Are you looking for ways to reduce your energy bills? Everyone wants to save money. Reducing your energy usage is a popular topic as it can save you a lot of money in the long term. Knowing how to effectively save energy is a useful tool for reducing your overall energy bills. There are a number of ways to save energy. When you search the internet, you will find that there are heaps of tips and tricks to help keep your energy bills down. Using less energy around your home is not only good for your wallet but is great for the environment too. Some tips may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often they are overlooked. Making small changes to the way you use energy could make a big difference to your energy bill.
Heating and cooling
Let’s start off with heating and cooling tips. We all know that heating and cooling your whole house can be very expensive. The use of heaters and air conditioners can contribute to a significant amount of your energy bill. It is estimated that the average Australian home uses 40% of its energy on heating and cooling. One of the most important and easy tips is to wear the right clothes. Instead of turning on the air conditioner or heater during those cold or hot days, dress for the temperature. When it is cold, layering clothes will keep you warmer and can also prevent you from turning on your heater at all. Wearing more layers can also allow you to turn your heater to a lower temperature.
Wearing clothes with wool can help you keep you warm during winter as well. Wool is known to keep you warm as it has air gaps within the fibres. These air gaps act as a barrier and prevent the loss of body heat to the surrounding cold air. When it’s hot, instead of using your air conditioner, use your fan instead. We understand that using your fan may not as be effective in keeping you cool, but it will save you a lot of money. Unless the temperature hits 30 degrees Celsius, try and use your fan to stay cool. If you are considering purchasing an air conditioner try and look for energy saving air conditioners. Inverter type air conditioners are sized, installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. These types of air conditioners use up to 40% less energy than other air conditioners.
If you decide to use your heating or cooling appliance, where possible, shut your doors. Shutting your doors to areas you are not using and only using the appliances in the rooms you spend the most time in will save energy. By blocking draughts around doors and windows, this can stop air leaking in and out. Installing special purpose-built windows and door seals stops the cold and hot air from escaping outside. It is also important to make sure your curtains and blinds seal your windows properly. Keeping your curtains closed at night and during the day when there is a heatwave will reduce the temperature in your home. Closing your curtains and blinds during hot days keeps the sunlight and heat from your home. In winter, heating can account for over 30% of your energy bill. This is a significantly large percentage. You may be unaware, but every degree above 20 can add 10% to your heating bill. To save energy, set your thermostat between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius.
In summer, set your thermostat to 26 degrees Celsius or above. Do not forget to turn off your heaters and coolers when you do not need them. This could be when you are leaving your room, your house or when you are going to bed. This may be a simple step to turn off any unnecessary appliances; however, sometimes it is easy to forget. We acknowledge that some houses with ducted heating systems are able to choose where the heat goes. So a good way to save on energy bills is to heat the living areas during the day when in use and the bedrooms at night. Always close the doors to the rooms you are not using so the heat stays in.
Hot water
Apart from heaters and air conditioners, you can save even more energy by reducing the use of hot water in your home. Hot water uses approximately 25% of your home’s energy and it is the largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions. The simplest way to reduce the use of hot water is to stick to short showers. Taking less than 5-minute showers will save you water, energy and money. Sometimes it can be difficult to have quick showers, especially for those who need to wash their hair and that can take up to 10 minutes or more. But keeping your showers as quick as possible will significantly reduce your electricity bills. If you have a standard showerhead, it’s a good idea to switch to a 3-star rated showerhead. You could reduce your hot water usage by half.
Do you have heated towel rails in your bathroom? If so, did you know that they can cost up to $200 a year in energy? Heated towel rails may be something you may want to ditch in order to save on your bills. Even though they are great in warming up and drying your towels, they are a luxury that you may not need if you are trying to save money. You can even save on your hot water usage by using cold water when washing your clothes. By using cold water, you can save around $115 per year when washing your clothes. Making sure you choose the shortest appropriate washing cycle can help save as well.
Household appliances
Other appliances around your home apart from your washing machine that can save on energy, is your fridge. Your fridge is one of the few appliances that are always on, making it one of your most expensive appliances. It is crucial to make sure the door is sealed tight and free from gaps. This ensures that cold air cannot escape. If you have a second fridge or freezer, it is ideal to only turn it on when you need it. Set your fridge’s temperature between 3 to 5 degrees Celsius and your freezer between -15 to -18 degrees Celsius. These temperatures are ideal for your fridge and freezer because every degree lower uses around 5% more energy. When looking for a new fridge, choose a 4-star model. Choosing 4-star fridge models will save you about $60 each year than the average 2-star rated fridge. Being aware and cautious as to what type of appliance you are buying will definitely help you out in the future. Spending a little more on a higher energy-efficient fridge can save you in the long run.
Lastly, with any appliance or gadget connected to a power point in your home, you can save a lot of energy by switching off the power from the wall. Whether your TV, computer or game console is left on standby mode, those appliances are still using energy even if they are not turned on. When not in use, you should make it a habit of switching all appliances off at the wall.
Who to call?
There are much more ways to saving energy such as using energy-efficient light globes, using electric kettles rather than the stove, and the list goes on and on. Being energy cautious in your home is the first step to reducing your power bills.
With A Live Electrical Services, we can help you save energy. You can begin saving and reducing your electricity bill by following the simple steps we have discussed. We have over 25 years of experience and expertise as being one of Perth’s most trusted electricians. We offer a wide range of electrical services at affordable prices. If you are in need of installing your new inverter air conditioner, our professional team can help you out.
A Live Electrical Service can assist you in installing energy saving light bulbs. Switching to LED light bulbs or compact light bulbs could save you up to 80% of energy per globe. Replace your old incandescent and halogen light bulbs. Energy-efficient bulbs last longer and save power. If you are working on a new project, we can help you with domestic and commercial electrical work. Our electrical services are not limited to maintenance work, renovations, main upgrades, and rewiring. With many years in the industry, we provide you with reliable service where you never have to worry about the quality of work. All our electricians are fully qualified and have the necessary tools and resources to get the job done. We make sure that quality workmanship and your safety is our number one priority.
At A Live Electrical Services, we guarantee your satisfaction and warranty all our second to none workmanship. Contact us to discuss how we can help you save on your energy bills. Discover the difference of our quality and timely service today!
