Cutting down your electrical costs is the goal of most households in Australia- but can you do it without suffering? There is no doubt that it requires a long look at your lifestyle choices, but there are ways to have it all with a few smart decisions.
Believe it or not, the appliances in your home are burning up your dollars as fast as you earn them. Don’t worry – that doesn’t mean you have to start scrubbing your clothes on a stone again. You do need to carefully select what type of equipment is most efficient and when you use them. There are mandatory Energy Rating Labels required for most all appliances which will guide you on money-saving appliances with a low environmental impact.
Washing machines have a few interesting contributors to power wasting:
- For instance, not all washers have separate hot and cold water supplies. In this situation, the water is heated by an internal component and that is quite costly. If your washer has cold water wash use that whenever possible, heating uses ten times more energy.
- Front load washers use less water, electricity, and detergent to accomplish the tasks. Additionally, they leave the clothes essentially waterless reducing drying times significantly.
- When installing your appliances consider the heat loss by distance, in other words, put your washer as close to the water heating source as possible.
- Water Heaters grab the second spot on the list of what consumes the most energy in the average households. There are several types available and their usage is as varied as their designs not to mention the differences in electricity tariffs. Using a water heater during peak times can be very costly.
- Electric water heaters keep a sufficient source of heated water available at all times, but they use a huge amount of electricity to do that.
- Heat pumps also use electricity however they are three times more efficient than the standard electric varieties and still provide a consistent amount of heated water.
- Solar water heaters are among the most efficient if they are installed correctly to meet your household needs. The heated water source is a collector so it is readily available for use. They also have boosters’ available as well as electronic controllers.
- Other appliances such as refrigerators are subject to the same options, heat pump dryers are more efficient and solar sourced are even better. A few tips that really make a big difference are listed in short below.
- Fridges should be in a well-ventilated cool area and the seals must be kept clean. Replace them when they begin to wear out.
- Do not overload the fridge space, allow room for air circulation to improve efficiency.
- Select one that has a bottom freezer as side by side or top freezers are less efficient.
Heating and cooling your home during peak seasons is number one in consumption and costs. The source of heat or cooling your home requires will all be affected by one major component and that is adequate insulation. There are numerous types available and most are labeled for efficiency. The key is to have the least amount of loss. Seal around windows and cover them with shades for summer seasons, open the shades to the sun during winter seasons and keep condensation to the lowest possible point.
Many homeowners are opting to go solar with battery storage and gross feed in meters to optimize their savings. A time of use meter will direct solar energy during daytime hours to storage for use at peak times. While battery storage is not at its best now, improved solutions are well on the way to production.Share: