Betterways

These days, we're all looking for ways to reduce our energy use and save some money.

By thinking more about where and when you use the most power, you can find some easy ways to reduce your electricity bill.

• Heating and cooling our home forms roughly 25 per cent of your electricity bill. Installing ceiling insulation reduces the cost of heating and cooling our home by up to $425 a year*.
• Turning off your second fridge could save you up to $200 a year*.
• Reducing the length of your shower from 8 minutes to 4 minutes could save up to $150 a year*.
• By using cold water rather than hot to wash your clothes you could save up to $120 a year*.
• Leaving appliances switched on at the wall or in standby can make up to 10% of your electricity bill. Turning off equipment like your tv and computer could save up to $150 a year (based on a survey, typical consumption of standby power is 92.2 watts (W) per household*.
• Replacing four incandescent globes with compact fluorescents in busy areas of your home could save you up to $75 a year*.
• Increasing the temperature setting on your air conditioner by one degree can reduce your electricity costs by up to $260 a year**.

*Savings based on 1 July 2011 residential tariff rates. The annual cost savings will depend on appliance and frequency used. Figures courtesy of Office of Energy.

** Savings based on 1 July 2011 residential tariff rates and average annual accounts for Horizon Power residential customers. The annual cost savings will depend on appliance and frequency used.