Energy saving tips
Looking to save energy around your home or at work? Our energy experts’ top tips are here to help. Changing your energy habits for the better is good for your wallet, and great for the environment.
Hot water tips
- Take shorter showers. Time your showers to 4 minutes or less. Your pocket will be grateful for it.
- Forget the heated towel rails. They can cost up to $200 a year in energy.
- Switch to a water efficient shower head. You could reduce your hot water use by half.
- Fix dripping taps. Leaking hot water taps waste energy and water.
Kitchen appliance tips
- Check your fridge and freezer temperatures. Set your fridge to between 3°C and 5°C and your freezer to -15°C and -18°C.
- Only use your second fridge when needed. Then turn it off when not in use.
- Check if your fridge door is sealed properly. Place a strip of paper between the door and the fridge. If the paper can be pulled out easily, it might be time for a reseal.
- Set your oven to fan forced. It cooks quicker and more evenly than conventional settings.
- Check the energy-rating labels on new appliances. The more stars it has, the more energy efficient it will be.
Laundry tips
- Wash clothes in cold water, with a relevant detergent. Washing machines use energy to heat water.
- Dry your clothes on a line rather than using your dryer. You can save around $130 a year.
- Look out for certain features when you buy a new washing machine: a fast spin cycle, at least a 4-star energy rating and 4-star water rating and choose a front loader.
- Iron in big batches. This stops you from wasting energy each time you reheat the iron.
Lighting tips
- Turn off the lights. Make this a habit whenever you leave a room.
- Switch to LEDs or compact fluorescent light bulbs. You could save up to 80% energy per globe.
- Use solar lights in your garden. They store energy during the day, then light up automatically at night.
Heating and cooling tips
- Adjust your thermostat. Each 1°C higher for heating and lower for cooling adds 10% to the running cost. 18°C-21°C is recommended for heating and 24°C-27°C is recommended for cooling.
- Use free natural heating and cooling. In summer, keep the sunlight from heating your home by closing your curtains and blinds on sunny days. In winter, do the opposite and open your curtains and blinds to naturally heat your home.
- Close off rooms you’re not using. This will save energy by reducing the area being heated or cooled.
- Switch to a more efficient energy source. If natural gas is available in your area, this is a cleaner source that other combustible fuels.
Want to find out more about using natural gas at home or work? Explore the benefits of natural gas