Between air conditioning in summer, the water heater in winter and lighting all year round, your electricity bill in Morocco can climb fast. The good news: you can save electricity without giving up comfort, simply by changing a few settings and choosing the right equipment. Here are 12 practical tips to reduce your air conditioner consumption, control your water heater consumption and switch to efficient lighting, whether you live in Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez, Agadir, Oujda or Driouch.
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Understand your electricity bill in Morocco before you act
In Morocco, residential electricity is billed in monthly consumption brackets: the more you use in a month, the more each kilowatt-hour can cost. Every kWh you save therefore counts twice: it lowers the bill and can keep you from moving up into a higher bracket.
The big consumers are almost always the same: appliances that produce cold or heat (air conditioner, electric water heater, heater, oven), followed by lighting and devices on standby. First step: read your meter at the start and end of a week without AC, then of a week when it is running. The difference shows you right away where to act.
Air conditioner consumption: 5 tips to pay less
Tip 1: set the thermostat between 24 and 26 °C in summer
Every degree lower makes the compressor work harder. A setting around 25 °C is usually enough to stay cool when it is very hot outside. Setting 18 °C does not cool the room faster: the unit just runs longer. In heating mode in winter, aim for 19 to 21 °C instead. The Sleep mode found on many remote controls softens the setting during the night.
Tip 2: choose a correctly sized Inverter air conditioner
An Inverter air conditioner varies the speed of its compressor: it pushes hard at start-up, then slows down to hold the temperature, instead of constantly stopping and restarting like an On/Off model. It is the technology to favour for a room used several hours a day. At Brico MIM you will find, for example, the Thomson Inverter 12000 BTU heating and cooling (from 3,650 DH) or the Carrier Confort Smart Green Inverter 12,000 BTU and AMBI Inverter R32 12,000 BTU ranges (price on quote).
Watch the sizing: a unit that is too small runs flat out all the time, while one that is too powerful runs short, uncomfortable cycles. Choose the capacity (BTU) according to the room's size, sun exposure and insulation, and feel free to ask us for advice. The full range is in our air conditioners collection.
Tip 3: clean the filters regularly
Clogged filters restrict airflow, so the unit has to work harder for the same result. During heavy use, dusting them every 2 to 4 weeks is a good habit (vacuum or lukewarm water, dry completely before refitting). Also keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, plastic bags and dust. The step-by-step method is in our article air conditioner maintenance: cleaning filters and common faults.
Tip 4: keep the cool air inside
- Close shutters and curtains on the sunny side during the hottest hours.
- Keep doors and windows shut while the AC is running, and only cool the rooms you are using.
- Check window seals and door bottoms: every hot-air leak makes the unit work harder.
- Under an exposed terrace or roof, insulation and shading (pergola, shade sail, plants) make a real difference.
- Place the outdoor unit in the shade if possible, but never enclosed: it must be able to release its heat.
- Air the house early in the morning or late in the evening, when the outside air is cooler.
Tip 5: schedule your AC instead of leaving it on
The most common waste is an air conditioner cooling an empty room. Use the remote's timer, or control your AC from your phone with the MOES Smart IR Remote (620 DH): it replaces the infrared remote, shows the room's temperature and humidity and lets you schedule on and off by time or temperature. You switch the AC on shortly before you get home instead of leaving it running all day.
Water heater: 4 tips to reduce consumption
Tip 6: choose the right energy source
An electric storage water heater is easy to install, but it keeps its tank hot using electricity. A gas water heater only heats when you open the tap, and a solar water heater heats water with the sun, a real advantage in a country as sunny as Morocco. Our comparison electric, gas or solar water heater: which one to choose? details the pros of each.
- Solar: Solamed 200 L with 1 panel (from 11,500 DH) or Bosch 200 L CBS020 (from 17,900 DH).
- Gas: StarLux automatic 6 L (from 799 DH) or Bosch automatic 11 L/min (from 2,880 DH).
- Smarter electric: the Ariston Velis EVO 50 L (from 3,950 DH) with its ECO EVO function that learns your habits to save energy.
Tip 7: set the thermostat sensibly
A tank set to maximum loses more heat and scales up faster. A temperature of around 55 to 60 °C is generally a good balance between comfort and hygiene. On the other hand, avoid keeping stored water lukewarm all the time, as this is not advisable from a health point of view. Also insulate hot-water pipes that run through cold areas (garage, terrace, crawl space).
