Month: August 2022

What is the Optimal Temperature in the Home?

Posted on by Casiana Pridea

No less than 55% of a home’s energy consumption is used for heating. The 45% difference is split between lighting, hot water and appliances.

Finding an optimal but also economical temperature for the home can turn into a long process of experimentation. We created this guide to help you. Thus, you too will be able to find an optimal temperature for the comfort of your family, taking care at the same time of electricity consumption.

The temperature in the home depending on the season

Considering that our body is used to climate changes in each season, the temperature in the home must also be changed depending on the season.

While the ideal temperature in winter is 20-22 ℃, in the warm season the optimum temperature is between 22-24 ℃ (about 10 degrees less than the outside temperature).

Maintaining optimal temperature values: Benefits

These are some of the benefits of maintaining an optimal temperature in the home:

  • Improved mood, physical and mental health;
  • Deep and quality sleep;
  • Low energy consumption.

Efficient use of the heating system: Practical Guide

Follow these tips to make sure you don’t pay higher gas and electricity bills than you need to:

  • Always close the room doors;
  • Do not cover radiators;
  • Install reflective panels behind radiators to direct heat into the room. In this way you can save up to 2-3% of the total energy consumption of the home;
  • Thermally insulate your home;
  • Use smart thermostats that can be set so that the home is not heated during certain time intervals or days, when no one is at home;
  • Periodically check the heating system.

Keep in mind these useful tips to make your home the perfect place to relax, at optimal administrative costs.

What is Carbon Footprint and How Can It Be Reduced

Posted on by Casiana Pridea

The constant growth of the global population leads to increased CO2 emissions but also depletes resources. As projected by the United Nations, Earth’s population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050 and 11 billion by 2100.

Carbon emissions have a direct impact on global warming, affecting the entire planet. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise, with the industrial sector being considered the primary contributor to this phenomenon. However, each one of us can contribute to reducing the carbon footprint by adopting a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

What is the carbon footprint?

The carbon footprint refers to the greenhouse gas emissions produced by a company, organization, activity, individual, or even an event.

The carbon footprint is the result of our day-to-day activities that involve consuming fuel for producing food, materials, or fulfilling various services such as transportation.

For example, while cycling has absolutely no CO2 emissions, a London-Bucharest flight emits 350 kg CO2, and a 250 km bus journey emits 30 kg CO2.

How can we reduce our carbon footprint?

These are the simplest ways in which all of us can reduce our carbon footprint in our day-to-day activities.

Food

  1. Choose seasonal and local foods. This way, you won’t encourage the transportation of food over long distances by airplane, truck, or ship, all of which are significant consumers of fossil fuels.
  2. Reduce food waste through better planning and reuse resources when possible.
  3. Avoid excessively packaged foods.

Clothing

  1. Give up purchasing cheap “fast fashion” clothing that deteriorates quickly. Choose quality, durable clothing, and even consider buying second-hand clothes.
  2. Opt for washing clothes in cold water.

Shopping

  1. Purchase appliances with low energy consumption.
  2. Buy only strictly necessary items, recycled, or even used if possible.
  3. Avoid buying plastic bags whenever you go shopping.

House

  1. Replace incandescent bulbs (90% of energy is wasted as heat) with LEDs (lower energy consumption and longer lifespan).
  2. Avoid excessive use of air conditioning.
  3. Make sure to turn off lights when leaving a room and disconnect electrical devices when not in use.
  4. Reduce hot water consumption whenever possible.

Transport

  1. Choose public transport, cycling or walking instead of the car whenever possible.
  2. Avoid driving aggressively. Studies show that unnecessary braking and acceleration increase fuel consumption by up to 40%.
  3. Avoid air travel.

It is obvious that we have to take more and more care of the environment. Try to improve your lifestyle in favor of the planet and implement the simple tips mentioned in this article.

Measures Taken by European Countries to Counterbalance Rising Energy and Natural Gas Prices

Posted on by Casiana Pridea

The price of energy and natural gas has increased this year and is up to 7 times higher compared to last year in some European countries.

