Habit changes for reducing electricity use

[baymule]

I have lived much like the above article before, I didn't die. LOL I'll add, to sleep cool, spray mist the top sheet and turn on the fan. The water will evaporate and cool you off, I have even gotten cold and grabbed more cover!

Now: not happening. My husband of almost 25 years is all about comfort, the thermostat goes down to 68 degrees at night, summer or winter. He used to get up and turn the HEAT on in the summer to warm it up in the mornings! Then turn the AC back on to cool it off! I like to have NEVER convinced him of the folly of turning the damned heat on in the mornings when the temps would climb to the 90's and 100's.

Clothes dryer. Yes. Our sand blows around and everything is dusty. Everything. If I hung clothes out to dry, I would bring in dried mud. No room for a drying rack. Dryer it is.

Extra heat. No where to put a wood burning heater and there is no fireplace. Electric heat it is.

This house is unsustainable. I have another move to make, dunno where or when, but this is not my forever home. Hopefully the next one will be something I can work with. No electricity and this place is an oven or a freezer. It has double windows, you'd think that is great, but they ALL leak air around them. I'm not into lifting the vinyl siding off to seal things up, probably would break, crack or otherwise destroy it and never get it back on right. Not going there.

 

[tortoise]

What about unplugging things (if you have them) like coffee makers and microwave ovens? Or putting electronics on power strips that can be flipped off when not on in use?

The microwave annoys me so I started unplugging it. Plugging in the microwave annoys DH so he put in a switched outlet!

 

[Britesea]

How do you train children to turn lights off? They know better, but don't remember. I'm correcting them every day and turning lights off constantly.

Sometimes I turn circuit breakers off (such as to their bedrooms), but that doesn't work for me for living areas.

What about motion sensors on the lights?

 

[flowerbug]

any time you are installing a switch for a device you really need to make sure the switch is rated for the amount of current it will have going through it. the same for any power cords/extension cords. you don't want a fire!

some of the really poorly made electrical surge protectors can be as much of a hazard as a surge itself.

one thing i have to do here is make sure Mom is not wrapping cords around things or hiding them under things. they're not meant to be wrapped and put under things and if you have an extension cord under something and it gaps enough then that can also invite troubles.

to train people to turn off lights. start mentioning it when they do it but don't get too negative, but reward them for when they do it in a really nice way, a hug and a thank you are usually good. different kinds of star stickers. special treats (but beware making sweets and foods the major point of things - he says as Mom just made me a pan of rice-krispy-treats haha).

i would tell you about something Mom did for work but i'm out of time here for the evening.

 

[CrealCritter]

Hint: Do NOT buy .50 CCX chicks at the start of the winter.

 

[Daisy]

Where is it you live? Almost sound like you live in LA (Lower Alabama).

Western Australia. We are heading into summer now, so that's why it is on my mind.

There are also personal habits that I am in because of the climate conditions. They probably don't significantly impact the electricity bill and are as much out of ease as they are frugal. Things like, washing my hair in the morning and letting it dry naturally rather than using hair dryers or straighteners. Using mens disposable razors instead of electric (mens are cheaper than womans brands, I got 50 for $1 about 2 years ago and have 46 left in the pack). Using an esky/cooler box to transport cold perishables from the shop to home and trying not to open the fridge in the heat of the day (only one room in my house is air conditioned). Charging batteries for tools and running the washing machine or dishwasher outside of peak electricity hours. My neighbour and I usually compare bills, but due to covid 19, everyone in the state currently has a $600 electricity credit

 

[baymule]

How do you train children to turn lights off? They know better, but don't remember. I'm correcting them every day and turning lights off constantly.

Sometimes I turn circuit breakers off (such as to their bedrooms), but that doesn't work for me for living areas.

Every time you find a light on, take out their lightbulb for X amount of hours, even if it’s not their room they left the light on.

 

[Hinotori]

The power strip thing works very good. Just do NOT plug a heater into them. It can overheat the cord and start a fire. And it often will not cause the burning powerstrip to trip off so just keeps burning everything.

 

[CrealCritter]

It is interesting to observe the different cultures, and a big reason that I like to come here - as there are many things you guys have done for generations (ie canning) that arnt wide spread here. By the same token, I forget that there are things not done over there that have been drilled into us here from a young age, especially to cope with the sun.

For example -No Hat, No Play - don't go outside without a hat
Slip Slop Slap (Seek Slide) - Slip on a shirt, Slop on suncream and slap on a hat (more recently added, seek shade and slide on sunglasses).
Between 9 and 3 sit under a tree - a rhyme we are taught to avoid the UV (some places say 11 and 3, but where I am it can be well past 35C with extreme UV by 9am) I've been sunburnt at 6pm. Skin cancer is very common.


I used to be fine working outside in 100F temps through my 20's. Organised activities and sports are now cancelled above that. It's just too hot. We've had an increase of people dying on camping trips and hikes in the last couple years, unprepared for the heat. I can't tolerate it anymore, moved south, but it still has its warm days here. I burnt my barefeet extremely badly last year walking to the beach on a 30C day! I didn't think it was hot enough to do that much damage. I am still recovering from it. Many of us grow aloe vera plants as it is fantastic for sunburns.


To save electricity, Air conditioners should be set no lower than 24C/75F in summer and put on early. It is easier (and cheaper) to keep a house cool than it is to cool a house down once it is hot. If it is over 40C/104F , then I'll tend to put the air con on 27C as it's still blowing out significantly cooler air than outside and doesn't have to work as hard. My house rabbits would die without air con, and I'd be in hospital if a heatwave (4+ days over 40C) struck. I dread the possibility.

I'd like to utilise more solar power down the line, but it's not economically feasible at this time for me. Some homes "sell" their solar power back to the grid, but it is so widespread now, I am unsure if this will continue. I have a solar pump for the pond and will start with small solar projects like charging batteries etc.

Pick food from the garden in the cool morning after watering. Lettuce leaves and herbs keep for the day between cool or damp tea towels. Berries can sit in a bowl of ice water. Cooking in heat is a fools game, stick to salads, cold meat sandwiches and fruit which can help with fluids and electrolytes. Drinking too much water can be as dangerous as not drinking enough (see @baymule thread on good salt bad salt!).

Fires are banned here between October and May but BBQs are permitted, that's if you want to fight off the mosquitos, flies and birds hehe. I have many stories of kookaburras stealing sausages off grills and even out of my sister's hands. Chips at the beach with seagulls can also be tempting fate. 🤣

Where is it you live? Almost sound like you live in LA (Lower Alabama).

 

[tortoise]

We shut off the hot water supply line to the utility sink and washing machine.