Energy saving tips for home

Energy saving tips for home

Contents 1 Heating and cooling 2 Computers, TVs and general appliances 4 Kitchen and cooking 6 Washing and drying 8 Lighting 9 Outdoors 9 We re all looking for ways to cut back on our energy use and save money. By thinking more about what uses the most power, you can find some easy ways to lower your electricity bill. Energy savings can be made throughout your home. Follow these simple tips for different parts of your home. You ll be surprised how much you can save! 1

Heating and Cooling Heating and cooling contributes a lot to your energy costs. To save, try some of these simple tips: Set your air conditioner to 18-20 C in winter and at 24 C in summer. Each degree difference costs you more. When it gets cooler reach for a blanket or jumper before turning on the heater and try using a pedestal fan or ceiling fans to cool your home before switching on the air conditioner. Heating or cooling your home slowly is more efficient. Try running your air conditioner or heater earlier at a lower setting rather than switching it on at a higher setting for instant comfort. Make the most of the free rays from the sun to heat your home. In cooler months, open curtains to let heat in, especially on the north side of your home and close them before the day begins to cool, to keep the warmth in. If you come home to a hot house, open doors and windows to flush out hot air before switching on your air conditioner. Help the air to flow around your house by opening doors and windows or by turning on ceiling fans. Open up your house at night to allow most of the heat to escape when its cooler. Close doors to rooms which are not being used so you don t waste money heating or cooling them. Clean the outdoor air conditioner unit regularly because dirt can decrease the unit s efficiency and cost you more money. Clean your air conditioner filters regularly. Draughts can reduce the effectiveness of your heating, so seal off any draughts and install draught stoppers under doors to keep warm air in. Wearing warm clothes will cost less than turning up your heater. Use extra blankets on your bed or while sitting in the lounge room to stay warm at night to avoid turning up the heater. If possible, use ceiling fans at low speed or switch on the winter setting to circulate warm air. Is your house insulated? If not, investigate doing this - it will save you a lot of money on heating and cooling costs. In summer set your aircon to a sensible 24⁰C. Any lower is a waste of energy. 2 3

Computers, TVs and general appliances The power used by your computers and TVs can add up. Try some of these simple tips to save money and energy in your home. Standby power Many appliances use standby power when you re not actually using them. Here are some energy saving tips to help you reduce your electricity use: Turn appliances off at the powerpoint. If this is not convenient, then use the off switch on the appliance. Encourage the kids to turn off game consoles, computers, phones and their other devices when they are not using them. When they are charging them, remind them to switch off the charger at the wall when their device has full power. If your household has more than one TV, try a new rule only one television can be on at certain times. It s a great way to bring the family closer together. Try having a no TV or no computer night once a month or more often. Bring out a board game and save on power at the same time. Use a power board to switch everything off at once, or consider buying one with individual switches that allows you to control each device. Choose an energy efficient TV Things to think about when buying a new TV: LCD and LED screens use less energy than plasma screens. Check out the new TVs with eco settings to help reduce your energy use. The larger the screen, generally the more power it will use. Computers and communications Most of us have at least one computer in our home. Some simple ways to help reduce the energy you use on these devices include: Activate the standby or hibernation mode when you re away from your computer for more than a few minutes. Turn off the computer when you finish using it because it will use power even when the screen is black. Turn off printers, scanners, modems and other devices at the wall when not in use. Adjust your computer s power settings: reduce the amount of time before the screen saver comes on, or before your computer goes into hibernation mode. Generally, these settings can be found in the control panel. Switch off laptop and mobile phone chargers at the powerpoint when you don t need to charge many use standby power even when they are not charging. Buying new appliances Put some thought into the appliances you are purchasing to save money. If you re buying new appliances, look for the energy star label to ensure you get an energy efficient model. The more stars, the more efficient the appliance. The initial purchase price of some appliances may be a little higher than others, so it pays to compare their ongoing running cost. It may only take a couple of years to recoup that higher purchase price through savings in energy costs. 4 5

Kitchen and cooking If you have an electric stove, there are some simple ways to save energy and money in your kitchen. Cooking Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator before you need to cook it. Use a kettle to boil water rather than using the stove. Only fill your kettle with cold water and the amount you need. Check your oven seal is in good condition. Also, the more you open the door, the more heat you lose and energy you waste. Use your microwave to cook, where appropriate, and to re-heat or defrost. It takes less time and uses less energy than your standard oven. Choose the right hotplate on your stove for the pot the pot base should always cover the entire hotplate so you don t waste energy. Regularly clean the grease vent in your kitchen range hood or exhaust fans to keep them running efficiently. Consider buying a ceramic or induction cooktop for precise temperature control and faster cooking. Cook outside in summer on the BBQ. It will stop the house getting hotter from the cooking. Check your fridge has a tight door seal to prevent wasted energy. Vacuum your condenser coil at the back of the fridge so it runs more efficiently. If you use a second fridge for drinks, try to fit them in your main fridge and only use the second fridge when you are entertaining or - simply use an esky instead. Defrost your freezer when the ice is 5mm thick or it will reduce your freezer s efficiency. Make sure your fridge is not in direct sunlight and has at least 75mm space around it for air to circulate freely. Do you really need that second drinks fridge when an esky would suffice? Other kitchen tips Wait until your dishwasher is full before turning it on to wash. Turn off all appliances not in use at the powerpoint. Check your fridge is running at the optimum termperature between 3 to 5 C. Clean your dishwasher filter regularly to improve efficiency. 6 7

Washing and drying Lighting 9 Washing machines and dryers are big energy users. Here are some energy saving tips for your bathroom and laundry: Use cold water in your washing machine where possible and only make sure you have a full load before turning your washing machine on. Use the sun and wind to line dry your clothes and if it is wet weather, dry your clothes inside or under cover. If you do use a dryer, which use a lot of energy, clean the lint filter regularly to improve energy efficiency. Use the eco mode on your washing machine if it has one to reduce both water and electricity use. Take advantage of the sun s freerays by installing a solar hot water system to heat your water big savings can be madethis way. Front loading washing machinesare often the most energy and water efficient. Look for the highest number of energy stars when buying a new machine. Switch your washing machine off at the powerpoint when not in use. Take four minute showers. Set the hot water heater thermostat at no more than 60 C. There are some simple ways to save money on your lighting costs: If you re the last one to leave a room, turn off the lights. Choose compact fluorescent light globes, or energy efficient light bulbs to replace the old incandescent bulbs. Consider replacing halogen down lights with LED lamps. Open curtains to allow the natural light in during winter. Use sensors for outdoor lighting to reduce their use. Outdoor Savings can also be made outside your home. Use a timer for the pool pump and if possible, run it for short periods a few times a day rather than one longer period. Use a pool cover to avoid heat loss and evaporation. If you have security lighting, install sensor lighting and, if not, make sure it is off during the day. Why use a spin dryer when you can hang your clothes outside? 8 9

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