The crisis of these prices is based on multiple international factors that have affected the entire global market:

  1. The increase in global energy demand following the post-Covid-19 economic recovery;
  2. The intensified rise in commodity prices, particularly natural gas, at a global level (over 170% in 2021);
  3. The cold and harsh winter of the previous year, which prolonged the heating period, followed by a long and scorching summer, leading to higher usage of cooling appliances and consequently, higher energy consumption;
  4. The war in Ukraine and the unstable geopolitical context worldwide.

In this context, since the fall of last year, the majority of European countries have taken measures to counterbalance the increase in energy and gas prices in order to avoid energy poverty.

In this article, we will analyze the measures adopted in Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Measures taken in Italy

Italians benefit from a 110% tax deduction for energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings and even subsidies for seismic consolidation of these buildings.

Additionally, the Italian government expects to save 4 billion cubic meters of gas this year by reducing the use of air conditioning in public buildings. The project is called the “Operation Thermostat,” where air conditioner owners are not allowed to set the temperature below 25℃.

Other measures that have been adopted in Italy to support consumers include:

  • Social bonus for families with annual incomes below 12,000 Euros;
  • Reduced excise tax on fuels by 30 cents per liter of gasoline or diesel;
  • Temporary reduction of VAT on fuels from 22% to 5% for all consumers;
  • Progressive reduction of VAT on electricity and gas bills based on consumption;
  • Reduced electricity tax from 22.50 Euros per megawatt/hour to 1 Euro for household consumers and 50 cents for industrial consumers;
  • Possibility for household consumers to pay energy bills in multiple installments.

Measures taken in Germany

In January of this year, the German government allocated a total sum of 130 million euros to support vulnerable households with low incomes. Additionally, the same government decided in March to reduce fuel prices for a period of 3 months by 30 cents for gasoline and 14 cents for diesel.

Other measures that have been adopted in Germany to support consumers include:

  • Grants of 300 Euros offered to citizens;
  • Additional aid of 100 Euros for citizens receiving social assistance;
  • One-time grant of 100 Euros for each child in the household;
  • Subsidized monthly public transportation passes worth 9 Euros, valid during June – August 2022.

Measures taken in Great Britain

The measures adopted by the British Government aimed both to support consumers and to meet the goal of significantly reducing carbon emissions by 2035.

In addition to the financial aid offered to citizens, especially those with low incomes, since April 1, home owners have been able to access grants for heat pumps that are more efficient than classic boilers, produce three times more energy than they consume and reduce carbon emissions. The program has a fund of 450 million pounds for the next 3 years (90,000 heat pumps), with approximately 4.8 million homes being eligible. The sums will be allocated according to the heating system to be installed in each home (air-water heat pump, biomass boiler, soil-water heat pump) instead of the system powered by fossil fuels.

Conclusion

Most countries in Europe have preferred to offset the price increases in energy and natural gas by providing direct support to citizens.

Price capping, as it was also adopted in Romania, was also applied in France and Bulgaria

What to do if you feel cold air coming through the windows?

Posted on by Casiana Pridea

It is said that Romanians suffer from the “draft syndrome,” always living in fear of catching a cold draft. We are so obsessed with this misconception that we can find decorative elements on the market that can be placed under windows or doors to prevent cold air from entering our homes. Of course, no one denies that these are temporary solutions for heat loss. But, in fact, the problem will not be solved this way.

When you feel cold air around the window or door, it is a sign that the carpentry is no longer of quality, meaning it no longer creates a seal. The reasons can be diverse, and the solution is one: professional door/window repair services.

Gasket problems

Although this is just an accessory of the entire carpentry assembly, it should not be overlooked. Few people know that window adjustments should be made according to the season. If this is not done, pressure applied to the gasket increases, weakening it over time.

When you feel cold air from outside and hear noises from the outside or the gasket is visibly weakened, it is necessary to replace it at certain intervals.

Hardware problems

It often happens that we close or open the window incorrectly, without fully turning the handle. Over time, this is a habit that leads to the total failure of the mechanism, which can be the cause of the cold air felt around the window.

This type of problem can be solved by lubricating the hardware with special products or even replacing it.

Conclusion

Try not to deceive yourself that one of those decorative products solves the problem of cold air around the window or door.

Many people choose to adjust the windows or change their gaskets by themselves, but most of the time, they do it wrong, eventually resorting to specialists, as they should have done from the beginning.