Complaints of high electricity bills are a frequent thing these days and as Kenya Power continues to roll out the installation of Prepaid electricity meters, these complaints are bound to increase.

Below are a few do’s and don't that might help reduce your electricity bill:

• As temperatures continue to drop, it becomes difficult to shower in cold water. Water heating can be very expensive especially for those who use hot water tanks so it is ideal to use an instant water heater, which consume less electricity. For those using hot water tanks, ensure that the tank and pipes are well insulated to avoid loss of heat. Repair of leaking pipes or taps would also help reduce loss of hot water. Every 30 drops per minute from a hot water tap costs you around 18 KWh per month, roughly KES 234.
• Where instant water heaters and hot water tanks are not an option, electric kettles can be used. Boiling small amounts of water would be cheaper economically than boiling large amounts. Boiling less water uses less energy and subsequently lowers electricity consumption, so only boil the amount you need.
• Refrigerators are known to consume a substantial amount of electricity so match your fridge to your needs. A medium sized refrigerator, rated 150 watts, uses 36 KWh per month which costs approximately KES 465. Remember to keep the coils at the back dust free as accumulation of dust on the condenser coils increase the fridge electricity consumption by up to 30%. Minimize the number of times you open the fridge. Open/close habits waste 50KWh to 120 KWh of energy a year which accounts for 10% to 24% of total energy consumption of the fridge.
• Entertainment equipments do not consume much electricity but there are ways of minimizing their electricity consumption. A television left on stand-by can use up to 10% more power. Switch off the DVD player and music system to save up 50% of the energy they consume.
• An iron box also consumes a lot of electricity. A 1,000 watts iron box used for one hour will consume 30 KWh per month costing you about KES 390. To cut on such costs, first iron fabrics that require lower temperature and work up to those requiring higher heat. Turn off the iron box every five minutes or so before all clothes have been ironed and finish ironing with the residual heat stored in the iron box.

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