CHOICE reveals how to reduce your electricity bill this summer

Australian consumer group CHOICE has revealed how you can make major savings on your next electricity bill – and it seems investing in quality insulation and a budget fan could be the answer.

Running a pedestal fan day and night all summer long will set you back as little as $30, while switching the dishwasher on overnight can save up to 50 percent on running costs.

Investing in insulation, creating false shade with awnings and shutters, and switching from halogen bulbs to LED lights will leave your house cooler and reduce the use of air conditioning, leading to a dramatic drop in your summer energy bill.

Australian consumer group CHOICE has revealed how you can make major savings on your next electricity bill, including switching from halogen bulbs to LED lights (stock image)

1. USE A PEDESTAL FAN

Low powered pedestal fans are often the only option for keeping cool during the long hot summer Down Under, but what they lack in strength they make up for in cost-effective.

Pedestal fans are incredibly cheap to run, with CHOICE calculating a total running cost of just $30 if you leave the fan on day and night, all summer long.

2. CREATE SHADE

If your house is hit with direct sunlight in the hot summer months, shield it with artificial shade like awnings, blinds, curtains and shutters.

Planting deciduous trees around windows and glass doors is a good plan for year-round temperature control.

The seasonally shedding leaves will keep sun away in summer and let warmth shine through in winter, reducing the risk of running up large air conditioning or heater bills throughout the year.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME COOL FOR SUMMER 2019

1. Insulate: Insulated ceilings can make homes up to 35 percent cooler in the hot, summer months.

2. Seal: Use insulation strips around windows and doors.

3. Ventilate: Add whirly-birds or under-eave vents.

4. Shade: Create shade in the house with awnings, blinds, pergolas, curtains, shutter and trees.

5. Glaze and paint: Paint external and internal walls white or a light, pastel colour, and have windows glazed.

Source: Choice.com.au

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME COOL FOR SUMMER 2019 

6. Reduce air con: Air conditioning units should be set within eight degrees of the outdoor temperature, no more.

7. Watch the thermometer: Open windows when it’s cooler outside, and close them when it gets hotter inside.

8. Turn lights off: Turn lights off wherever possible and replace with LEDs.

9. Use a pedestal fan: Using a pedestal fan is estimated to cost as little as $30 if run 25/7, all summer long.

10. Night-time dishwashing: Turn on kitchen appliances at bedtime.

Source: Choice.com.au

3. REDUCE AIR CON

It may be tempting to turn the air con to the highest dial as the mercury climbs, but running systems at full capacity can put a serious dent in your energy bill while also damaging the air conditioner’s motor.

Air conditioning units should be set within eight degrees of the outdoor temperature to get the most bang for your buck – because each degree cooler adds roughly 10 percent to the overall running cost.

Show your unit some TLC by changing the filter regularly and keeping the motor well shaded to ensure it runs at maximum efficiency. 

4. GLAZE AND PAINT

Dark colours attract the sun, making the home hotter, so opt for light, fresh shades when you’re next redecorating.

Painting exterior walls white will keep your home a little cooler this summer, while glazing windows will also reduce indoor temperature and keep warmth in during winter, keeping electricity bills to a minimum all year long. 

Painting exterior walls white will keep your home a little cooler this summer, while glazing windows will also reduce indoor temperature and keep warmth in during winter (stock image)

Painting exterior walls white will keep your home a little cooler this summer, while glazing windows will also reduce indoor temperature and keep warmth in during winter (stock image)

5. INVEST IN INSULATION

Airtight insulation is key to keeping your home light and airy during the summer months and warm and cosy in winter, meaning less money spent on air conditioning and heat.

While quality insulation can be expensive, it is widely regarded as the most valuable of all energy investments.

Always start with the roof, which is where most heat escapes – uninsulated ceilings can make homes up to 35 percent hotter.

6. LIGHTS OUT

While turning lights off may seem the most obvious means of keeping your electricity bill to a minimum, CHOICE revealed how you can reduce your power bills even further by switching from halogen to LED bulbs.

‘Turn off the lights if you’re not in the room – not only do they use energy to create light, they also create heat, which your air conditioner has to work harder to remove,’ CHOICE cooling expert Dennis Gallagher said.

‘Replacing halogen downlights with LEDs can help keep the temperature down and reduce your power bills, too.’

Running your dishwasher or other high-powered appliances during 'off peak' hours can cost up to 50 percent less than running the appliance during peak hours when electricity is most demand (stock image)

Running your dishwasher or other high-powered appliances during ‘off peak’ hours can cost up to 50 percent less than running the appliance during peak hours when electricity is most demand (stock image)

7. USE DISHWASHER AT NIGHT

The cheapest time to run a dishwasher or other high-powered household appliances is when the electricity provider switches to ‘off peak’ hours.

This period can cost up to 50 percent less than running the appliance during peak hours, when electricity is most in demand like during the bulk of the business day from roughly 1pm to 7pm.

Kitchen appliances also generate heat, so it makes sense to let them run overnight.

Turn your slow cooker on overnight to avoid overheating the kitchen during the day, CHOICE recommended.

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