Be Smart with Your Energy This Winter

Common reasons for increased power consumption during winter:

• Lights being used more frequently as the days become shorter and darker.

• Heaters turned on more frequently.

• More hot water usage.

• More time spent indoors.

• More energy required to heat appliances.

We have curated a list of our top energy saving tips to be smarter with your power usage this winter.

Smart Energy Saving Tips:

Everyday Tips

• Wash clothes in cold water: A hot water wash can use up to 10 times more electricity than cold water, so always stick to a cold wash unless you have a particularly dirty load. Don’t stress about the quality of the wash - modern detergents work just as well in cold water as they do in hot. 
• Run appliances with full loads: Your cleaning appliances use roughly the same amount of electricity regardless of the size of the load. To get the best bang for your buck, wait until your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer are full before doing a load. For further efficiency, always use the ‘eco’ setting if available. 
• Air dry your laundry: Putting a normal load of washing through the dryer for 1 hour costs around $1, which can quickly add up over the month. Keep your power bill under control by air drying your laundry. 
• Keep your appliances clean: Help your appliances run more efficiently by keeping them clean. That means dusting off the condenser coils on your fridge, emptying your dryer’s lint trap and cleaning the filters in your heat pumps.
• Set a timer for heated towel rails: Keeping a standard 80 watt heated towel rail running 24/7 can cost around 50 cents a day, or almost $15 a month (and even more if you have multiple bathrooms). Enjoy the toasty towels without the bill shock by setting a timer for your heated towel rail (or purchasing a compatible aftermarket timer if your towel rail doesn’t have one).
• Switch off appliances at the wall: You might be surprised to learn that many of your appliances and devices still consume power in standby mode. In fact, New Zealanders collectively waste more than $100 million annually on standby power! Avoid contributing to this statistic by switching your appliances off at the wall when they’re not in use.
• Cook more efficiently: Ovens are notoriously power hungry and inefficient, but the good news is that you do have other options. Air fryers, slow cookers and microwaves, for example, are wonderfully energy efficient, while the BBQ uses no electricity at all. Exploring alternative cooking methods is the perfect opportunity to get creative in the kitchen while keeping your power bill down. 

More ways to save power:

• Keep the house dry: Dry homes are easier and cheaper to heat. Keep your home free of unnecessary moisture by using extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom, wiping away condensation, airing out the house and avoiding drying your washing inside. 
• Get some thick curtains: Investing in some thick, low-hanging curtains is a great way to prevent heat loss, improve the efficiency of your heating appliances and reduce heating costs. For best results, draw your curtains about 30 minutes before sunset to conserve heat.
• Smartify your home: These days, there’s a dizzying array of high-tech products on the market that can help boost the energy efficiency of your home. Smart lights, for instance, can be scheduled to turn on and off automatically at certain times and under certain conditions, while smart thermostats can help you save on heating costs. A full smart home fit out can be extremely pricey, so we suggest taking it slow and picking up a couple of gadgets here and there as the budget permits. 
• Insulate your hot water cylinder: Energy is lost through the walls of your hot cylinder. Minimise this loss by investing in a hot water cylinder wrap and pipe insulation. This is particularly important for older cylinders - if you have a pre-2002 hot water cylinder, insulation could save you up to 1 kWh/day or more than $90 a year! 
• Invest in energy-efficient appliances: If you’re planning on replacing an outdated appliance this month, be sure to look for an energy-efficient model. Most household appliances come with an Energy Rating Label, which makes it easy to compare energy efficiency. The more stars on the label, the more efficient the product - and the more you’ll save on running costs. 
• Ditch the electric heaters: While plug-in electric heaters are cheap and can be useful for small spaces, they’re not great at heating larger living areas. Instead, consider upgrading to heat pumps, which are widely regarded as the most cost-effective option for most homes. See this blog post for more information on how to save money on your power bill in winter.