Here's some great Tips to Cut down on your Power Bill.On average our Power Bills increases by $300 during winter! That's crazy and I am busily taking actions now to cut this increase to our power bill down! and while I'm at it I want to cut the Summer Bill Down too.
Stay Cool and Keep Costs Down By
1. When buying a new air conditioner make sure you do some research
a) Check the Star Rating - each additional star saves around 15% in running costs. The difference between a 6 star and a 2 star could be $100 in running costs each year.
b) Install the right air conditioner for the requirement needed. This is where getting the assistance from a proffessional can really help. Taking into account the size of the room, directions the windows face and the type of house affect the type of air conditioner that is best suited to your needs.
c) Install ceiling insulation - It is possible to lose up to 30% of your cooling through your ceiling as my husband always say 'we're not air conditioning the whole of australia'
d) Set your air conditioner to recirculate. This prevents it from drawing in the warm air from outside your home. This means it won't be working so hard to keep your home cool.
2. Use a Fan instead of the Air Conditioner.
Fans are a great way to keep a level of comfort without costing the earth. In Fact a fan costs on average 1 cent an hour to run. It cost more to boil the kettle than to run a fan for 1 hour.
a) Ceiling Fans - They don't actually lower the room temperature but they move air over your warm body providing a good level of comfort. No need to leave a fan running when you leave the room.
b) Pedistool Fan - Best for personal use
c) A whole house fan - by installing a whole house fan in your roof. A single fan unit is installed in your roof with a ceiling shutter. Air flows through the house, up through the ceiling shutter into roof space then blown outside.
2. Keep Warm in Winter
a) Choose Curtains, thick curtains, they minimise heat loss during the night.
b) Block off unused fire places
c) Don't heat rooms your not using
d) Keep doors, Curtains and blinds closed in rooms where heating is being used and during the evening
e) Try capturing the suns warmth during the day by opening the curtains and closing them before it gets dark
f) Use a hot water bottle
g) Seal off draughts ie under doors
h) Use an extra blanket instead of an electric blanket
i) Keep heaters away from windows
j) Shower with the windows open to prevent moisture - dry air is easier to heat
k) If you must use a heater set it 20 degrees and use timers.
Hot Water and Appliances
a)Switch off appliances that are being used at the wall, even standby mode uses energy.
b) Install a AAA+ Rated Water Efficient Shower Head.
c) Choose a front loading washing machine
d) Wash full loads
e) Use shorter wash cycles
f) If you need to use a dryer, fill it. It's more efficient to dry a full load.
g) Clean the lint filter after each use.
h) Ventilate dryer to the outside.
i) use cold water for washing
j) Only turn on a full dishwasher and use economy cycle
k) If your dishwasher can heat its own water use this function - it's more efficient than using your hot water system
l) Defrost food naturally instead of in the microwave
m) Use microwave/toaster/other small appliances instead of oven, stove top whenever you can.
n) when using oven avoid opening the door too often - every time you do the temperature drops by up to 15 degrees
o) Fridge and Freezer operate most efficiently when full but not overloaded.
p) Set Freezer at -18 degrees and Fridge at 2-5 Degrees for greatest efficiency.
q) Leave space at back of fridge and freezer for air circulation.
Keep Fridge/Freezer away from stove.
r) Use cold water for the kettle
s) Switch to solar hot water
t) Cut shower times - by cutting your shower by just 3 minutes you can save around $45 per person, per year.
Got some great energy saving tips?
We'd love to hear them!
Bec x
