But at this time of year, many of us are already thinking about how to cut down on our electricity bills. With shorter days requiring lights on earlier and colder nights enticing us to switch on the heater or an electric blanket, how can you keep your power usage down?
Here Vanessa Willats, NZ Product Manager from Schneider Electric New Zealand, shares six tips for cutting down your power usage.
Swapping out your light bulbs with LEDs is a tried and true way to mitigate your electricity use.
Not only are they more efficient, they’re also a ‘greener’ option, using up to 85 per cent less energy and lasting 15 times longer than traditional halogen or incandescent bulbs, according to Gen Less.
Willats recommends using warm white in living areas to give them a cosy feel, and cool white in other areas like bathrooms and kitchens where a crisper light is required. They do cost slightly more to purchase, but will save you more cash in the long term.
According to Gen Less, you can save between $100 and $300 per incandescent bulb you replace with an LED across its lifespan
Most of us leave appliances and chargers switched on at the wall when we’re not using them, but turning them off could help you save power.
Devices and entertainment systems still use energy even when they’re on standby, so save yourself some cash by unplugging them all or using a multi-box so you can turn them all off at the same time when you’re finished using them.
According to Energy Wise, appliances left on standby can cost you more than $100 a year on your power bills.
Close up a mans hand turn off the switch on power strip.
3. Time it right
If you leave your heat pump on all day even when you’re not home, you could be wasting a lot of power.
It’s best to just run it when you’re home, or time it to turn on shortly before you’re due home at the end of the day - that way, you get to come home to a warm, cosy house.
This means you’re coming home to a warm, cosy house. You can also do the same with your towel rail.
4. Keep an eye on your usage
Decreasing your power use is difficult if you don’t know where you’re using the most electricity.
However, you can track your usage throughout the day using an app.
For example, a PDL product allows you to keep track of your electricity consumption, analyse your usage and learn how to save energy. It's also a great way to teach kids about saving power.
5. Look after your appliances
It’s important to maintain your home appliances so they can function at their best year-round.
When filters have a build-up of dust, efficiency is impaired leading to higher costs. Ensure your household heating is always running at its optimum by cleaning the filter once a week. Better still, put a reminder in your phone so you can set and forget.
Check your fridge, freezer and oven seals regularly to ensure you’re not using more energy due to a leak.
Looking after your switches and power points will also save you cash as well as prolong the lifetime of your appliances.
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6. Reduce hot water use
On a chilly morning, a long, hot shower is hard to resist.
But we also know that around a third of your household energy goes to hot water, according to Gen Less. Shortening your showers to five minutes or less could help you downsize your power bill during winter. Willats recommends popping a plastic hourglass in your shower or suctioned to the wall to challenge your kids - the fastest shower wins.
A 15-minute shower costs around $1, while a five-minute shower costs around 33 cents. If you’re a family of four, that means you could save about $18 a week - $900 a year - by taking quicker showers.
Elsewhere, switch to a cold water cycle when washing your clothes - it could save you around $50 per year, assuming you wash around four loads of laundry a week. You can also rinse your dishes with cold water, and Wait to put your dishwasher on until it’s full - use its ‘eco’ setting if it has one.
