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1. |
Insulation can halve your heating cost.
If your home isn't insulated, you're losing around 40% of your heat through the ceiling, 30% through the walls, 20% through the floor. You can halve this loss by insulating. Do each job separately if your budget is tight - ceilings now, walls after etc. It pays to obtain quotes from several insulators before you decide. Insulating your floors with foil is a cheap and easy to do yourself, so if nothing else consider doing that. |
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2. |
How to choose the insulation that will save you the most.
All insulation materials have stated "R-Value" the higher it is, the less heat it allows to escape. |
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3. |
Buy the right heater.
The size and type of heater can make a big difference to your power bill. Although some large heaters cost more to buy, many of them use less power than the smaller ones do. A radiant heater is more suitable for heating people, while a space heater will heat the room. |
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4. |
Capture natures own economic warmth.
The more windows you have facing the sun, the more natural warmth you'll enjoy and the less heating power you'll pay for. |
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5. |
Thermostats and timers mean heaters use less power.
And actually give you more comfort allowing greater control over room temperature. Thermostats control the amount of power your heater uses by switching off when the room reaches the temperature you want, on again when it falls below. Timers can automatically turn your heater off some time before you go to bed (you won't notice any difference) and on again before you rise. Both can be purchased separately to your heater, work with older heaters and are easy to use - your heater plugs into them, they plug into your three pin socket. This keeps the thermostat away from your heater, and consequently more sensitive to "real" room temperature than the heaters own thermostat. |
| 6. |
Seal your windows.
And doors - sealing compounds and weather strips are easy to use, cheap and make a big difference to the amount of heat that stays in your room, and that which escapes out your doors and windows. If you are only heating one room of your house consider a draught stopper to block the gap at the bottom of internal doors. |
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| 7. |
Use your curtains scientifically.
Warmth escapes through your windows at night but comes in during the day - make your curtains work for you by drawing them closed earlier each evening (keeping sun's warmth in longer) and opening them earlier in the morning. |
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| 8. |
How trees can cut your power bill.
Plant out chilling winds. Trees planted to shelter your home from prevailing winds are an investment. once grown they will reduce the amount of heat you need to pay for. Don't plant out the sun. |
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| 9. |
A heat pump uses only one third the power that your heater does.
A heat pump is a heater and air conditioner combined. In winter the heat pump picks up heat outside your home and pumps it inside, enabling you to heat your home so efficiently you get by on less than one third the power you normally would using a heater. In summer a heat pump acts as a healthy air conditioner, cooling and cleaning your air.
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| 10. |
A dry home keeps your power bill down.
This is simply because a dry, well aired home is easier to heat. Condensation makes your home cold and quickly causes unsightly, unhealthy mould and mildew. If keeping curtains open during the day and opening a window or door makes no difference, consider using a dehumidifier. |
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| 11. |
Check that your ajax valve isn't robbing you blind.
Faulty ajax valves are the worst power wasters of all. If hot water is leaking on to your roof, chances are you have a faulty ajax valve - the worst power waster - yet an easy, low cost job for any plumber to fix. |
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12. |
Don't let a leaking hot tap fool you.
Just one leaking hot tap will use $50 unnecessary power in one year - how much money do you waste this way? Leaking hot taps are the second worst power wasters, yet changing tap washers is not difficult, if unsure, ask at your hardware store and remember the brown washers are for hot water, the blue ones for cold. |
| 13. |
Insulate your hot water pipes to prevent heat loss.
If the outlet pipe from your cylinder is exposed, then your hot water cylinder is losing more heat in the first meter than at any other stage. This is easily fixed with pipe insulation from your hardware store. |
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| 14. |
Are your hot water pipes too long?
If your cylinder is poorly sited, your hot water pipes may be too long. Any plumber can confirm this for you. It's important to remember that you are filling your entire pipe before any hot water comes out the tap, so the longer the pipe the more hot water you waste. |
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| 15. |
Don't overheat your water cylinder.
Use a thermometer to check the temperature at the tap. If over 55°C, it's too hot and you're paying for more power than you ought to. DON'T ADJUST IT YOURSELF, live wires are exposed in your cylinders thermostat housing! Having a consumer - adjustable thermostat fitted will allow you to safely change your temperature. |
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| 16. |
Cylinder wraps cut down heat loss.
If you use your hot water cupboard to dry clothes, chances are you are wasting energy from your hot water cylinder and need a cylinder wrap. A fibre-glass cylinder wrap (one size fits all) insulates your hot water cylinder, reducing the amount of heat that escapes through its walls. Cylinder wraps are available at most building supply merchants and unless your cylinder is tricky to get at, you can fit your own. |
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| 17. |
Fix your shower.
