Gas consumption in summer can also be reduced using household appliances.
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf The consumer advice center of North Rhine-Westphalia welcomes the plans for saving gas by Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens). “The wake-up call is just right,” said Udo Sieverding, Head of Energy, the Handelsblatt.
He thinks it’s good that Habeck has launched a campaign so that everyone can get involved. It is true that private gas consumption is lower in summer than in autumn and winter. But on average, with a little effort, every household can save ten percent in gas consumption per year, according to Sieverding.
In view of the reduced delivery volumes of gas from Russia via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, various measures to reduce gas consumption are under discussion. The largest part of the responsibility lies with gas power plant operators and in the industry, stressed consumer advocate Sieverding. Households on the subsistence level may not be able to use the sometimes expensive savings tips. But: “Everything that can be done should be done now,” demands Sieverding.
How can private households save gas?
Even if there is no heating in summer, private households can do a lot to reduce their gas consumption. In this way, consumers can reduce their electricity consumption and thus indirectly contribute to the fact that less gas has to be used to generate electricity in gas-fired power plants.
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On the other hand, there are a number of small saving measures that can be taken in the summer to be better prepared for the colder seasons. “If you don’t do anything now, you might be annoyed about it in winter,” says consumer advocate Sieverding. Because next winter it will “be really expensive, possibly with a shortage”.
An important step is to manually switch older heating systems to summer mode. “Especially landlords forget that from time to time,” says Sieverding.
Anyone who can organize a plumber should also take care of a hydraulic balance of the heating. This ensures that the right amount of water can flow through all radiators. Because with many heaters, the circulation is not optimally adjusted.
Prepare early for the next winter
When it comes to saving electricity, it’s less about turning off the light, because on average, lighting only accounts for a small proportion of the electricity bill. More important is the technical equipment in the household, i.e. more economical refrigerators, washing machines or freezers. However, many households cannot easily afford such investments.
There are also lower-threshold options for reducing gas consumption during the heating period. Old thermostats would have to be replaced because the heating can be regulated more efficiently with electronic thermostats, according to the consumer advocate.
Another problem is uninsulated heating pipes in the basement. If the basement is outside the heating surface, the basement will be heated up unnecessarily, according to Sieverding. The energy expert advises households to insulate the pipes there themselves. Insulating the basement ceiling is also a sensible measure.
Sieverding warns that consumers still have enough time for such measures. And these steps are still moderate compared to a more serious situation. In the event of a gas emergency, other measures would come into play that no one wants to imagine right now.
Then, for example, a specification for heating up to a maximum of 20 degrees would be conceivable. In order to forestall such strict measures and to avoid a nasty surprise in winter, consumers should take action in their own homes now, advises Sieverding.
More: Heat properly: This is how consumers can reduce their dependency on natural gas
