This month, we have partnered with LPE to share some helpful tips on how to save a few dollars this summer.
With silly season in full swing, the weather is heating up, which means most households do whatever they can to keep cool. But it’s keeping your home cool that will can your electricity bill to go up. To help make sure this doesn’t happen, we’ve put together seven tips to help you save money on electricity this Summer.
1. Open windows for airflow
While it’s almost a crime to open a window during a hot day in Australia, at certain times, it can be a better option than turning on the aircon. We recommend opening up your windows at night and then closing windows and blinds first thing in the morning to help trap the cool air inside. A rule of thumb is to keep the air out when the temperature outside is hotter than inside and open up the windows when the temperature is the same or lower.
2. Cut down on hot water
In some households, hot water is one of the biggest sources of electricity. So use the warmer weather as an opportunity to switch to cold water. A few areas where you can make the switch include rinsing the dishes, running the dishwasher and doing laundry. Finally, another great way to stay cool and cut down on hot water is taking a cold shower. If a cold shower sounds worse than a high electricity bill, try making your hot showers shorter.
3. Turn up the AC
If there’s one thing every Queenslander can rely on to keep them cool, it’s their air-conditioner. However, each time you lower the temperature by a degree, you can add nearly 10%*1 to its running costs. So we suggest keeping your aircon’s temperature between 24-25C. Then make sure to use it only for cooling the rooms people are using and close the doors, windows, curtains and blinds in the rooms when it’s on.
4. Upgrade your insulation
Did you know you can lose almost 40% of the energy to cool your home through the windows or by direct sunlight coming into your home? Fortunately, for many Aussies, this loss can be reduced by double glazing and tinting windows, installing thick close-fitting drapes, adding outdoor blinds, and using heat-reflective or light-coloured backing on curtains. With the right insulation, you can keep your house cooler, longer. Another great option is to make the switch to solar, like LPE’s home solar or shared solar for apartments and townhouses. Using electricity generated by the sun has the potential to lower your electricity bill, especially in the Summer when the days are longer, and there’s more sunlight.
5. Turn off the lights
Another common way to run up your electricity bill is lighting. Lights not only heat your home, causing you to spend more money on cooling, but when used inefficiently, they can be expensive. To cut costs, turn off lights when you leave the room and use lamps whenever you don’t need an overhead light. For outside, consider solar lights, which don’t require electricity to run.
6. Add fans
Nothing says Australian summer quite like a fan running to keep you cool after a long day at the beach. They are by far one of the most cost-effective, costing almost a fraction of what it costs to run the air conditioner. While it may feel like your air conditioner does a better job, fans are great for cooling people rather than entire rooms. Just make sure to turn them off when you leave the room.
7. Turn it off at the wall
It’s easy to forget about standby power which can easily account for more than 10%*2 of your household electricity use. Standby power is the energy drawn from an appliance when it’s turned off. Some household appliances that use the most standby power include the clothes dryer, air-con, microwave, smart speakers and more. So to help you cut the costs of these appliances when they’re not on, we suggest turning them off at the wall.
Wrap Up
As locals, we experience the same weather conditions as you, so we know what it takes to cut the cost of your electricity bill while still keeping cool. So this summer, use these seven tips and notice a lower electricity bill in the new year. For more information visit: Joinlpe.com.au today.
*1: Reference: https://www.canstarblue.com.au/electricity/air-con-temperature-costing/
*2: Reference: https://www.canstarblue.com.au/appliances/cost-leaving-appliances-standby/