Tip 8: heat at the right time, with the right capacity
There is no point keeping a large tank hot all day if the family showers in the evening. The Shelly 1PM Gen3 relay (280 DH), installed by an electrician behind the water heater switch, controls a circuit of up to 16 A at 240 V and offers 20 schedules: you set heating time slots and switch the tank off during holidays, even remotely. As for capacity, match the volume to the number of people in the household: an oversized tank keeps water hot that nobody uses.
Tip 9: descale and check the anode
Limescale, very common in the water of many cities, builds up on the heating element and acts as an insulator: it takes more energy to heat the same amount of water. Regular descaling and anode checks, depending on how hard your water is, also extend the life of the tank. Leave this to a professional if you are not comfortable with electrical and plumbing work.
Lighting: 2 easy tips
Tip 10: switch to LED everywhere
An LED bulb gives as much light as an incandescent or halogen bulb at a much lower wattage, and lasts longer. Start with the lights that stay on the longest: living room, kitchen, hallway and outdoors. For the garden, the 9W garden wall light DL-GL220009 (600 DH), the Ester 500 FUMAGALLI LED bollard (410 DH) or the 250 mm garden globe with 9W LED lamp (170 DH) combine design with low power.
Tip 11: go solar and use schedules outdoors
To light up a path or a flower bed, solar simply removes the consumption: the FERRI PJN-18J solar LED garden stake (110 DH) is pushed into the ground, recharges in the sun during the day and lights up in the evening, with no cable or trench. For wired lighting (facade, gate, parking), a Shelly relay lets you schedule on/off times so the lights do not stay on until morning. See all models in our outdoor lighting collection.
Tip 12: hunt down standby power and measure your consumption
Internet box, TV receiver, television, chargers, game console: each uses little on standby, but all together and 24/7 it ends up showing on the bill. Plug them into switched power strips and turn them off at night or when you are away.
Above all, measure instead of guessing. The Shelly 1PM Gen3 (1 channel, 16 A) and Shelly 2PM Gen3 (2 channels, 395 DH) relays have built-in voltage and current measurement: the app shows the circuit's real consumption live. You finally know what your water heater costs each month and can spot an appliance drawing more than it should. These relays are wired on an installation that has been switched off first: have an electrician do the connection. To go further, read smart home in Morocco: where to start? and explore our smart home collection.
Summary table: what to do, appliance by appliance
| Appliance | Free adjustments | Helpful equipment | At Brico MIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air conditioner | Set 24 to 26 °C, Sleep mode, doors closed, clean filters | Inverter air conditioner, smart remote | Thomson Inverter, Carrier Inverter, MOES Smart IR |
| Water heater | Thermostat around 55 to 60 °C, descaling, insulated pipes | Solar, instant gas, programmable relay | Solamed, Bosch, StarLux, Ariston Velis EVO, Shelly 1PM |
| Lighting | Switch off empty rooms, use natural light | LED, solar lighting, scheduled times | FERRI stakes, LED wall lights, FUMAGALLI bollards |
| Standby | Switched power strips, turn everything off when away | Per-circuit consumption monitoring | Shelly 1PM Gen3, Shelly 2PM Gen3 |
Brico MIM tip: start with the biggest consumer. In many homes, that is the AC in summer and the electric water heater in winter. A Shelly relay with monitoring fitted on the water heater for a month will tell you exactly how much it uses: the best basis for deciding whether to schedule it, lower the temperature or switch to solar or gas.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Inverter air conditioner really use less?
For comparable use, an Inverter avoids repeated compressor stops and restarts and adjusts its power to demand, which makes it more economical than an On/Off model, especially when it runs for long periods. The actual saving depends on the room's insulation, the chosen setting and how well the filters are maintained.
Should I switch off the electric water heater at night?
Switching the tank off during a long absence is useful. Day to day, it is better to schedule heating slots that match your shower times rather than switching it on and off by hand, while keeping a temperature high enough for hygiene.
How do I know how much my AC or water heater uses?
The rating plate shows the appliance's power, but real consumption depends on use. Read your meter before and after a period of use, or install a Shelly 1PM or 2PM Gen3 relay that shows the circuit's consumption in real time.
Do you deliver everywhere in Morocco?
Yes, Brico MIM delivers to every city in Morocco, with cash on delivery.
Cut your bill starting this season
Inverter air conditioners, solar and gas water heaters, Shelly relays with energy monitoring: our advisers help you choose on WhatsApp.
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