Myths about saving energy under control
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Is it better to leave the lamps on when you are away for a short time?
Should you turn off the lights even if you are going to be away for a short time?
Photo: dpa-tmn/Oliver Berg
bonn Many consumers want to save energy in the current situation. But it is not always clear what helps and what is more harmful. We provide answers to current myths about saving energy.
Many consumers want to reduce their energy costs due to high prices. Often a few can easily Tricks are already helping to reduce energy consumption. However, it is not always clear which measure is the most appropriate to save energy. Is it better to leave the light on when you are away for a short time? Is it enough to turn off the power strip switch? And should the fridge be filled to the brim or completely empty for a good energy balance? We give answers.
Is it more energy efficient to leave the light on?
There is a clear answer to this: no. “Turning the lamps on and off does not consume additional electricity. You save from the second if you turn them off,” explains Sören Demandt from the consumer advice center in North Rhine-Westphalia. However, when choosing the lamp, it is important to pay attention to the so-called switching resistance, which is specified on the packaging. when you buy it. Depending on the consumer center, the information for this is between 15,000 and 100,000 times. In stairs or bathrooms where the light is switched on and off frequently, a correspondingly high switching resistance is recommended. Dermandt recommends modern LED lamps for According to the speaker of the digital energy transition, there is no shorter lifespan due to turning on and off.The basic recommendation of the consumer advice center: “You must be able to turn the lamp on and off at least 50,000 times.”
Low consumption light bulb or LED lamp?
According to the consumer center, LEDs are the best option for all rooms. Energy lamps or also called compact fluorescent lamps are discontinued models that do not offer advantages over LEDs. This is also evident when it comes to the question of costs: a comparison between a halogen lamp (42 Watt) and an LED lamp (8W) saves just under 100 euros over a period of ten years with a single lamp. Although the difference to the energy-saving lamp is not that significant, the LEDs are also worthwhile here. While the costs for an operating time of 2.7 hours per day after a period of ten years are 32 euros, an energy-saving lamp (11 W) costs 45 euros.
Do I have to unplug the power strip too?
Even though devices are turned off, they can still consume electricity. This applies to printers, radios, and televisions, among other things. According to the speaker from Ergiewende Dermandt, the level of consumption can vary greatly. Mobile phone chargers, for example, would consume almost no electricity, chargers with a larger transformer, such as a laptop, would consume a few watts. “Those who pull the plug are on the safe side,” says Dermandt. The expert can eliminate the concern that power is still being consumed when the power strips are off: “Power strips serve exactly this purpose: if you turn them off, no current flows,” says Dermant.
Experts do not know devices that are better left on to save energy. Consumers should only pay attention to the manufacturer’s information on some OLED TVs and printers, as they could be damaged if they are unplugged from the power source too quickly after use.
Refrigerator – better empty or full?
Unlike kettles or blenders, refrigerators can’t just be unplugged. But here too, the consumer advice center has some important advice that dispels a myth about saving energy. “A refrigerator uses less energy the fuller it is,” says the consumer advice center’s website.
Once chilled, food is easier to keep fresh, so it’s also more energy efficient to let food cool before putting it in the fridge. Air exchange when the door is opened is also less when the refrigerator is full. When in doubt, it may even make more sense to put an old stack of newspapers in the refrigerator compartment than to leave it empty. And one last piece of advice for organizing next weekend’s shopping: “It’s better to open the fridge once to fill it than to open and close the door frequently.”
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