Tips, inspiration & deco

Keys to saving electricity at home  

5% of electricity consumption in Spanish households is directly related to lighting. Although everyone has light bulbs and lamps in their homes, many are not fully aware of the costs involved.

That is why we offer you a series of tips that will help you reduce your electricity bill, which will benefit everyone, especially at a time when the price of electricity is soaring in Spain.

Take into account the orientation of our house 

North orientation

The sun does not shine directly during the day, so it is only bathed in sunlight during the first and last hours of summer. Heating costs are higher in winter, but the summer months are ideal for the warm climate of southern Spain, as they contribute to energy efficiency and energy savings. In terms of luminosity, they are quite dark as they do not receive direct sunlight. 

South facing

The sun bathes your house all day long in winter, spring and autumn. In summer, it is the central hours of the day when most of the sun is absorbed: only the hottest hours. Do not choose this orientation if you are looking for a home in a warm climate, as you will spend a lot of energy and money on air conditioning. However, if you live in a cold climate, this is a good option. They are also very bright homes at any time of the year.

East facing

The sun shines on your home from morning until noon, and your home stores heat during the day and releases it again at night. It is a good choice for most homes as it offers balanced energy consumption. They provide a powerful injection of light first thing in the morning that helps you start your day with energy. 

West facing

The sun heats the house from noon to sunset, so your home has to endure the most intense hours of heat. Choosing this orientation leads to a higher energy expenditure of the air conditioning system in the summer months, and in winter it cannot retain heat during the day to increase comfort. Still a bit dark in the morning, they are filled with light and life in the long afternoon hours. Our tip: Before buying a home with this orientation, make sure you really want it.

Use energy-saving lamps 

Compact fluorescent lamps are a great source of light savings compared to traditional or incandescent bulbs.

The price difference is offset by their longer life and energy savings: up to 50% less consumption for compact fluorescent lamps and 80% less consumption for LED lighting.

Using dimmers

The use of dimmers allows us to create the most appropriate ambient light for each space, depending on the ambience we want and the intensity of the natural light present at that moment.

These are some of the types of dimmers available:

Rotary

The adjustment is made by turning and separating the connection by pressing the knob.

Pulsed or contact

A short press turns the light on and off, a long press controls it.

- Infrared or remote control

The light can be conveniently controlled from anywhere in the room.

- 2 light levels dimmer switch

Operates with direct activation of a light point in 2 levels of intensity, soft and maximum.

Dimmer module

It is a device that can be placed in place of a traditional switch, allowing to regulate the light and thus obtain the consequent energy savings.

One type of light for the different zones of the house

Bedroom

Lighting that invites peace and quiet should be used, especially in bedrooms.

In this regard, the use of soft, warm light is recommended. The recommended types of lamps are warm and energy-saving.

It is necessary to achieve a uniform light, so aiming the bulbs towards the ceiling is a good alternative.

For bedside tables, it is best to have a lamp that casts direct light.

If your bedroom has a dressing room, we advise you to use recessed spotlights with cold light and avoid creating shadows.

Living room

The living room is one of the places in the house where we spend the most time.

It is usually a meeting place for all members of the family. Its use is varied, serving both as a meeting place and as a place to watch TV, read, work and even sleep.

For all these reasons, it is advisable that the room has a uniform and low intensity general light.

We usually use warm, energy-saving lamps or LEDs.

If you have set up a reading area, use cool, direct lighting directed only to that area.

Dining room

The dining room is the place in your home where everyone gathers for dinner or breakfast every day.

Therefore, the ideal is to use a soft and warm light that does not disturb the table, usually not too intense, such as energy-saving lamps.

It is recommended that the lamp or chandelier shines towards the table and the intensity is moderate.

Kitchen

It is also one of the busiest places in the house. Not only cooking, but also sharing and chatting for a long time.

For this reason it is advisable to use some kind of general lighting for the entire room. The ideal is to install cold and very clear lights to be able to distinguish the colors of the food.

It is necessary to look for mechanisms that provide a uniform light, do not generate heat and consume little.

For the work areas, direct spotlights can be used under the upper cabinets or pendant lights in the central islands.

Bathroom

It is one of the rooms in the house that needs lighting as close as possible to natural light.

To achieve this effect, it is recommended to use halogen tubes on the ceiling or on top of the mirror.

Since the lighting in a bathroom is constantly on and off, it is also advisable to use LED bulbs, as they can withstand a greater number of cycles during the day.

Find out how much power you need

Electrical power measures the maximum amount of kilowatts you can simultaneously demand from your home at any given time. In short, the number of devices you can have at the same time before the wires explode and you have to start shutting down devices to recover power.

The more power you gather, the more devices you can connect at the same time. Conversely, if you limit your home's power, you must plan when to turn them on. This means you can't set the washing machine, oven and dishwasher at the same time, for example. From this point of view, the more power, the better.

However, the power you subscribe to has a direct impact on your electricity bill. The greater this margin of safety or comfort, the more you will pay monthly for your electricity. For this reason, adjusting the contracted power is one of the best ways to save energy at home.

How much electricity do you need at home?

The key to finding the magic number is to know how much your appliances use and when they are on.

Every appliance in the house has a meter that tells you how much electricity it uses. If you need an approximation, these two charts can be used as a reference.