Are you looking for ideas on how to conserve precious resources at home? No wonder: inflation means we get less for our money - and at the same time our electricity and gas bills are rising. And our beautiful planet? It's aching and creaking under the high CO2 emissions. We all need energy-saving tips! Here you can find out how to reduce your household energy consumption and how to save energy in the shower, for example;
We switch on the light. We take a full bath. We take a hot shower. We blow-dry our hair. We shave electrically. We brush our teeth with battery-powered brushes. We wash the laundry and turn on the dryer. This is our daily routine - week after week, year after year. This means that we consume a lot of energy and produce CO2 in the bathroom, and many of us still use real power guzzlers, water guzzlers and gas guzzlers. And it's not always just the big consumers such as heating systems or water heaters.
The bathroom plays a surprisingly important role in our quest for a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Daily routines that we hardly question have a significant impact on our carbon footprint. The positive side is that we have many opportunities to reduce energy consumption.
Tumble dryer and washing machine
It is well known that washing machines and dryers use a lot of electricity: An average washing machine uses 1,000 to 2,000 watts per wash cycle, while a dryer uses up to 3,000 watts, resulting in high energy consumption with regular use. A washing machine with 2,000 watts that runs for one hour three times a week consumes around 312.9 kilowatt hours per year, which at an electricity price of 20.3 cents per kilowatt hour results in annual electricity costs of 63.34 euros.
Electric towel dryer
Electric towel dryers are practical, but their high electricity consumption of around 648 kilowatt hours per year. Thats around double the consumption of a medium-sized refrigerator with freezer compartment, which results in annual CO2 emissions of around 272 kilograms.
Lighting (ceiling, mirror) etc.
Although halogen lamps produce bright light in the bathroom, they consume significantly more electricity than modern LEDs. A conventional halogen lamp with an output of 50 watts, which is switched on for four hours a day, causes annual electricity costs of around 14.79 euros (at an electricity price of 20.3 cents per kilowatt hour). It is therefore advisable to replace old halogen lamps with LEDs.
When purchasing electrical appliances for bathrooms and kitchens, pay attention to the energy efficiency labels A to G (since 2021). A stands for high efficiency and G for low. Whether shower, washing machine, or bathroom mirror with LED lighting. In principle: Compare the energy efficiency classes of all products. The following applies to the others: If you replace just one energy guzzler with an efficient electrical appliance, you can reduce your energy consumption considerably.
That's clear. Many people live in rented apartments and have no influence on whether and which continuous flow heater draws electricity in their bathroom like there's no tomorrow. However, one low-investment change that can be made is replacing items such as the basin tap, hand shower, or shower thermostat.
Compared to old shower models, which can still consume an average of up to 15 liters per minute, the new EcoSmart showers such as pulsify reduce water consumption by up to 40 percent: to 8 l/min, all while maintaining the same level of comfort. The well-being showers with the microfine PowderRain feature impressively low resource consumption. For even more savings, hansgrohe also manufactures showers that reduce consumption by 60 percent to 6 l/min, for example in the Planet Edition range.
In addition to saving energy when showering or washing your hands, there is a lot you can do (or not do) in the bathroom to reduce your energy consumption.
Gone are the days when energy-saving lamps were cold, scary sparkles. A modern LED lighting bathes your interior in warm light – and helps you to reduce energy consumption. What brightens up your mood even more is a mirror with integrated LEDs such as Xarita Lite.
Whether toothbrush or fan heater: please don't leave your household appliances in standby mode 24/7, pull the plug wherever possible.
If possible, avoid electric towel warmers or dryers. It is also not advisable to dry your towel on the radiator, as this warms the towel but leaves the room cold;
This also helps to reduce energy consumption. It is better to use a low level heat for blow-drying – this is also gentle on your scalp
Almost every washing machine has a short cycle option which gets less soiled laundry clean with significantly lower energy consumption. You can wash many things at a cool 30 degrees (instead of 40, 60 or 95 degrees)
During the heating season, you will save more energy if you briefly open the window wide, rather than leaving them slightly tilted for hours on end.
Taking a cooler shower saves a lot of energy over the year. This lowers your bills, boosts your circulation and doesn't dry out your skin like a hot shower does. Alternatively: refreshing alternating showers, i.e. alternating hot and cold showers.
You can also find out how to reduce your footprint in the bathroom in our magazine articles CO2: Take a more climate-friendly shower! and Water consumption bath tub.
Discover even more water-saving tips for your household now.
Replace your old shower head with a water-saving shower head with EcoSmart, which has a limited flow rate. With this clever hansgrohe technology, you use significantly less water – and will also reduce your energy consumption. In EcoSmart+ showers, the flow is even limited to up to 6 liters per minute. The fewer liters flow through the shower head, the less water needs to be heated.
Yes, if you replace your old tap with a CoolStart tap or EcoSmart or EcoSmart+ tap, you can reduce your energy consumption day after day. Because with hansgrohe basin taps with cold water start, hot water only flows when you really need it.
Almost every modern washing machine has short programs that get less soiled laundry clean with significantly lower energy consumption. You can wash many things with a clear conscience at a lukewarm 30 degrees (instead of 40, 60 or 95 degrees);
Be sure to replace old illuminants with new ones. Eco-friendly LED lighting will bathe your interior in warm light – and help you reduce energy consumption. A mirror with integrated LED light, such as Xarita Lite, will also brighten your mood.
Ventilate the bathroom thoroughly all year round to prevent mold from forming. During the heating season, it saves a lot of energy if you open your windows wide for a short time rather than leaving them tilted for hours on end.