The cost of energy keeps rising and despite empty promises from the politicians, the cost of living keeps going up. Saving money is now a thing of the past, as families struggle to pay the rising cost of living and in this article, we offer ways that you can save energy in your home.
What can you, an Australian homeowner, do to reduce your energy consumption?
Here are some of the ways that you can cut down on energy use at home.
- Hot water on demand – Search online for a state-of-the-art Rheem hot water system at affordable prices and do away with your hot water tank. Why heat up an entire tank of water, when all you want is a quick shower? How does hot water on demand work? The unit has a copper element which is electrically heated as water passes through, giving you the perfect temperature without wasting energy. The online hot water specialist is the person to contact and installation is a rather simple process.
- Solar panels – While solar power is not exactly new, prices have come down to a point where a homeowner will see a return on investment after only 5 years. Clean and renewable energy is what the planet needs and the Australian government offers financial incentives to homeowners that make the switch to solar panels. If you would like to learn more about solar energy systems, Google can take you to an approved supplier and they would be happy to send a technician to your home when you can discuss the many options. There are numerous packages available; you can harvest the Sun’s rays to provide all your energy needs and disconnect from the National Grid altogether. Alternatively, you could set up a system that provides you with a portion of your energy needs. The benefits are many and it is worth the investment
- LED lighting –Low input-high output LED lighting saves on energy; while the LED units are more expensive than regular incandescent lightbulbs. Ask your local electrician to pay you a visit and you can browse their extensive catalogue and start saving money. If you have yet to make the switch to LED lighting, this should be a priority and the fittings come in a wide range of designs. Search online for some LED design inspiration and you can order units online at lower-than-usual prices. Click here for kitchen tile choices in 2023.
- HVAC maintenance – If your thermostat is inaccurate, this will use more energy, ask a local heating engineer to service your system to optimise the efficiency. Using the system as a/c in the summer, while heating your home in the winter, is certainly going to stress the system. It is not unusual to service an HVAC system twice in one year, which ensures the system runs at optimal efficiency.
- Unplug appliances and devices when not in use – We like to leave appliances on standby, yet this wastes energy and is also a potential source of fire. Get into the habit of pulling out plugs of appliances that are not in use; every little adds up and you’ll get a pleasant surprise when your energy bill arrives. Computers, DVD players and home theatre systems all use power when on standby, it is best to switch them off.
- Turn off lights when not in use – Have a family meeting and inform everyone about turning off lights (and devices). If everyone does their part, that will be a significant energy saving at the end of the month. For exterior lights, you can buy motion sensors that automatically turn the lights on when movement is detected and that means you don’t need to leave the lights on.
- Turn down the heating in the winter – If you wear a sweater, you can turn down the heating by several degrees, also reducing the stress on the a/c in the summer.
- Invest in a new heating system – If your heating system is old, why not make an investment in a state-of-the-art HVAC system that provides heat in the winter and cool air in the summer? The latest generation of HVAC systems are very efficient, especially when compared to a 20-year-old central heating system.
Saving energy should be on everyone’s mind, as the climate crisis worsens, and we think the above ways can help you to achieve that goal. The Internet hosts a wealth of information on ways to save energy and a few hours of research will enlighten you.
Enquire with the state government regarding solar power systems and you can find out how the government will help you. It might be that they offer an interest-free loan for the set-up, or perhaps they pay you a cash lump sum.
We all need to consider carefully what to do regarding the switch to clean and renewable energy and prices have never been this low. You could take out a home improvement loan and the system will pay for itself over a long period. Imagine no longer having to pay a quarterly energy bill! The future is here today and with the help of a government-approved solar panel supplier, you can seriously reduce your carbon footprint and be part of the solution, not the problem.