Reduce your energy bills this winter

26 Apr 2019

Reduce-bills-teaser.jpg Hands up who’s already cranked the heater this autumn? Well, we did have one of the coldest April days on record just recently.
There’s no doubt your energy bill will spike over winter, but there are certainly some small changes you can make to lessen the pain!
 
             Warm up with winter accessories
When you start to feel a chill as the season turns, there are things you can do before turning on the heating.  Pull out an extra couple throws for the living room, make your bed with winter blankets and even think about adding an area rug to help insulate the floor.

•             Home heating
On the hunt for a new heating system? When purchasing, always consider the size of the area you need it to warm. A unit that suits the size of the space will heat it more efficiently and you can run it for less time before feeling a difference.
Make the energy rating of the air conditioning unit one of your top priorities, as it will help keep costs down in the long run.
Concentrate on heating only the rooms that need it. Heating your home during winter accounts for up to 40% of household energy usage. However, you can keep this number down by keeping your heating at approximately 21-22 degrees. Be mindful not to overheat your home as every degree above this adds about another 10% to your heating costs.
 
•             Keep the warmth in
During summer, cross-ventilation and taking advantage of the breeze could be a lifesaver on those hot days. How-ever, during the cooler months, it’s time to get smart about locking the warmth in. Close windows and doors to the main areas that you are heating, and draw curtains and blinds closed to aid in insulation.
 
             Time your heater
Minimise your energy bills by using your air conditioning or heater in the most efficient way. If it is programmable, we suggest pre-empting the coldest parts of the day or night so you’re not cranking the air conditioning to combat the cold. This will ensure your home stays warm and cosy, whilst still using your heater in the most economical way.
 
•             Cut down your hot showers
Hot water can add hefty costs to your power bills, with it often accounting for a third of the average household’s energy use. So, for the sake of your hip pocket, resist the temptation for longer showers this winter to keep your hot water usage down. If you’re serious about savings, you could even purchase a water-efficient shower head that uses 72% less hot water than an unrated showerhead, which uses up to 25 litres of water per minute!
 
•             Put your ceiling fan into winter mode
Don’t be fooled, ceiling fans aren’t just for summer! Many have a switch which will allow you to change between summer and winter modes, usually located above the blades. This permits the fan to operate in reverse, forcing the warm air that has risen, down into the room to cycle with the cooler air. This will warm up your rooms in winter without having to use a heater. For the best outcome, we recommend keeping your fan on a low speed.
 
•             Cup of tea, anyone?
Did you know a full kettle costs more to boil than to run a ceiling fan for an hour? Yikes!
If you use your kettle several times throughout the day, making tea, coffee or even filling your hot water bottle, we suggest ensuring that you only put water in the kettle as you need it rather than filling it all the way to the top. Boiling smaller amounts could save you more than your think!
 

Back to blog