We recently asked Stay at Home Mum readers through a Facebook Post, how much are you spending each quarter on your energy bills? Well, I’ve totalled up the numbers and you may be shocked. Are you ready?
Each household is spending, on average $662 each quarter and $2648 on energy costs each year
As a collective group, our 390,000 Stay at Home Mum fans are spending $1.03 billion per year on energy costs.
However, by reducing your quarterly bill by just 25 percent through these simple home energy tips, we could be looking at:
Each household could be saving around $662 on energy costs per year
As a collective group, our 400,000 Stay at Home Mum fans could be saving $258 million per year on their energy costs.
How good would an extra $660 per year be?
NOTE: These numbers are generated from a recent Facebook post by taking the average from the responses.
Crazy right? We thought so too which is why we have put together our 51 Energy Saving Tips to reduce the amount you are spending on your electrical bills each year. We have teamed up with Lumo Energy to seek out tips that are easy to implement and can save you money. Lumo Energy is one of Australia’s fastest growing energy retailers, providing energy solutions to more than 525,000 residential and business customer accounts across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. Lumo Energy has partnered with TV identity Glenn Ridge to create a series of energy saving tips that can be viewed here.
And here are the 51 steps to saving energy:
Heating and Cooling Your Home
Around 40 percent of the energy we use at home comes from using the heater and air conditioning. If you are spending $3000 a year on your energy bills, then around $1200 is going to heating and cooling your house. So it only makes sense to try and reduce the amount you are spending with these easy tips:
1. Shut the doors. No need to heat the entire house if you are only in the bedroom. So shut the doors and keep the heat in, you’ll stop at least 70% of the heat escaping and reduce your bill. This is also true for air conditioning; keep the cool air contained and the warm air out.
2. Fix any draughts and air leaks. There are a number of cheap products out there like door snakes, draught excluders, strips and seals that will fill gaps at doors and windows and prevent drafts from coming in. Of course, if it’s hot where you are, filling the gaps will keep the cool air in and the hot out.
3. Double check that the heater and air conditioners are turned off in the rooms that you are not in.
4. Close your curtains just before night time when turning the heating on, windows loose heat. To save ensure you have well fitted curtains with pelmet; it stops heat flowing over the top of curtains and through the glass.
5. If you have a chimney, make sure that any open or unused fireplaces are blocked to stop warm air escaping up the chimney.
6. Give your heater and air conditioner a good clean every season. This can reduce the block up and ensure the air is circulating as best as possible
7. Use your fans. Make sure you are using the right setting in your ceiling fans.
8. In winter, use a reverse ceiling fan which will push the warm air down rather than pooling it high above.
9. Set your thermostat right – the magic numbers for heating range from 18-20 degree. Any degree higher could add up to 10 percent more on your energy bill.
10. Set your air conditioner right – this number is 25 degrees. Like above, any cooler and you could be paying 10 percent more on your bill.
Lighting
Have a look around your home – how many lights are on right now (my number is three even though I am the only one home). Here are some ways to get control of your lighting costs:
11. Make the switch to LED light bulbs; it can reduce your lights energy consumption by up to 80%
12. Use the natural light from outside during the day. Open those curtains and let the light in.
13. Get in the habit of turning the lights off in any room you are leaving.
14. Clean your lights and lamp shades to reduce dust build up and maximize brightness.
15. Invest in a sensor for your outdoor lighting, that way they only turn on when there is movement.
Fridges and Freezers
We can’t live without our appliances but they are big energy busters, especially the fridge, which is the biggest energy consumer in the home.
16. Shop smart – when buying a fridge, go for one with at least a 2.5 star energy efficiency rating.
17. When buying a freezer, look for ones with a 3 star energy efficiency rating (or higher), every extra star could reduce your running costs by around 20%
18. Leave a gap of at least 5 cm for ventilation and heat dispersion when choosing a spot for your fridge
19. Set the temperature of the fresh food compartment to 3 to 5 degrees Celsius. The magic numbers for your freezer compartment range from -15 to – -18 degrees Celsius.
20. Organise your fridge and freezer correctly – overcrowding it can interfere with the circulation of cold air (and possibly cause the doors to not shut properly)
21. Check the fridge coils. Keep the coils dust free as the dust will act as a warm fuzzy insulator making your fridge work harder than it needs to.
22. Put your fridge and freezer as far away as you can from any heat sources like ovens, heaters or sunlight, as these will all make you fridge work harder and it’ll guzzle more electricity.
23. Defrost the freezer two or three times a year to keep it running efficiently.
Washers and Dryers
Laundry cannot be avoided, especially when you have grubby kids at home like I do. But high energy costs can be avoided with these easy fixes:
24. Change your washing machine setting to cold water; you can save around $115 per year
25. Only use your dishwasher and your washing machine when they are full. Or, if you need to do a half wash, select the appropriate setting (eco-friendly, half setting, quick wash, etc.).
