It’s no secret that energy bills are on the rise in Australia. And unfortunately, things don’t appear to be getting better any time soon. With authorities announcing that the amount that energy companies can charge will be lifted on July 1, hundreds of thousands of households are braced for an increase in their energy bills.
Writing to your local representative and asking them to take action is recommended, but it’s unlikely to have much of an immediate impact. There are, however, plenty of other things that households can do to keep their utility bills down. We’ll run through some of the most effective methods below.
Upgrade Your Appliances
Your appliances will require energy to run effectively — but how much energy they need will depend on the model of the appliance. Older appliances are much less energy efficient than newer models. Newer refrigerators, for example, use up to 40% less energy than older models, ones that were released as little as fifteen years ago. New clothes washing machines, meanwhile, require up to a third less energy and also use half the amount of water. You’ll need to fork out some cash to upgrade your appliances, but they’ll pay for themselves soon enough — and they’re also much better for the environment, too.
Look At Insulation
Avoiding using your air conditioning is the best way to lower your energy bills. But of course, that’s not a realistic ambition. With summers becoming hotter and hotter, Australian families are becoming more reliant on their air conditioning systems, not less.
Upgrading your home’s insulation is an effective way to ensure that cold air is kept inside your property. After all, if you’re going to pay for cold air, you don’t want it to escape through the walls. In some cases, good insulation can help reduce temperature-related energy costs by as much as 30%.
Handle Leaks Immediately
Most homeowners take prompt action when there’s major water damage in their properties, but not all homeowners are quite as fast to take action when they have minor plumbing issues. Yet even if a faulty faucet doesn’t seem serious, the fact that it’ll be increasing the cost of your water bill, and may also be causing unseen water damage that will be expensive to fix later down the line. If you notice a leak in your home, then get in touch with a plumbing service in your area. It’s also recommended to pay attention if your water bills seem to be increasing without an obvious increase in usage, since it may indicate that there’s an undetected leak somewhere in your home.
Fully Load Machines
You can understand why some homeowners run their dishwashers or washing machines when they’re only half full. Sometimes, that’s all that’s needed — and the homeowner simply concludes that it’s better to do half a wash rather than having to live with dirty clothes/dishes (and certainly better than washing them by hand).
However, keep in mind that most appliances use the same amount of energy regardless of the amount of items inside the machine. You might only be doing a small, half-wash, but the washing machine will act as if it’s a full wash.
Having a household policy to only run your appliances when they’re full can make a noticeable difference to the size of your energy bills — and it’s also much better for the planet, too.
Switch Suppliers
Not happy with the size of your energy bills? Most homeowners begrudgingly hand over their cash, but in many cases, it may be better to simply switch to a new supplier. There are introductory deals available that can dramatically cut the cost of your energy bills, and all you need to do is go through the switching process. One study by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found that millions of Australians could save more than $300 — or as much as $600 — on their energy bills just by making the most of deals that are freely available on the market. And aside from simply saving you money, there’s some satisfaction to be had by telling the energy bill that has been slowly increasing its prices that you’ve found a better deal and that you’re leaving.
Wash Your Clothes In Cold Water
Washing machines use a lot of water — but actually, the main energy consumption comes not from the water itself, but from heating the water. Washing your clothes in cold water can reduce your washing machine’s energy consumption by as much as 90%, and what’s more, it doesn’t result in poorer results. Unless you’re dealing with oil-based stains or other hard-to-remove dirt, cold water will wash your clothes just as effectively as warm water.
You can further reduce your energy bills by drying your clothes outside on a rack. Not only does this require no energy at all, but it can also give your clothes a nice, light outdoor scent. Perfect!
Consider Solar Panels
Tired of being at the mercy of rising energy bills? Then installing solar panels could be just the solution. Indeed, in Australia’s sunny climate, it makes perfect sense to install a solar system. Though there’ll be a somewhat high startup cost, you’ll begin saving money immediately. Over the course of the lifespan of the system — which should be 25 years or more — it’ll pay for itself many times over.
You’ll still pay some electricity costs if you have a solar panel system that’s plugged into the grid. For true energy independence, look at off-grid solar systems, which eliminate electricity costs entirely.
Be Mindful of Energy Consumption
Finally, perhaps the most effective way to reduce your utility bills is to simply be mindful of how much energy you’re consuming. It’s easy to overlook details like lights being left on or devices being kept on standby mode, but the fact is that all of these seemingly small details can add up to a pretty penny over time. Plus, by taking a considered approach, you’ll not only be reducing your energy bills, but you’ll also be reducing your impact on the natural world.
