“The situation can become very serious if we don’t significantly reduce our gas consumption.” With these words, the Tagesschau quotes the head of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, just a few days after the all-clear was initially given at the beginning of October in view of the almost full gas storage facilities. Households and small commercial customers are expected to save at least 20 percent on gas this winter. But it’s not just gas that has to be saved – the high energy prices are also forcing many households to reduce their power consumption. Four tips for saving gas and electricity overnight.
Set up the router correctly
By default, wireless routers run 24/7. This consumes a lot of electricity unnecessarily, after all, you usually don’t need the Internet when you’re sleeping. It is therefore advisable to switch off the router at night. This can be done via a timer integrated in the device, which can be set according to the usual bedtime. The operation of the timer differs from model to model and is explained in the instructions for use. If the router does not have such a timer, you can simply pull the plug. But be careful: If you need to be available at night for emergencies via the landline phone, you should not switch off the router – the landline and WLAN are managed in one.
Turn off the hot water at night
Not only are you not on social media while you sleep, but you usually don’t need hot water either. In many houses, however, a circulation pump provides hot water around the clock – and that consumes electricity. If you want to save at this point, you can switch off the pump at night, just like the router, with an integrated time control. If the pump is a little older and does not yet have such a timer, according to the information platform Utopia, you can also buy a timer in a hardware store for five euros and attach it to the circulation pump yourself.
Turn the heating down at night
A wide variety of tips for saving gas and heating costs are circulating on the Internet. However, some of them, such as the much-touted tea light stove, are extremely dangerous. It is efficient and safe to turn down the heating at night: while a temperature of 19 degrees is often recommended during the day, a few degrees less is enough at night. Every degree less means a saving of six percent. But be careful: Stiftung Warentest points out that mold can spread at temperatures below 16 degrees Celsius. If possible, the heating should not be lower, even at night.
Avoid standby
After the mail check, simply close the laptop and turn to other things – that’s how the end of the day begins for many. However, if you get used to switching off devices properly, you can save money. With reference to a spokesman for the Brandenburg consumer advice center, Utopia explains that a three-person household can save around 100 euros a year. On some devices, however, the on and off button is not so easy to find. If in doubt, you can simply pull the plug here – after all data has been saved on the computer, of course. Certain appliances, such as the refrigerator, should also be left running overnight.
Olga Rogler / Editor finanzen.net
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