How to Save on the Electricity Bill in a Second Home?

In Spain, more than 25% of families own a second home. Lowering the cost of electricity in second homes is a common concern for many users.

You may go to your second home every weekend, or you may only do it in summer. Be that as it may, there are some measures you can take to prevent the cost of light from skyrocketing .

What is clear is that the consumption of your beach house and your habitual residence are not the same. Therefore, you do not need the same rates as at home . The needs of one house or another are different, so it is important to find the rate that best suits each of them.

Is it possible to reduce the cost of electricity in your second residence? The answer is yes. At Gana Energía, we always recommend thoroughly reviewing the electricity rate for the second residence in order to optimize the electricity bill as much as possible . Read on to find out how to do it and how to improve your electrical contract in your vacation home.

Review the contracted power

Explained in a simple way, the electrical power marks the amount of electrical appliances that we can have connected at the same time without the light going out. It is a fixed expense on your bill that you pay regardless of whether you consume or not . Therefore, it is important to know how to calculate the power of light you need to hire.

In most homes, adjusting the contracted power is a saving measure in the electricity bill. More if possible in a second residence. Despite this, it is something that we usually put aside. Either due to ignorance or neglect as it is not our usual home.

Many vacation homes are empty for much of the year. Therefore, no consumption is being made nor will it be necessary to have a power that is too high. If this is your case, you can consider lowering the power during the season that you are not at home and raising it again when you return.

However, you must bear in mind that if you go on a weekend you will have the power limited to what you have contracted at that time and you may miss the light if you exceed the limit. Lowering the power of the light is recommended if the house is empty for most of the year.

When you go to spend the holidays or if you usually go to your second residence, you should bear in mind that on vacation our consumption habits tend to change . In a summer house we usually make a greater consumption by the pool or the air conditioning. Therefore, you should carefully assess the electrical power you need in your vacation home.

In addition, you should know that normally adjusting the power has a cost that your distributor charges you. Now, you can take advantage of the two free changes in electrical power that the Government allows until June 2022 as a result of the new rate regulation.

Reduce electricity consumption in your second residence

The cost of electricity in a second residence will depend on the consumption made. As we said, on vacation our habits tend to change. We use air conditioning more and relax more with energy saving measures.

For example, if you have an apartment on the beach or in areas with high temperatures, surely you make more use of the air conditioning that can shoot up the cost . Therefore, it is advisable to use efficient appliances and LED lighting that will considerably reduce consumption.

When the holidays are over and you leave the house, it is best to turn down the switches on the light box. In this way, you will avoid the phantom consumption of the devices that remain connected in standby. If you are going to be a long period without returning to your vacation home, you should empty the refrigerator and disconnect all the appliances.

Avoid additional services

Have you ever looked at the electricity bill for your second home? Many companies include additional services such as payment insurance or maintenance services . Take a good look at whether your company is charging you every month for these services that you rarely use.

At Gana Energía, we are not in favor of including any additional service to your electricity bill. Many times, these concepts are services that are not usually used and that make the bill more expensive . This is how we manage to offer you a simple contract with no surprise costs.

Turn off the light?

If you only spend a few days a year in your summer apartment or chalet, you may be considering turning off the power. This is not always a good idea since re-registration has a cost .

Dismissing the light has no cost, but re-registering it does. Specifically, you must pay for access, extension and down payment rights that can absorb the savings you can get by turning off the electricity.

This option is profitable only if you are going to spend more than a year without visiting your second home. But if you usually go several weeks or months a year, turning off the light is not worth it .

Choose the best electricity rate for your second residence

The last point in our review of how to save on the electricity bill in your second home is to choose the electricity rate that best suits your vacation home . Remember that, since we do not give the same use to the second residence as to the habitual residence, they do not have to have the same contracted rate either.

To do this, you must take into account several factors such as the price of the kWh. In this case, the best option is the electricity rates at cost price . At Gana Energía, we have verified that the indexed price allows you to save up to 11% compared to flat rates.

You should also look at the contracting conditions : if they charge you for additional services, the duration of the contract, the small print after the big discounts and promotions … We have no permanence and we offer you cheap electricity rates and a personalized service. We are by your side both at home and in your second residence.