Energy Hacks for your home

Every Australian is looking for ways to reduce their energy costs and with good reason, a 2017 study by the ACCC showed energy prices had increased 63% in 10 years. Thankfully there are many options for alternate energy such as Solar and wind generation, with companies such as Tesla developing advanced storage systems, many people are even going completely ‘off grid’.

One common discussion we have with our clients is that no matter what electrical system you have, you can always maximise it’s performance, and reduce costs by looking at energy reduction strategies.

To reduce your electrical usage in a year, follow these basic hacks that cost next to zero cash and begin saving straight away.

7 Surprising Energy Hacks

1. Always turn off the appliances after use, don’t leave them on standby. ‘Phantom Load’ as it is often called can waste up to 10% of your electricity bill.
2. Whilst many look carefully at energy requirements when purchasing a fridge, it’s not commonly known that simply organising your fridge and freezer space in a particular way can greatly reduce your energy needs. Start with Organising the things you use most at the front of the shelves for quick ‘in and out’ use. Cooling your leftovers before refrigeration also helps, and knowing which fresh produce can be stored at room temperature will further reduce the load on the cooling motors, saving energy.
3. Keeping the windows open at night and closing up in the morning will help to keep the cool night-time air in and hot day-time air out, utilising fans instead of Air conditioning helps to keep the air moving around.
4. Not only are they beautiful and relaxing in the home, Plants are equally helpful to cool your home giving a natural cooling system that can drop temperatures by up to 10 degrees. Areca Palm Trees  are a decorative house plant that acts as a natural de-humidifier. In addition, the areca palm can remove benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air.
5. Using your Dryer constantly can cost in excess of $200 per year. For those of us lucky enough to have a backyard, the trusty hills hoist will dry your clothes for free, whilst also providing the germ-killing benefits of UV from the sun. For those in an apartment investing a clothes airer or rack for the veranda will provide the same benefits.
6. Replace your lights with LED lights bulbs. Many people may be put off by the apparent higher cost of LED bulbs compared to Halogen, however prices of LED bulbs have reduced drastically since this Money Magazine article, making them even more affordable.  Multiple studies have shown LED’s use up to 80% less power and last 25 times longer than Halogen, with the prices continuing to fall as consumer demand increases, homes can see very real savings.
7. Voltfix Electrical is 100% focused on electrical safety for our clients. We are specialists in Commercial, Industrial and Domestic Electrical & Air Conditioning services including installation, design, repair and maintenance in Brisbane, Logan and Redlands in Queensland

If you would like to discuss further energy reductions, solar installations or any other electrical issue please contact us or phone 1300 500 832.