6 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Autumn
Autumn is coming! Sweeps of russet gold and burnt red are going to gobble up the landscapes. We have crisp mornings, dewy grass, and cosy nights to look forward to. But with the change in season, it’s important to make sure your home is ready. Cooler temperatures can spike our power bills. There are small and easy things you can do to best prepare so that you can keep your power bills steady and your home warm and relaxing.
1. Clean Heat Pump
To make sure your heat pump can work as efficiently as possible, it’s a good idea to clean its filter. When your heat pump works efficiently, it doesn’t have to use as much power to warm your room. Take a vacuum cleaner and remove the dust built-up in the filter. The unit won’t have to work as hard to pump in the warmth, therefore, using less energy and helping to minimise your power bill.
2. Fridge Freezer Declutter
Before the season truly sets in, set aside some time to declutter your fridge freezer, and even your chest freezer. Toss out anything that has gone bad, or anything that you are just unlikely to use. When you create space in your fridge or freezer, the unit can circulate the cold air better to keep your food cool or frozen. The better the air can circulate, the less energy it will consume.
3. Shop Electric Blankets
Electric blankets can be a great alternative to electric heaters in the bedroom. They only need to warm up your bed, which is a smaller space than the room. This can be a great way to minimise your energy consumption in the cooler months, and help to combat high power bills. Jump on PriceMe to shop different electric blankets and find the cheapest price!
4. Shop Comforters and Duvets
Speaking of bedding, it’s a good time to shop for comforters and duvets if you need to upgrade your old sets. The right quilt or duvet can help lock in the warmth when you sleep, especially when winter truly sets in. You don’t want to have to keep resorting to the heater, when you could leave it off at night and invest in quality bedding to keep you warm all night long.
5. Check Windows and Doors Seal
You are going to want to trap in any heat generated by the sun during the day, and by the heat pump in the evenings. It’s important to make sure your doors and windows seal properly. You can add weather strip tape to any windows that have improper seals. These can be bought from a hardware store, and they can be installed to help trap in the warm air, and block out any cold draughts.
6. Evaluate Expenses: Time to Compare!
The change in season offers the perfect time to reassess your bills, particularly your power and broadband bill.
- Compare broadband: As the colder weather sets in, you and your household will likely be spending more time indoors. There is likely going to be an uptick in your broadband data needs. Be sure to use our broadband speed calculator to see what speed your household should be on, and then compare different plans available to you. Secure a better broadband deal to unlock value, and optimise your fibre speed so that everyone in the house can enjoy the digital world without buffering or slowed connection.
- Compare power: Power demands in New Zealand have only increased with each passing year. With power price increases coming soon, it’s a good idea to reassess your power plan now to make sure you can secure the best deal before prices go up. Power Compare makes it easy and quick to find the cheapest power company or plan for your unique household needs. This could make a big difference to your monthly expenses!
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