If your hot water use is consistently higher than you expected, or you are often running out of hot water, then you should check the water flow rate of your shower.
Hold a bucket under the shower rose at your normal settings for 15 seconds. Measure how many litres of water are in the bucket and multiply the volume by 4, to work out how many litres per minute you are using. More than 12 litres per minute is a waste. To slow this volume down, either use your shower settings to lower the amount of water coming through your shower rose, or get a plumber to install a flow restrictor.
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| 18. |
Only boil what you need.
You don't need to boil a full jug of water if you only want one cup of tea or coffee. And use the cold tap to fill the jug instead of hot. Remember you'll be filling your entire pipe before any hot water comes out the tap and it is much more economical to use the jugs element to heat the water. |
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| 19. |
Use your microwave - it's a real power bill saver.
Most microwaves will use 70% less power than your stove, and microwaved food can be better for you and taste better, if you use the correct recipes. This is simple because less water is used in cooking, meaning fewer vitamins, minerals, nutrients and natural salts are lost from your food. Buy a microwave cook book and try cooking more in your microwave. You'll be astonished by the taste and the economy. |
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20. |
Use the right pots.
Be sure to use your big pots on your big elements, and your small pots on small elements. A good rule of thumb is to always use a pot that completely covers the hot plate. Keep lids on pots and pans when cooking. |
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| 21. |
Replace faulty oven thermostats.
If you have a feeling that your oven thermostat is faulty but have put off fixing it until now because of the cost, think again - without accurate temperature control your oven wastes power, and will soon cost you more than having your thermostat replaced. |
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| 22. |
Try gently cooking your vegetables.
Try using a little less water, then once the pot boils, turn the elements down keeping the lid on to create steam. Cooking this way keeps in more goodness and taste, and keeps your power bill down. |
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| 23. |
Don't heat up your fridge.
Allow food to cool before placing it in the fridge as your fridge has to work harder to cool hot food. Fridges and freezers are also more efficient if kept full. Consider moving your fridge if it's located close to the oven or stovetop.
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| 24. |
Replace your worn fridge and oven door seals.
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The heat you have generated in your oven and the cold you have generated in your fridge will quickly escape if the door seals on those appliances are old and worn. This forces your appliances to work too hard, always having to quickly replace the heat (or cold) as it escapes and of course this pushes up your power use.
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Keep your fridge at an optimum temperature - between -2° and -5° for fridges and -18° for freezers.
- Allow space around your fridge/freezer for air to circulate.
- Close doors on your fridge/freezer as quickly as possible.
- Allow your food to cool before putting it in your fridge.
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| 25. |
Full loads for dishwasher economy.
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| 26. |
Switch off your computer when it's not being used.
Just as you wouldn't leave your television running if you weren't watching it, it won't harm your computer if you turn it off, and it will save you money on your power bill.
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| 27. |
If you can upgrade your appliances, do so.
New appliances use less power than older ones (almost without exception), so if you can afford to, spend your money on an appliance that uses less power and makes your life easier. Look for an appliance with energy rating details.
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| 28. |
Choose the right water level for your wash.
There's no point wasting hot water, so when washing your clothes, check the water level control on your washing machine. Smaller loads need less hot water.
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| 29. |
Running it half empty is just as bad.
Many people are unaware that it takes as much power to wash one hanky as it does to wash a full load of muddy winter clothes. Wait until you have a full load before running your washing machine.
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| 30. |
Wash in cold water whenever possible.
Wash clothes in cold water whenever you can, especially in winter, and you will save more of your power money for the things you need it for, like heating, cooking and hot baths. Most cold water soap powders will clean clothes adequately. What's more, most appliance manufacturers recommend them. |
| 31. |
A well ventilated dryer uses less power.
Your dryer needs dry air to replace the damp air it expels from your clothes. If filters and air intakes are clogged or your laundry is not well ventilated (open outside door or window), your dryer is forced to draw in the same damp air it has just expelled - drying takes longer, your power bill is higher, and your dryer wears out long before its time. on sunny days hang your clothes on the line to dry. |
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| 32. |
Try drying your clothes more gently.
You can do this quite simply by selecting a lower heat on your dryer. Overdrying separates clothing from protective water molecules too fast, causing your clothes to wear out before they should. Cooler dryer settings will also give you a healthier, softer wash, one that needs less ironing - your clothes will last longer and you'll spend less on power. |
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| 33. |
Energy efficient light bulbs use 80% less power than standard bulbs.
Last eight times longer, and provide just as much light. This is especially good news for older people who want security lighting, but worry about the cost, and young families who leave lights on at night.
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