At the end of the month bills pile up everywhere, and then panic ensues. More and more people in Machakos county are being driven to acquire loans, work extra jobs and reduce on luxury items.
Timothy Muasa, an electrical engineer at the Kenya Power and Lighting Company decided to share some tips to help us save some extra money on our electricity bill by lowering our power consumption.
If possible, one should first seek the advice of an energy auditor and see what consumes most power in the home. Heating and cooling are usually the most deviant culprits when it comes to power, and one should consider buying more efficient air conditioners, heaters and fans.
Next up is lighting, which takes up over 15% of your total bill. The smartest way to go about this is to replace your bulbs with halogen incandescent lights, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
They usually cost more than normal bulbs but in the long run will save you a pretty penny. Also consider using LEDs for outdoor security lighting. They last up to 20 times longer, use less power and work even better when paired with ambient light sensors just in case you forget to turn them off.
Consider replacing your electric cooker with normal gas and use colder and less water in your washing machine. Only use toasters and microwave ovens for small meals and only when absolutely necessary.
Don't keep your refrigerator too cold and always make sure the door is airtight, and reduce the number of times you open it to prevent air leaking in, as that will prevent it from draining power to cool the warmer air.
On your TV, lowering the brightness setting can have a significant drop in power consumption and investing in a low wattage sound system.
These methods will show a huge drop in your power bill and luckily enable you to invest in that new purchase you've been looking to make.