A Comprehensive Guide to Lowering your Power Bill

Winter is a tough time for Kiwis facing higher than average power bills. With the cold nights and frosty mornings, we are heating our homes and running the dryer more often. But you can still save money on your power bill, at any time of the year, by making a few simple changes and habits around the home to save on electricity. 

Home Heating Tips

• Choose energy efficient heaters. A heat pump is going to be more energy efficient than a traditional electric heater. This means it’ll use less energy to heat your home. 
• Only use the heater when you need it. Avoid leaving them on when you are not home or when you leave the room for a while. Set a timer so it only runs in the morning and evening, when it’s most cold, and when you are likely home. 
• Your heater will run most efficiently when the thermostat is set between 18 and 20 degrees. 
• Clean the filters of your heat pump so that the machine doesn’t have to work harder to warm the room. 

Heat Saving Tips

• Draw the blinds and curtains in the evening to trap the heat generated by the sun. Be sure to open them in the morning to allow the sun’s warmth to come into the home. 
• Make sure windows and doors close and seal properly. You don’t want to lose unnecessary heat. Add draft blockers or tape at the bottom of doors and around the windows to stop heat leaking out. 
• Consider double glazed windows. If you own your home, consider upgrading your windows to double glazed. This long term investment will help trap the heat in your home. 
• Add a couple of rugs throughout your home. They can trap heat and make cold, hard floors more comfortable to walk on. 

Moisture Reducing Tips

• Cooking, showering and washing up are the main causes of moisture in the home. Open the windows while doing these tasks. Be sure to use the extraction fan above the stove and in the bathroom when cooking or showering. 
• Dry outside when possible. This will help prevent the moisture from drying clothes inside from ending up in your house. It will also save you money on the dryer. 
• Open windows and doors for a couple of hours during the day to allow for air circulation. This will help ventilate the home, and push damp air outside, allowing for fresh breeze to come inside, and prevent the unpleasant smell of mildew and moisture. 
• Wash bedding on a regular basis, and air it outside on sunny days. Sheets, duvets and pillows can absorb lots of moisture including sweat and environmental moisture. 

Light Saving Tips

• Be sure to turn lights off when you aren’t using them. 
• Switch all bulbs to energy efficient LED bulbs. These use a lot less energy, but still shine just as bright. They even come with colour changing and bluetooth features. 

Hot Water Saving Tips

• It costs more to heat water. You can save money on your power bill by reducing your hot water use. 
• Use cold water when you can. Run your washing machine on the cold setting and save the hot water wash for your bedding after you’ve had a bout with the cold or flu. 
• Limit your shower time. Pause the shower when using soap, or shampooing your hair.
• Check if the shower head is efficient – it should have a water flow of 9 litres per minute or less. 

Running Appliances Tips

• Turn off appliances when you aren’t using them to avoid standby power (or vampire power), which is the small but significant amount of power consumed when the appliance isn’t being used, but is sitting in standby mode. Flick them off at the outlet when you are not using them. 
• Only use heated towel rails when you need to. You could set up a socket timer so it dries your towels when necessary. You can save up to $170 per year by only using them when needed. 
• Upgrade the old fridge. Old appliances are notorious for goggling up electricity. Upgrade your old fridge to a new modern one, with a high energy star rating so it uses less energy to keep your food cold. The seals in old fridges are typically loose and not effective at trapping the cold air. 

Compare Your Power Bill

Of course, one of the most effective ways to lower your energy bill is to compare. Here at Power Compare, we are all about helping Kiwis find better deals for their power bill. Our user-friendly platform is designed to make it quick and easy to compare power plans and providers available to you. Unlock savings that make a true difference to your budget by making an informed choice. Our comparison platform is free to use, and bias, hassle and obligation free. 

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