How to save on your home’s electricity bill during summer

Saving power in your home can be difficult, especially in the warmer months when your air conditioner runs most days.

But there are plenty of things you can do to use your AC less, as well as other measures you can put in place to minimise your bill.

Whether you want to use less energy to help the environment or to save on cash, there are many ways you can do so.

First and foremost, consider hiring a Brighton electrician for a thorough electrical inspection.

This step is crucial to identify any underlying issues that might be causing your electricity bills to skyrocket. A professional electrician can pinpoint and address these problems efficiently.

Not addressing these electrical issues that cost you money can result in wasted energy and higher bills.

Why should we not waste energy?

According to the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy, electricity accounts for most of Australia’s energy usage – at 35% of total emissions produced by the country.

Carbon emissions are a leading cause of climate change across the world, creating rising temperatures, famines, and high water levels globally.

If you’re wanting to do your part for the planet and minimise the effects of climate change as much as possible, as well as make your power bill cheaper – then consider small steps you can take to reduce energy usage, particularly during the warmer months.

What uses the most electricity in homes?

Are you addicted to turning your AC on its highest setting eight hours a day in Summer, but then get frustrated when you receive your high power bill?

Well we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but air conditioning and heating are two components that use the most electricity in homes, especially since you can have them running for many hours a day without thinking too much about it.

As well as being bad for the environment, overusing your HVAC system can cause power trips, overloads, blackouts, and outages.

During the hot summer months, your cooling system tends to consume a significant amount of energy.

To keep your electricity bills in check, we recommend following our another guide on how to save electricity during summer. You’ll discover tips and tricks to optimise your cooling system’s performance while minimising energy consumption.

How can we save energy at home?

Whether you use gas, electricity, or even solar, there’s always advantages to saving energy – and using less will always save your bill.

If you’re upset over your most recent energy bill or you are wanting to be more environmentally conscious, you should find other ways to cool down your home or implement ways to use less electricity such as upgrading your electrical system.

Use awnings and shades over your windows

By installing window shutters, shades, and awnings you can slow the speed at which the sun warms your home throughout the day.

Pull these over your windows before the sun has even risen. You can put them back up after the sun sets or leave them down particularly during multiple hot days in a row.

Weatherproof your home

Any gaps or holes near your windows or in your bricks can make insulation in your home hard.

These gaps can be hard to see and find. Often they can be where parts of your walls are thin like right next to windows.

Getting windows reinstalled can help remove these gaps.

Reinstalling windows will also be beneficial for the colder months as it will stop heat escaping your home, and therefore, creating a more energy efficient climate solution – no matter the time of year.

Be smart with your appliances

Don’t forget there are other appliances in your home that contribute to your energy bill, not just HVAC systems.

Doing the following will always keep your bill down:

• Switching to a cold laundry load where possible
• Hand wash some of your laundry
• Turn appliances off at the switch when not in use – such as a microwave or dryer
• Turn everything off when you go on holidays, including your switchboard – but make sure there’s no food left in your fridge!
• Add a timer for your lights to automatically switch them off

Get advice from domestic electricians about the safety of your appliances and circuits because not only do they consume electricity, but they also can be the reason for a lot of electrical accidents.

Upgrade your electrical system

Old and outdated home electrical systems include your:

• Circuits
• Light fixtures
• Switchboard and fuses
• Alarms

When not updated, appliances and lights tend to work less efficiently, and wear out. This forces your electoral system to work harder, which uses more energy.

Speak to an electrician in Prahran about upgrading your system today to save you money and to keep your house safe from black outs and the risk of electrical fires.

Have you recently moved house? You might still want to think about electrical considerations for a new house as the home could be fitted with an old, outdated, damaged, or otherwise problematic electrical system.

How can we reduce electricity consumption in an office?

There’s recently become a higher and higher demand for businesses to “Go Green.” And there are many easy ways to do this.

Offices often turn all their lights on by default during working hours and even leave them on when everyone leaves for the cleaners to then use.

But this pointless routine isn’t necessary; try implementing these measure instead:

• Having automatic lights for common areas like the bathroom and kitchen
• Pulling back all curtains and window shades, relying on natural light as much as possible
• Turn the lights off when you leave and have the cleaners turn the lights back on when they arrive

Another wasteful ritual businesses do is leave their computers on all night as well as printers, faxes etc. Get into the habit of turning off all computers and laptops before you go home.

Upgrading all your light bulbs to LED downlights is one of the easiest things you can do to save energy. LED lights are the most energy efficient light bulbs and are much cheaper in the long term. Best of all, they can last up to 10 times as long as old incandescent or halogen light bulbs!

Commercial electricians like Briggs Electrical and Data Solutions can help you make the easy switch over to energy efficient light globes.

 

How can I update my electrical system?

Briggs Electrical and Data Solutions are electricians helping both homes and businesses uncover energy-efficient solutions

Briggs are an experienced, motivated team of an electrician in Melbourne CBD who can help you make your home more energy efficient by:

• Replacing globes
• Upgrading switchboards
• Checking that circuits are working correctly
• Help you when you have an overloaded circuit

We also provide a range of general electrical maintenance as well as specialised tasks for the home and office, such as:

• Home theatre installation
• Assisting in emergency electrical scenarios
• Installing exit and emergency lights
• Data and telecommunications issues
• CCTV installation
• Antenna installation

And don’t forget, the principles of energy conservation apply year-round. If you want to know how to save electricity during winter as well, we’ve got you covered. Explore our winter energy-saving tips for a comprehensive guide.

When you’re searching for an emergency electricians near me, look no further than Briggs! Call 1300 300 222 or lodge a job here and we’ll get back to you soon