1) Turn Everything Off At Night
One of the most obvious and simplest ways to save energy this summer is to turn all electrical appliances off at night or when you leave the house. Although it may be tempting to leave the air conditioner on overnight, for the majority of the night you won’t even be conscious to benefit from the cool air. Instead, try turning off the air conditioner once the sun goes down and opening up a window to take advantage of the cooler night air.
However, if you need the cool air of the air conditioner to fall asleep, try setting it on a timer to make sure that it turns off once you have fallen asleep rather than using more energy to run it all night. You can even set it to turn on 20 minutes before your morning alarm to ensure you wake up to a comfortable room temperature.
2) Install Energy Efficient Lighting
Another simple and relatively inexpensive way to reduce your power bill this summer is installing energy efficient lighting. Although they may be small, light bulbs can contribute significantly to your power bill, particularly the old incandescent and halogen bulbs.
Additionally, replacing your old bulbs with energy efficient bulbs will not only save you energy, they also last longer, saving you money as your bulbs will need to be replaced less frequently.
3) Switch Providers
Another factor to consider when you’re looking to reduce your energy spend is whether or not to switch energy providers. It is always best to review your power company every year or so to ensure that you are still getting the best deal.
This is because energy providers are always changing their products and prices. So, if you have been with the same energy provider for years, it is likely that there is a better deal out there (and you may not even need to switch service providers to get it!)
4) Close Doors & Curtains
Make sure to close all doors, windows, and curtains when your air conditioner is in use. This is a simple thing to do (and costs you nothing), yet it can result in significant savings. This is because the harder your air conditioner has to work, the more energy it will use. So, by closing the doors, windows, and curtains you will reduce the energy needed to cool each room, and in turn, reduce your energy spend.
Additionally, use draught blockers to trap the cool air inside for further energy savings.
5) Appliance Settings
Switching off appliances at the wall when they’re not in use will also reduce your energy usage. In fact, appliances left on standby can contribute more than $100 each year to the electricity bill of the average household. This means that when your appliances are not in use but are still switched on at the wall, you are paying for electricity that is not being used.
To reduce the cost of electricity used by standby appliances, simply turn them off at the wall or unplug them when not in use. This includes appliances such as the TV, dishwasher, microwave, and even phone chargers. Alternatively, if you’re likely to forget to turn each appliance off and on as needed, consider investing in a smart powerboard that will do so for you.
Other appliance settings to adjust in order to reduce electricity usage include:
- Refrigerator
Check that your fridge isn’t running too cold and using excessive amounts of electricity - Television
Turn down the brightness on your television to reduce energy usage - Washing Machine / Dishwasher / Air Conditioner
Take advantage of eco settings on appliances such as your washing machine, dishwasher and/or air conditioner if available to reduce energy usage
6) Air Conditioner Maintenance
Regular air conditioner maintenance can significantly improve the energy efficiency of the unit, saving you money. One example of how air conditioner maintenance can save you money is when the air filter becomes clogged.
Over time the air filter will build up a collection of dust, dirt, bugs, and other pollutants that have been removed from the air. If left for too long without cleaning, the air filter can become clogged, restricting airflow, and causing your air conditioner to work harder to cool the room, which will skyrocket your power bill.
Checking and cleaning your air conditioner’s filters is particularly important during summer as your air conditioner will be used more often, so one dirty air filter could drive your power bill through the roof.
Additionally, setting your thermostat to 25 or 26 degrees in summer can reduce your power bill significantly as every degree below 25 degrees celsius can add approximately 10% to the running cost of your air conditioner.
If you need quality split system or ducted air conditioning maintenance contact your local air conditioning experts at Advanced Climate Solutions. Our team of highly trained technicians are on call 24/7 for all of your air conditioning maintenance needs – including emergency breakdowns. We also offer quality air conditioning installations and repairs. Call ACS today on 0403 254 272 for reliable air conditioning services at competitive prices!
