL LED LCD) are more efficient, in front of LCD with fluorescent lamps, plasma and OLED. The consumer should also observe the power variation between different models and brands, in addition to the inmetro label information choose the ones that have Procel Seal. One example is two televisions, a full LED LCD of 42 inches, both classified as "A" by Inmetro and connected for four hours a day, which can spend between 9.6 kWh per month (i.e. about R$ 8.6 per month) and the other consuming 30 kWh per month (R$ 26.97) – the second has consumption higher than 213% than the first. This difference of 20.4 kWh could cost the monthly use of a 45W notebook connected for eight hours a day or a PS4 video game (137 W) turned on for two and a half hours a day.  

A 50-inch EDGE LED LCD TV classified as "A" by Inmetro and with Procel seal, if connected for four hours a day, can spend 19.2 kWh per month, which is equivalent to about R $ 17.26 on the monthly invoice. One of plasma, also 50 inches and classified as "A" by Inmetro, but without the Procel seal, can spend 53.76 kWh/month, an impact of R$ 48.33 on the account. This difference of 34.56 kWh/month could cost the monthly consumption of a 438 liter refrigerator with Procel seal.  

In addition, the larger the screen, the higher the power consumption in any model – a 40-inch one that has the Procel seal running for four hours and the stand by for 20 hours has a consumption of 6 kWh/month. A 55-inch, also with the Procel seal and in the same condition, has consumption of 10 kWh/month.  

Neoenergia advises consumers not to leave the TV on unnecessarily, unplug when not in use and not forget to turn it off before bedtime, and can use programming features such as the timer. The cost to keep a TV on for four hours a day, for 30 days, can range from R$ 6.47 to R$ 34.52, considering powers from 60W to 320W.

• Air conditioning

In the use of air conditioning, two simple ways to save energy are by keeping the filters cleaned every two weeks and adjusting the thermostat at temperatures between 23º and 24ºC. Each degree less can increase energy consumption by up to 8%. There are other ways to reduce power consumption, such as using the timer so that it shuts down automatically after a while.  

In addition, the air conditioning should be installed preferably at the top of the room, preferably parallel to the larger side. The consumer should check the most appropriate air conditioning capacity (BTU/h) for the area he will be cooling, whether it is oriented to the west or east, the amount of people using the room and the size of the glazed environments. In general, 7,500 BTU/h appliances are suitable for areas of up to 10 square meters, those of 10,000 BTU/h for those of 10 to 15 square meters and those of 12,000 BTU/h for those of 15 to 20 square meters.  

If the consumer is going to buy a new handset, they can opt for a split reverse model, which are up to 60% more economical than other technologies. The difference can be up to R$ 80.34 in the account: while a 9,000 BTU/h without Procel seal can consume on average 118.65 kWh/month (i.e. R$ 106.67), an inverter can have consumption of 29.28 kWh/month (R$ 26.32). In the calculation, a price of R$ 0.899/kWh was considered.​