As the temperature drops, many of us crank up the heating and worry about the energy bill later. But while the initial burst of warmth is refreshing, the sting of a costly energy bill certainly is not.
The good news is, there are energy-efficient ways to stay comfy this winter, without costing you a fortune. Follow these energy-saving tips to cut spending on your household bills this winter.
Keep Showers Short
Water heating contributes around 15 to 27 percent of your annual household energy bill.[i]While this amount depends on your type of hot water system, the overall energy usage is still quite large.
One of the easiest ways to use less water is to have shorter showers. Of course, if you?re the kind of person who tends to daydream in the shower, you may need help with breaking this habit. Set a timer for 4 minutes and listen out for the alarm so that you know when it?s time to step out.
Use an Electric Blanket
Few things are more pleasant than a toasty-warm bed on a cold winter night. However, you may be worried about how much energy your electric blanket consumes. Fortunately, modern electric blankets are far more energy-efficient than you think ? costing as little as 5 cents per hour.
The key is to not keep your electric blanket on overnight. Not only is it expensive but also a major fire hazard. Instead, switch on your electric blanket an hour before you go to bed, then simply switch it off when you?re ready to sleep.
Since the warm air is trapped under your doona, you?ll have enough heat to keep warm all night.
Block Cold Drafts
Insulation is one of the most effective ways to stay comfortable indoors. Depending on the age and condition of your home, there may be gaps in your doors, windows, and other parts of the property. Not only do these gaps let in the cold air, they allow warm air to escape too!
To maintain a consistent indoor temperature invest in door seals, draft-proofing strips and door snakes. Best of all? They?re inexpensive. So you can buy in bulk and place them in multiple parts of the home to establish an airtight seal around the whole place.
Only Heat Occupied Rooms
Whether you have central or space heating will greatly influence the amount of energy required to heat your house.
Some central heaters give you the ability to create ?independent zones? that let you heat up certain areas of the house. Depending on the device, a ?zone? may be an individual room or a designated set of rooms. You may also be able to setup an automated timer to heat up the most occupied rooms at certain times of the day.
Even if you have a space heater, there are ways to reduce your heating costs. For starters, only use the heater when you and the whole family are occupying the room where the heater is located. Furthermore, during this time, close all other doors so the device doesn?t have to work as hard to heat up the living space.
Adjust the Thermostat
In winter the ideal indoor temperature is between 18-20?C. So if your house has a thermostat, set the temperature to this range.
Keep in mind the very idea of a ?comfortable range? is highly subjective. Different people have different circadian rhythms and hormones that can influence their body temperature on any given day.
Also, let?s fact it, some winter days in Australia are exceptionallycolder than others. So you may have to crank up the temperature a little bit more to get through those extra cold nights. Just don?t forget to set the temperature back to normal afterwards!
[i]https://www.energy.gov.au/households/hot-water-systems
Article provided by ITA Electrical