[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/save-energy-dollars\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/save-energy-dollars\/","headline":"10 Ways to Save Energy Dollars this Summer","name":"10 Ways to Save Energy Dollars this Summer","description":"Keeping energy costs down over the hot Summer months doesn't mean sweltering in the heat. We are all concerned about rising energy costs and the impact","datePublished":"2018-11-23","dateModified":"2019-04-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/author\/webmaster\/#Person","name":"webmaster","url":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/author\/webmaster\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/60db6c274920c2ec919a022c0fc7f448?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/60db6c274920c2ec919a022c0fc7f448?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Ralph Ottmann","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/roe-logo-dark-text.jpg","url":"http:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/roe-logo-dark-text.jpg","width":266,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/energy-savings-lights.jpg","url":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/energy-savings-lights.jpg","height":300,"width":600},"url":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/save-energy-dollars\/","about":["Commercial Electrical","Residential Electrical"],"wordCount":1158,"keywords":["energy saving","save energy"],"articleBody":"Keeping energy costs down over the hot Summer months doesn’t mean sweltering in the heat.We are all concerned about rising energy costs and the impact this is having on our household budget. We can make a positive difference to our electricity bill by implementing a few small changes to our choices and routines around the home.\u00a0\u00a0Check out these tips to help you save energy and money in your home.1. Appliances and Equipment\u00a0Choose energy efficient appliances and equipment and use them efficiently. Household appliances and equipment account for about 33% of energy consumption and about 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the average household.\u00a0 Living on the Sunshine Coast, most homes have air conditioners.\u00a0 We recommend running your AC at no more than 24 degrees Celsius for thermal comfort in summer.\u00a0 Anything higher could increase your cooling costs by as much as 47%.Something else to consider – on really hot days, consider use program timers to start your AC before the temperature gets too hot. It may sound counterproductive, but by switching your air conditioning unit on during the hottest part of the day means it needs to work much harder and takes longer to cool down the home.2. LED LightingWhilst more expensive to buy initially, energy saving light bulbs will save you money in the long run.\u00a0 Quality LED bulbs consume very low amounts of power, delivering up to 60-70% improvement in energy efficiency per household. They also last 5 to 10 times longer than halogen light bulbs and consume a quarter of the energy to produce the same light output.– LED bulbs last between 15,000 to 50,000 hrs.– Halogen bulbs last between 1,000 to 4,000 hrs.– Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) last approximately 6,000 hrs.3. Washing Machine – water temperature90% of the energy used by your Washing Machine will go to heating the water. Using cold or warm water will dramatically reduce your energy costs over time.\u00a0 You may have heard that hot water is the most effective cleaning temperature to remove stains and germs, and although we are not professional cleaners, the consensus online is that\u00a0cold water\u00a0is more than up to the challenge of\u00a0washing\u00a0everyday laundry. Indeed, it was noted that\u00a0cold water\u00a0is actually good for certain clothes – protein stains (blood, sweat) can set in when\u00a0washed\u00a0in hot\u00a0water, and hot\u00a0water\u00a0may shrink or wrinkle synthetic fabrics.4. Reducing the heat in your homeWe are lucky to enjoy on average more than 200 days in Queensland annually, so by utilising\u00a0curtains or blinds you can reduce the amount of unwanted sunlight heat (estimated up to 30%) entering your house through south and west-facing windows.\u00a0 This simple action can save you up to 7% on bills and lower indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees.\u00a0The other two main appliances in our homes that generate heat in the home are dryers and ovens.\u00a0 Consider alternatives to using dryers or leaving ovens on for unnecessary lengths of time.5. Install Energy Efficient Hot Water Systems and Water and Pool pumps and use them wiselyConnect Off-Peak Tariff’s for pool pumps and electric hot water systems can save you loads in energy and money.\u00a0\u00a0**Ask us for more info about Star Rating and kW hour efficiency. You’ll be surprised at the difference this can make to your electricity bill.6. If it is not in use – Turn it off!Turn off fans, air-conditioners, lights and TVs in rooms when they are not in use.\u00a0\u00a0Don’t leave ovens or dryers on for unnecessary lengths of time – extending energy use when not needed. Take a note of pre-heat times and check dryers periodically when in use – clothes may already be dry.7. Ask yourself – Do I really need to use the Dryer today?Dry your clothes naturally on the washing line (we do live in Queensland) instead of in the dryer.8. A Clean Air-Conditioner works betterAir conditioning maintenance is not a glamorous job, and often forgotten by homeowners.\u00a0 In fact, research reveals that 41% of homeowners have never cleaned their AC filters!\u00a0 This is important because not regularly cleaning your AC filter can contribute to a significant increase in electricity bills.A poorly maintained air conditioner needs to work much harder to keep the home cool during the hotter months, particularly after running a reverse cycle air conditioner throughout winter. We don’t like to think about it, but over time, a significant volume of dust accumulates on the filter, reduce air flow, and diminishing the performance of the air conditioner.\u00a0Have your Air-Conditioner cleaned periodically so that it is working to its full potential.9. Standby PowerLook around your house and you’ll find many appliances: TVs, Computers, Multifunction Printers, microwaves, phone chargers, washing machines, and Blu-Ray players just to name a few. They all consume energy even when you think you’ve turned them off when they are on standby.\u00a0 Take a few minutes now to count the number of appliances in your home and office that are on standby 24\/7.\u00a0 Maybe get the kids to help you work it out so that they are engaged and aware too.\u00a0 Although Equipment Energy Efficiency for power consumption is being built into new products, improving overall energy use, we can make a difference in our own power consumption by turning some of these appliances off at the wall.10. Fridges and Freezers are Energy Hungry AppliancesWhen you are purchasing new appliances, be sure to choose your fridge and freezer wisely.\u00a0 Make sure it has a good energy consumption rating (see product stickers), and that it is not too big for your needs.\u00a0 When you get it home, choose the location of your fridge and freezer wisely – don’t place your fridge near the oven or in sunlight.\u00a0\u00a0Finally, check your seals now and again – they do decay and can eventually need to be replaced. Ralph Ottmann Electrical is fully qualified to help you with all your electrical needs – home and work.\u00a0 If you would like Ralph to visit your property, to undertake an Energy Audit to see how you can save money, please contact us.If you have found this list helpful, please share it with your friends and family.\u00a0 With likely increases to energy tariffs\u00a0never far away, we can all benefit from cheaper electricity bills and at the same time do our bit for our environment."},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"10 Ways to Save Energy Dollars this Summer","item":"https:\/\/ottmannelectrical.com.au\/save-energy-dollars\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]