Save electricity in the bathroom and reduce co2

1. Use a washing machine with a hot water connection

Many washing machines and dishwashers can also be connected directly to the hot water supply. This measure is especially worthwhile for short hot water pipes and particularly energy-efficient hot water preparation, for example with a solar thermal system: 49 kilograms less CO is emitted per year _{2 .}

2. Wash without prewashing

Pre-washing is unnecessary. Especially for textiles such as bed linen or towels, the soiling is rarely so great that it is necessary to run a pre-wash before the main wash. By washing without prewashing, you will avoid 11 kilograms of CO for three washes per week ₂ and you save 7 euros per year.

3. Wash the linen at 30 °C

With modern washing machines and detergents, laundry is cleaned not only without pre-washing, but also usually with less hot water. This saves energy because more than three quarters goes to heating the water in the wash cycle. If you run two washing cycles a week at 30 degrees Celsius instead of 60 degrees, you can save 17 euros on electricity costs.

4. Allow the laundry to air dry

No matter how often you use your washing machine: it is always more energy efficient to dry your laundry on a drying rack, clothesline or clothesline than in a dryer. During the year, the dryer releases up to 116 kilograms of CO 2, which is something that can make the air climate-neutral for you. By doing without a clothes dryer, you will also save electricity costs of around 96 euros per year. That's enough to buy a new drying rack or clothesline.

If you absolutely cannot do without a dryer, pay attention to efficiency class A, well-spun laundry in advance and a full load of the washing machine. Modern tumble dryers with heat pump technology consume only half the energy of conventional tumble dryers.

5. Use eco-programs

In washing machines and dishwashers, most of the energy is used to heat water. Eco programs therefore consume less energy despite the longer running time: the water is heated significantly less - and even less water is consumed overall. Instead, the water and detergent are given more time to work - and a longer spin through the wash and rinse water ensures hygienically clean laundry.

Compared to other longer programs, you save 36 euros and 43 kilograms of CO per year ₂ , if you consistently rely on the eco program. You should clean the equipment every three months or run it on hot to kill germs, for example a washing machine with bed linen at 90° Celsius.

6. Install an energy saving shower head and flow limiter

If you heat water with electricity, you should simply do one thing: use less hot water. Flow restrictors in the bathroom and kitchen help with this:

• Economical shower heads into the bath or shower and
• Aerators for faucets.

Flow restrictors are already available for a few euros in hardware stores. They mix air into the water stream so that effectively less water flows out of the faucet or shower head per minute without weakening the stream.

7. Water heater timer

In the hot water tank, the water is heated to a pre-set temperature, temporarily stored and kept warm - even if the hot water tap is turned off all day. In this way, a lot of energy is wasted and CO is produced _{2 .}

Especially if the old hot water storage devices are still connected under the sink, it makes sense to carefully check the hot water demand and adjust the circumstances:

• The tank should be switched off where hot water is rarely required or not at all, for example in a guest toilet, garage or utility room. When washing hands, for example, the temperature of the water is not important.
• Time switches or thermostats can be used in rooms where hot water is only required at certain times. In this way, you will save 35 euros per year on electricity costs.
• Whenever possible, you should replace hot water tanks with electronically controlled instantaneous water heaters. Instantaneous water heaters heat water only when it is really needed and are therefore more energy efficient than storage tanks that are heated frequently.

8. Reduce the temperature of the hot water

What applies to the amount of hot water also applies to the temperature: the less or lower it is, the more you save. With the help of an under-sink tank or an electronic flow water heater, you can set the water temperature as needed. 60 degrees Celsius is completely sufficient for hot water in the bathroom and kitchen. For comparison: The hot water in the bath is usually only about 40 degrees. In this way, energy consumption can be reduced by approximately ten percent. Another advantage of the reduced temperature: the device does not scale so quickly.

But beware: In order to eliminate the risk of health threats from legionella, the temperature of the hot water in the potable water heater should not be reduced below 60 degrees Celsius or 55 degrees Celsius in the circulation.

9. Turn off the hot water circulation