4 ways to save money on your electricity bill in summer
We're melting - firstly due to summer heat, secondly at the sight of our electricity bills. Here's some tips to beat the skyrocketing costs!
We all know it and man are we all feeling it - electricity has become EXPENSIVE. Especially in the heat of summer! As a core life expense we can feel so powerless (get it?) trying to reduce our electricity bills. Can we do anything? Do we have to live in the dark and wash our clothes by hand in the backyard? Look, you can if you want, but we recommend just focusing on limiting the electricity you do use as much as possible. The best way to achieve this is through your behaviour, so we dug up some really simple, cheap and practical ways to bring down the cost of electricity as much as possible. Let’s reduce our bills, generally preserve energy and save money along the way!
#1 adjust your electricity usage habits
Time
There’s a lot of jargon thrown around about electricity and trying to understand your bill can be like trying to read something in a language you don’t speak. Essentially you want to know if your current electricity contract has you locked into what’s called a “single rate” tariff or “time of use” tariff (note: this information varies state to state, so get familiar with the setup where you live). This information should be visible on your bill, and if it isn't, call your provider and ask for clarification. A “single rate” tariff system charges you the same rate of electricity all throughout the day, and sometimes you’ll have a separate portion specific to a pool pump or water heating (charged at a reduced rate). A “time of use” tariff will charge different rates throughout the day depending on “peak”, “off peak” and “shoulder” windows, as well as daily supply charges. So if you’re using electricity during a peak period, say early in the evening, then your rate will be higher, essentially costing you more. All of this is boring, yes, but when it meets with your behaviour with electricity it can become an expensive nightmare!
Identify the times of day you use most energy - remember that if you're on a “time of use” contract, energy is expensive when demand is high (during “peak” periods) which is usually in the afternoons and evenings when everyone is getting home from school and work and using electricity simultaneously. You could switch to a single rate tariff if that aligns better with your behaviour, or you can change your behaviour! Self-assessment is key. If you have any appliances with a built-in timer feature get familiar and set them up to do most of their heavy lifting in off-peak times. If you can time when your washing load or drying load is completed, time it for the middle of the day or in the early hours of the morning (think 2am) - typically electricity isn’t as wildly expensive during these windows (“off-peak” times). Note that these windows vary state to state so get educated in what’s relevant to you.
But all this to say, regardless of which kind of contract you’re on, be familiar with your contract and align your behaviour to suit.
https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/energy-efficiency/the-10-home-appliances-that-consume-the-most-energy/
Appliances
Identify the things in your home that use the most electricity - typically air conditioning falls under this category as the main perpetrator (because we’re focused on cooling a large space), as does heating water for showers/baths, washing or dishwashing. Appliances like fridges, microwaves and kettles really pump the electricity too.
Adjust settings on your appliances/lighting
Try to use cold or atleast cooler water for your washing clothes - even slightly cooler water uses less energy. Cut out an appliance altogether if you can by doing things like hanging your clothes to dry outside instead of using the dryer.
Turn off appliances that sit on standby
Any appliances that have a little display light showing even when you’ve turned it “off”, can be turned off at the powerpoint to reduce electricity required. Individually these appliances may not use much electricity in stand-by mode, but we all tend to have a good handful of these kinds of devices in our homes, so it adds up.
Maximise natural daylight over lights
Do your best to keep your lights switched off, maximising natural daylight wherever possible.
Utilise timers
Buy power boards or powerplugs that set timers for appliances connected to them, so on command they switch off.
Upgrade to more energy efficient appliances
Install LED’s light bulbs all throughout your house to reduce lighting costs - they are a little more expensive at the time of purchase, but long term they use much less energy than a regular halogen light bulb. Likewise when the time comes to replace an appliance, seek out the most energy efficient replacement that fits your budget. In Australia we have The Energy Rating Label, which is part of the Australian Government’s Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) Program. You’ll typically see the program's energy efficiency rating displayed on the appliance or device at the time of purchase.
Prioritise the most efficient cooking appliances at home
If your slow cooker uses less energy than your stove - prioritise cooking with it. Compare all the ways you cook your food each day in terms of their energy consumption, and focus on using those that use the least amount of energy.
#2 tackle cooling
The priority we all make in summer is creating cool homes so of course we have to dig into how to do it whilst using the least amount of electricity possible. As a starting point try to utilise fans more than your air conditioning as they use much less energy. Try to open up your windows and maximise the airflow in your house before the day really heats up. As soon as the temperature outside drops again, turn off the AC and crack open the windows for that sweet evening breeze. If you’re a diehard DIY person, then you could try to make your own evaporative cooler! Otherwise, you could also just buy an evaporative cooler as a halfway point to turning on the air conditioning.
When you are using your air conditioning, try to aim for the most comfortable temperature at a consistent rate. Don’t set the temperature to the lowest point possible as that requires a tonne of energy to do - by increasing the temperature to a comfortable but slightly warmer temperature you can cool your house down using the least amount of energy as possible. Stopping and starting your air conditioning is also not recommended as these units typically need a heap of energy to start up. Try to start them up once, and leave it set for the worst parts of the day in terms of heat.
#3 make your home more energy efficient
Look for areas of the house where either hot air is coming in, or cool air is escaping. Install door and window seals throughout the house to reduce leaks - these are inexpensive and super easy to install. Windows are also a leak point where cold air escapes and the summer heat pours in - set up blinds or curtains, even temporarily, to reflect light and heat out. Likewise, invest in some door snakes or draught stoppers to reduce air leakage under doors.
Aim to cool only the main room you’re using - close your doors and focus your air conditioning towards the spaces where it’s needed most. This also helps reduce the amount of cool air leaking all throughout your house.
Checking in on your home’s insulation is also beneficial - replacing or upgrading old insulation can improve the energy efficiency of your home significantly, reducing how much cool air is lost throughout the year.
If you have suitable garden space, start growing! Create shade around and over your house to help reduce the harsh impact of the sun.
If you’re in the process of building a house or replacing your roofing, take note that the black roof tile is a favourite right now - but what do black building materials do? Absorb heat. Try to select lighter coloured options to help reduce the amount of heat being pulled into your home.
#4 cool your body first
Prioritise cooling your body over cooling the whole room or house first. They may look a little dorky but neck coolers work - even a little bit of personal cooling can go a long way. Buying a USB fan to set up on your desk at work could be a simple way to help cool you down while you work. Even spraying cool water from a spray bottle onto your face and neck can be handy. Anything to prolong turning on the air conditioner is a great thing, and worth investing into in those melty summer months.
