Six easy hacks for beating the chill bill

The first power bill of winter can come as a shock, but with a bit of forward planning, strategies to reduce heating costs can be put in place before the chill of winter really bites.

Freya Wall, Technical Expert at EECA Energywise, recommends checking ceiling and underfloor insulation if these areas can be accessed safely.

“Insulation makes your home healthier and easier to heat,” she says, “but if you don’t have insulation or it’s old, there are Government grants covering at least two-thirds of the cost of insulation for eligible homeowners. In some areas, such as South Auckland, funding from community organisations means there is no or minimal cost to the homeowner.”

You can find out if you’re eligible for a Warmer Kiwi Homes grant by visiting energywise.govt.nz or free calling 0800 749 782. Grants for heating appliances will be available from July. Wall also recommends doing a quick check using the Green Building Council’s HomeFit tool (homefit.org.nz) to make sure your home is warm and dry.

Wall has a few good tips for saving money while keeping warm this winter. “If you use a heat pump, make sure you regularly clean the filters. It’s an easy job you can do yourself and clean filters mean your heat pump can run more efficiently. Filters clogged with dust don’t run well.”

She also suggests that if you’re using a wood burner, use dry firewood because it burns efficiently and reduces air pollution.

She notes that DIY window insulation kits can cut heat loss through windows by half and are a fraction of the cost of double-glazing.

“These kits are really easy to use. Also, ensure heated rooms are protected from draughts by closing doors and using draught-stopping tape around windows.”

A simple way to keep the day’s heat in is to draw curtains at dusk. The best curtains have a separate lining and are fitted close to the window, wide enough to generously overlap the window frames at the sides and long enough to touch the floor.

1. Save on Lighting

Lighting is one of the easiest places you can save energy around your house. An obvious solution is to turn lights off when you're not using them, but replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient LEDs can save $100 or more a year.

2. Beat Heating Costs

●Use a heater or heat pump only in the room you want to heat, keep the door closed (unless you have central heating), and turn it off when you don’t need it.

●Set your heater thermostat at 18C to 20C.

●A heated towel rail left on 24/7 can cost $170 per year to run. You can buy timers for towel rails that come on automatically at certain times of the day.

3. Cut Down on Water Heating

●Use an efficient showerhead — it still gives you a great shower, but uses much less water.

●Reducing shower time can make a big difference — a 15-minute shower costs around $1, a 5-minute shower around 33c. A family of four could save around $900 a year just by taking shorter showers.

●Use cold washes — unless you have an especially dirty load. Modern washing machines and detergents clean well using cold water. A hot-water wash can use 10 times more electricity than a cold wash.

4. Get Rid of Humidity and Dampness

The average New Zealand family produces up to eight litres of moisture in the home each day from activities like cooking and showering. Humidity affects home energy savings by requiring heating and cooling systems to work longer to overcome the negative contribution that moisture brings to the interior of a home.

5. Ways to manage humidity and dampness:

●Fix any broken or leaking pipes, and clear blocked gutters to reduce dampness and mould.

●Lay down a plastic sheet on the dirt under your house, keeping dampness in the ground.

●Check the outside of the house to make sure underfloor vents are clear of plants or other blockages. This helps to move damp air out from under your house.

●Get rid of moisture inside the house with externally vented extraction fans. If you don't have these, open windows during cooking, showering and washing dishes.

●Dry clothes outside or in a clothes dryer (costs about $1 per load) that is vented to outside. Try not to use indoor airing racks or clothes dryers that vent into your house.

●Open windows and doors several times a day to let moisture escape.

●Sleep with your bedroom window open a crack to let out moisture that builds up overnight.

●Air duvets and pillows outside when it’s sunny.

●Avoid unflued gas heaters, which release toxic fumes and moisture. Cheap portable electric heaters are safer and cost less to run.

6. Turn off Appliances

Appliances left on standby can cost more than $100 a year. Major culprits are home entertainment appliances such as TVs, stereos, game consoles and computer equipment. Plug them into multi-plug boards so they can all be turned off at the same time. Turn off whiteware at the wall.

If you have a second fridge to chill drinks, it could cost you $200 a year to run if it’s an old, inefficient model. Consider turning it off or getting rid of it. Check your fridge door seals — if the door doesn't seal properly, your fridge will use more energy.

- New Zealand Herald