26. Make sure you clean the lint filter every time you use the dryer
27. Reduce your reliance of the dryer. Instead, hang your clothes on a clothes line as much as possible
28. On rainy days when hanging your washing out isn’t an option; hang them over the shower rod, curtain rod or over the chairs in your living room. Put a ceiling fan on low to help reduce the moisture quicker.
29. If you find that hanging your clothes leaves them feeling a little stiff, let them hang dry until they are close to completely dry before flicking them into the dryer for ten minutes, just to get rid of that extra moisture.
30. If in the market for a new washing machine, opt for a front loader over a top loader as they use less water and up to 60% less energy
Water Usage and Heating
Most of us need to shower once a day. If you can shower less, then go for it. But if not, here are some other ways to save on your water costs without smelling all week long.
31. Use rain water – consider buying a water tank that collects rain water, perfect for drinking, watering plants, etc.
32. Fill your kettle with cold water
33. Use your shower water. Plug the bath when taking a shower and use the water for your kid’s bath after you are done
34. Rinse dishes using cold water. And when washing dishes by hand, only use a minimal amount of hot water. Scalding water isn’t really necessary
35. Use insulation around your water pipes.
36. Check your hot water cylinder thermostat is set between 55-60 degrees Celsius.
37. Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth. No need to have the water running while you are scrubbing your pearly whites.
38. Check your pipes often to make sure there are no leaks or corrosion. And if you find they are corroding, have a professional look at them. It’s best to get them fixed now before they decide to spring a leak.
Television and Additional Electronics
We all rely on our electronics more so than ever before. And while your phone may seem too small to really make a difference, it does. So adapt these simple changes when cooking and charging your devices:
39. If you sleep with an electric blanket, turn it off before you go to sleep.
40. Unplug your television and other appliances, if it’s not in use, turn off the juice. Leaving appliances on standby can add an extra 10% to your bill
41. Gaming consoles when left on standby can add an extra $150 a year to your bill
42. Charge your phone and other electronic devices during the day and take them off the charger once they are fully charged. Avoid leaving them charging all night.
43. Slice and dice your food into smaller portions to reduce the time it takes to cook.
44. Use a lid when cooking to again speed up the cooking time.
45. Plan your meals so you don’t need to use the microwave to defrost your dinner. Let dinner defrost naturally in the sink.
46. Make sure you are using the right pot burner for your stove. Using a small pot on a large burner can waste a lot of unwanted energy.
47. When you are using the oven, keep the door closed. Every time you open it, not only are you letting the heat out but you are also making your kitchen hotter than it needs to be.
Gas Heating
And, finally, if you have a house that works with gas heating, then here are some great tips to consider:
48. Regular servicing is critical when it comes to gas heating. So add a reminder to your calendar each year and find a professional to do the job.
49. Make sure there is adequate room ventilation.
50. Get help if you think your gas heating is not working correctly. It can be incredibly dangerous to your health if your heater isn’t working the way it should. Gas will not burn properly if there is inadequate room ventilation, poor fluing or a lack of regular servicing.
And…51. Teach your kids about being more energy efficient by sharing this list with them! A family that saves energy together stays energy efficient together and of course you are also taking better care of the planet too!
* The advice provided in this post is indicative only and individual circumstances will affect results. For further information on energy saving tips, please visit lumoenergy.com.au and link to the energy saving tips page.
More About Lumo Energy
The main mission of Lumo Energy is to offer people valued, easy to use energy solutions. It shares tips and tricks to save on your energy bill, it provides its customers with a bill explainer so people can better manage their energy consumption and it offers a range of energy packages. The packages are created to suit a range of different lifestyles, you can choose from Lumo Advantage, Lumo Velocity, Lumo Options, Lumo Life, or the Lumo Movers, all of which include incredible incentives, from earning travel points, discounts to up to 20% off your energy bill when paid on time. These are a few of the reasons why Stay at Home Mum not only supports Lumo Energy, but why we recommend them to our readers.
To find out more about Lumo Energy and its energy saving tips, click here.
References and Helpful Links to Further Help You Save on Your Energy Bill:
Lumo Energy: http://www.lumoenergy.com.au/your-home-energy/energy-saving-tips
Victorian Government: http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/services-and-advice/households
Australian Government:http://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/communities-and-vulnerable-people/programs-services/financial-management-program/home-energy-saver-scheme/home-energy-saver-scheme#tips
Living Greener: http://www.livinggreener.gov.au
Switched On: https://www.switchon.vic.gov.au
South Australian Government : http://www.sa.gov.au/topics/water-energy-and-environment/energy/saving-energy-at-home
New South Wales Government: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/homepower/
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