You will need to know a few important tips when shopping for some commonly used domestic appliances. Also, planning their usage is important. The following tips will help you to decide on an efficient schedule.
Convection ovens
Always insist that the 13 A standard plug is provided with the appliance. If not, it may not be properly designed for the Sri Lankan market.
Load the oven to its maximum capacity for efficient operation.
Do not open the doors frequently, for, each time you open the door to peep inside, the temperature drops by 25 Degrees of Fahrenheit.
Switch off the oven ten minutes before the stipulated completion time. The ingredients continue to be baked or boiled till the oven completely cools down. Alternatively, the excess heat can also be used for pre-heating other food items.
A microwave oven is a much better choice when it comes to energy conservation since it cooks faster, but is capital intensive. Microwave ovens are fast replacing the first generation of gas-run ovens.
Some manufacturers recommend pre-heating of ovens. Keep this pre-heating time as little as possible or avoid it.
Mixers and Juicers
Use the right blade for different uses. Check with the manufacture’s specification.
Plan your use of mixers in such a way that they are used in their optimum capacity instead of using it frequently for less quantities from time to time. Grind weekly requirements of spices, fine sugar, chillies, curry powder…etc., once a week or as it suits your requirement.
Ensure that the container is not filled upto the brim, as otherwise the fluid churned will spill out when the mixer is running. The spilled liquid can enter the motor and may cause damage.
Never overload the mixer or fill it completely. It unnecessarily loads the motors. This will result the frequent need to change rubber socket under the container, since the stress tends to wear it away.
Never use the same socket to run mixers, in simultaneous use with refrigerators or other electrical appliances. The high instantaneous current may damage the electrical parts in the equipment.
Geysers and Boilers
Solar water heaters are always a sensible choice since the fuel is used free. Once the system is installed, there is no running cost.
Electricity assisted solar hot water heaters provide the best value for money in Sri Lanka.
Shower baths are more economical than tap baths and the cost of a showerhead can be recovered in a few months’ time.
Heating water in geysers or boilers consume a substantial amount of energy. Electric geysers range from 2,000 – 3,000 W. a geyser of 3,000 W takes 50 minutes to heat 50 litres of water to 35 degrees Celsius. A geyser of 2,000 W takes 75 minutes to do the same work.
It is advisable to use a storage geyser instead of an instant geyser. Energy efficient water heaters may cost a little more initially, but has reduced operating costs.
Check the thermostat settings of the geyser. Manufactures tend to set them at the highest point initially to please the customers with quick heating.
The normal accepted temperature of hot water bathing for men is 40 degrees Celsius and 50 degrees of Celsius for women. If the thermostat can be set to your required temperature , get it done by your local electrician.
Buy a geyser with proper insulation in the outer shell. Insulate the piping from the geyser to the taps or conceal them within walls. If the water heater you have now is not properly insulated, add adequate insulation around it.
Ensure that the water heater is placed away from the draft.
Ensure that scaling does not occur inside the geysers, as it acts as a resistant. Wherever water quality is hard, a periodic de-scaling is a must for efficient usage.
Get the heater element in the geyser changed every five or six years, as the element develops resistance.
Water heating from fuelwood or gas stoves is more economical compared to electrical geysers.
Solar water heaters are always a sensible choice since the fuel is used free. Once the system is installed, there is no running cost.
