Tips to save energy and money this winter

Simple changes in the way you use electricity can save you a lot of money. Sometimes convenience can win out and it might seem like it’s not worth the effort to change the way we do things, but it’s amazing how costs can add up.

Here are our top tips for reducing your electricity usage and making savings in your home:

• Turning off your heated towel rail rather than having it on all the time can save you more than $100 each year.
• Switching to LED lights can also save you money. Each high-use bulb you replace can save you $20 per lightbulb per year.
• Turning appliances off at the wall rather than leaving them on standby can save you approximately $100 every year.
• Drying clothes in a dryer costs approximately $1 per load, so hanging clothes out on the line is a great option.

Heating our homes in the winter can be costly so here are a few ideas to make sure we aren’t losing heat or spending money on less efficient options.

• Check out your home for gaps in windows and doors, then plug the gaps to prevent draughts. Door draught-stoppers are also very effective, plus they’re easy to make if you don’t want to buy them.
• Portable electric heaters are cheaper to run than unflued gas heaters and are better for your health. EECA Energywise recommends that unflued gas heaters are never used in bedrooms.
• Only have your heat pump going when you’re in the room. It can be easy to forget and leave it running when you’re elsewhere in the house or when you go out.
• Set your heater thermostat to between 18-20 degrees.
• Draw the curtains at dusk to keep the heat in and close the door of the room you’re heating.

Source: EECA Energywise – www.energywise.govt.nz