The rising cost of living is hitting us all hard. We have put together tips and advice to help you reduce your power costs and save money, especially with the winter months approaching.
Turn off heaters and lights in rooms you are not using
Turn it off at the wall if you are not using it! This includes lights and appliances such as TV’s, play stations, radios, microwaves, and anything else not needed to be run 24/7 (such as a fridge or freezer).
Use your heat pump efficiently
The recommended minimum temperature in the living room is 18°C and this allows you to stay warm without a huge power bill. Setting the temperature higher makes it work harder and it will cost you more in power bills. Running a heat pump at 26°C will use 50% more power than at 21°C.
LED Lightbulbs
Choose LED lightbulbs as opposed to incandescent bulbs – they are cheaper to run and last 15 times longer!
Calculate your heating costs
It is useful to find out how much your heating is costing. This can help you decide between heaters or to budget how much heating you can use.
Ensure you have the right electricity supplier
Visit Consumer’s Powerswitch website to check that your plan and provider are the optimum options for you https://www.powerswitch.org.nz/
Fix Dripping Taps
Depending on how bad the leak is, dripping hot taps can cost you hundreds of dollars a year.
Wrap Hot Water Cylinders
In older Kiwi homes, airing cupboards were often situated near or above the hot water cylinder to take advantage of the escaping heat. Some pre-2002 electric hot water cylinders aren’t insulated very well and should have a cylinder wrap.
Ventilate
Open windows for at least half an hour every day as this will encourage the circulation of fresh air and dry out your home. This can result in less usage of a dehumidifier. Open curtains to make use of the sun’s free heat.
Habitat undertakes a comprehensive home visit and then provides a free education kit. We can make a range of minor repairs to make the home warmer and drier, and therefore more cost-effective. For more information visit habitat.org.nz/northern/how-we-help/healthy-home-service/ or click here to view our Housing Help videos.
Download Tips and advice for healthier homes below.
