Should you avoid hot water and switch to dual-zone counters: how and how much you can save

In 2016 as a result of another increase of tariffs for utility services for Ukrainians rose light, hot and cold water, heating. The website “Segodnia” find out whether the Ukrainians install dual meters for electricity and refuse from Central hot water.

In March 2015, the national Commission carrying out regulation in the sphere of energy and utilities (NKREKU), decided to increase the electricity tariff in five stages (resolution No. 220): from 36.6 to 90 cents per kWh (for consumption up to 100 kWh). The last phase will occur in March 2017. At the moment kWh when consuming less than 100 kilowatt is 71.4 penny.

After a rise in price of gas in July 2016, the cost of heating water has increased significantly. As a result, most suppliers were forced to turn to the National Commission to reconsider their rates. So, customers “Kyivenergo” after the revision of the tariff paid per cubic meter of 83.1 instead of 40.9 hryvnia hryvnia. The tariff structure 58% of the cost of gas, 17% – taxes 7% – salaries and only 6% of the cost of the water itself. According to the adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers the rate of consumption, the average family of three uses per month-5 cubic meters of hot water. Under the old tariff, to Kiev, this 204,6 hryvnia (of 40.92 per cubic meter). After the price increase – of 415.5 hryvnia.

How to pay less for the light

To pay for the light can be significantly less. The national Commission adopted a decision to sell the electricity from 23 PM to 7 am two times cheaper. This is done in order to encourage Ukrainians to use more electricity at night and shift the period of peak consumption, which falls on morning, evening and weekend.

To light, consumed by the night, was considered under a separate tariff, you need to install a dual-zone meter for electricity. This meter installation will cost around 1400 USD. For example, a family that consumes 200 kWh of electricity and 25% of the world uses, from 23 p.m. to 7 a.m., every month can save 64,5 hryvnia. Consequently, dual-zone counter to pay for itself in about two years. However, already in March due to the rise of electricity savings from such a counter will make 84 hryvnia per month (metering device to pay for itself in a year and a half). Moreover, if we spend “the night tariff” more than 25% of the light, the payback period two-zone counter will be reduced.

Dual-zone counter. Photo: term.od.ua

Another way of saving with dual-zone meter – charge your house battery at night and electricity use during the day. Then all kilowatts consumed will be two times cheaper. However, it should be a battery of several thousand dollars and, most likely, he may not be recouped.

This kind of battery may benefit in case if it is not recharged from the mains, and using solar panels. According to the state Agency on energy efficiency and energy saving, in 2014 the solar system we have found a total of 20 Ukrainians, and in 2016 – more than 500. The proportion of households not only provide their needs but also sell the light for the “green” tariff. KWh of electricity at the normal rate is 0,7 of the hryvnia, and the “green” and 5.3 of the hryvnia.

However, should such a system are many – from 11 to 13 thousand euros. The Autonomous system (solar panel charging the battery), says the expert of the National ecological centre Maxim Babayev, can never be recouped. It is profitable to install in the case that the house is only built and not connected to electricity.

“The money that will be spent on equipment to be repaid in a very long time. This is advantageous if there is a large plot of land and have a cabin built, but no electricity, that’s when you can put such batteries. To connect to the electricity network from the power companies costs about the same as a stand-alone solar system,” – says the expert.

Is it profitable to install a boiler

The cost of the boiler ranges from 1500 – 7000 UAH. “It depends on power of boiler capacity. In addition, there is a cumulative boilers, and there are pipes for running water. Cumulative allow us to use water even when it is disabled,” – said the expert. Water heater 80 liters and a power of 2500 watts (this volume is enough for a family of three) costs 5000 UAH. A boiler heats water to 65 degrees above zero (the temperature can be choose). To calculate the power consumption, it is necessary to know the time of heating water: T = 0,00116 × tank volume × (final temperature – initial temperature)/ power

See ALSO: How to rent or buy an apartment, not to pay the extra

A boiler for heating 80 gallons of water at 40 degrees spends 1.48 hours and 3.7 kWh of electricity. At the same time to heat a cubic meter of water, have use of 46.25 kWh. If the water to heat on the “night tariff”, the cube will cost 30 hryvnias, while the rate of “Kievenergo” – is 83.1 hryvnia.

If a month to use five cubic meters of water and heat the water on the night rate, per month you can save 184,5 hryvnia. The boiler will be recouped for several years. In March 2017 the light will rise again. If you heat the water the boiler the day cube will cost 46,2 hryvnia.

Electric boiler. Photo: gsr178.ru

As explained by the Manager of DTEK ESKO Sergei Svistun, the apartment owner’s decision about the installation of a boiler depends not only on the rate, but several nuances: for example, how often are shortages of hot water. Matter and such personal factors as the presence of accounting, invoicing for hot water on the number registered in the apartment or on the counter. In addition, in different cities of Ukraine different tariffs for hot water. Therefore, you should always do individual analysis, considered profitable or not.

“We can say with confidence – worldwide district heating is cheaper than individual. What happens to electricity rates, we all see and feel. Therefore, they have to weigh the need for the installation of the boiler”, – said the expert.

An expert in the field of energy efficiency Andrew Iron that your to heat water using electricity inefficiently. “Individual hot water will have the opposite effect. Boiler gas is used for heating water. Power is a secondary resource, the primary (from where we get electricity) – coal, gas, or nuclear energy. Efficiency in primary energy consumption is higher. It turns out that once we use a resource to generate electricity and then use to heat water. From the point of view of ecology it is inefficient,” – says the expert.

We will remind, at the moment in the Verkhovna Rada a bill “On energy efficiency of buildings”. The document says that all Ukrainians at their own expense will be required to conduct energy audits of their homes. And for those who want to sell or rent housing, will have to issue the energy performance certificate. According to the MP Alyona Babak, in Western Europe, tenants always pay attention to the energy efficiency class of the building, parliamentarians plan to extend this practice in Ukraine. “In Europe people, when leases an apartment, he looks at the energy efficiency class of this housing. Because people understand that the rent may be small, but come the heating bills, water etc. and we want to do it in Ukraine”, – says Alyona Babak. However, to deal with the issues of energy security and their own comfort, using the above tips, even before the adoption of the law.

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