5 ways to lower your electricity bills this summer

Victorians spend a lot of money on electricity. According to latest statistics, the average annual energy bill in Victoria was found to be just over $1,600, with the highest average bills in the Melbourne area reported to be above $2,000.

Well, this summer, your bills don’t have to soar with the temperature. Here are five ways to reduce your power usage as the months warm up.

Switch them off

A big reason why our bills are shooting up is because we don’t turn the electricity off when we are not using them.

23 percent of households in Australia leave their air conditioning on when they are not home. In Victoria, 26 percent use the air conditioning even when nobody is there. By leaving your aircon on when you don’t need it, you could be wasting as much as $620 per year.*

Similarly, turn off the lights when they are not in use. The average Australian home uses 6% of its energy for lights, so if possible, let the natural light shine through the windows instead of keeping artificial lights on the whole day.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to switch off electronic devices such as the television and the computer when they are not in use.

Work with the windows

Instead of just relying on cooling systems to regulate temperatures, there is a lot you can achieve by working with your windows. First of all, use curtains, shades or blinds for your windows to stop the glaring sun from warming up the house.

By shutting the windows and closing the blinds, you can also trap more cool air within. And if the temperature drops at night, open up the windows to allow the cooler air in.

Fan the smaller areas

Consider installing ceiling fans to help circulate the air in the house. In smaller areas, go for personal and pedestal fans. Increasing air circulation and air flow in your home helps circulate cool air better, which means you can get the maximum comfort out of your air conditioning unit. That leads us to the next point…

Use your cooling unit wisely

Let’s face it. There are some extremely hot days when nothing except the air conditioner can save us. It helps tremendously if you know when the hottest periods of the day occur, so you can set the timer to activate the unit only during those times. Speaking of the timer, use it to turn the aircon off as you sleep, so that the unit is not running the entire night.

And don’t forget to clean your air conditioner filter – a clean filter can lower the unit’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.**

Spend more time outdoors!

Take advantage of the longer and warmer days, and enjoy life outside! By spending more time outdoors, you won’t have to use as much lights, electronics and air conditioning. Plus, you will have fun going to the beach, having picnics at the park, enjoying BBQ parties with your friends – all while lowering your power bills. Score!

But of course, remember to turn off all electronics before you leave the house.

*Source: News.com.au

**Source: Energy.gov