For most of us, the cost of our power and gas bills are causing pressure on the household budget. We’re all looking for ways to save money on our energy cost, whilst maintaining the comfortable lifestyle we’re accustomed to.
That includes ensuring our homes are warm in winter and cool in summer, without breaking the bank on astronomical power bills.
And whilst solar panels are a great way to reduce our reliance on the grid, in most cases, there are other more efficient and easier ways to save energy in our homes.
These are our top 4 tips for saving energy and costs in your home:
1. Lighting
We have to ask ourselves, is the lighting in our home energy efficient?
There have been significant developments in energy efficient lighting over the last few years. It can be extremely beneficial to switch to energy-efficient bulbs and LED fittings to save energy. Additionally, you should make sure that you’re not over-lighting rooms unnecessarily. Perhaps you have too many light fitting for the purpose of the space?
It’s also important to ensure that the lighting is turned off if nobody is in the room.
2. Insulation
A great many homes lose warm or cool air through poor insulation and air leaks. This means that your heating or cooling system is working over time, to maintain the temperature of your home.
By ensuring your home is well insulated, many of us can make significant reductions in energy consumption. And although this might seem obvious, many of us ignore the important role of good insulation.
3. Appliance usage
Many people have bad energy habits regarding their household appliances.
Perhaps you one of those people who boils a full kettle when they only need a single cup? Maybe you’re running a beer fridge just for the convenience of extra cold beer ‘just in case’?
Do you leave your appliances turned on unnecessarily?
Then it could be these small bad habits that mount up to unnecessarily large energy consumption. By flicking the switch or reconsidering our energy use at home, one habit can save hundreds of dollars each year.
4. Upgrading your appliances
There may be a great number of energy-hungry appliances in your home. Clothes dryers, refrigerators and heating and cooling systems are notorious for consuming a large amount of energy.
While upgrading your appliances may seem like a costly step, there has been a great deal of development in appliance technology over the last few years.
Older appliances will have a tendency to use far more energy than their newer counterparts.
If you are getting ready to upgrade your appliances, try to choose the model with the best energy efficiency rating possible. This may be a little more costly initially, but over the lifespan of the new appliance, the energy savings could be tremendous.
Making the small changes
Adopting small changes to your lifestyle can have a large impact on your energy consumption.
This could allow you to use the energy generated by your solar energy system without excessively relying on the mains electricity grid. This can not only save you money but can dramatically improve the environmental impact of your home.
So what about solar panels and battery systems?
Solar panels and battery systems are an excellent way to produce clean, green energy.
If you are considering installation, it is worth taking the time to fully assess the advantages and disadvantages, which apply to your specific property. A professional should be able to perform a free survey outlining the costs and feasibility of switching your home to solar power.
If you have any questions about your energy usage or would like us to undertake a FREE energy assessment at your place, contact us today.
