Everyone knows the horror of opening up a long hot summer or dark freezing winter’s power bill and being met with a figure far beyond what we had hoped to spend. An unexpectedly high bill can be stressful and really cut in to savings and funds.
Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to massively reduce an energy bill by taking a few simple steps to reduce the amount of power consumed while sacrificing little or no comfort at all.
The first and simplest step is to unplug any devices not in use from the wall. Many appliances have standby lights on the outside or tiny internal monitors that stay active 24 hours a day while plugged in. While individually each of these devices takes very little electricity to maintain, a household full of tiny draining devices can really add up. This is especially true of devices you don’t use often, like a stereo or an air conditioner.
Another thing to take in to consideration is the energy efficiency of the white goods you have around the home. An inefficient fridge, washing machine or dryer might be cheap now but in the long run can end up costing much more than a more efficient model. Look for power ratings and energy efficiency stars on devices when shopping. If you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to ask!
The biggest cost in terms of electricity in most households will be air conditioning and heating. Standard wall mounted air conditioners or evaporative systems can cost as much as $1 an hour to run, and heaters in a similar vein. Consider swapping air conditioners for fans when possible, as a ceiling or standing fan takes as little as 1c an hour to run! If simple air flow won’t cut it, make sure you keep your air conditioning at 24 degrees celsius or higher. Every degree lower can cost as much as 10% more energy!
In regards to heating, don’t turn the heater on until you’ve put on as many clothes as you’re comfortable wearing in the home. An extra layer could save you and the environment a lot in the long run.