Switch off appliances when on holiday this summer
November 19th 2008 06:14
EnergyAustralia Energy Efficiency Expert Paul Myors said that while the Christmas holiday period could be stressful, there were a few simple steps homeowners could take to reduce the toll on their electricity bills while they were away.
“A bit of common sense and a little extra effort can help save you money and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions while you’re enjoying your holiday,” Mr Myors said.
“The first step is to turn appliances which have a standby mode off at the wall.
“This includes anything with a little red or green light. If the light is on it’s using power, costing you money, and contributing to your household’s greenhouse gas emissions.”
Standby power can contribute as much as $100 a year to household electricity bills.
Appliances which often have standby power are televisions, sounds systems, DVD players, computers, printers, and dishwashers.
According to the Australian Greenhouse Office one in five homes leave their computers running all day and all night, whether they are being used or not. They will still receive emails when they’re off so flick the switch and watch your energy usage go down.
“If you have a second fridge, it’s also a good idea to empty it and switch it off while you’re away. Be sure to leave the door slightly open,” he said.
“On average refrigeration contributes about 14 per cent to a family’s electricity bill, so if you have two, switch one off and your energy consumption and bill will drop.”
For peace of mind, many of us like to keep a few lights on while we are away, but why not think about installing motion sensors or timers to keep running costs down.
Holiday energy savings tips
• Turn appliances with standby modes off at the wall. Get rid of the little red lights.
• Empty your second fridge and switch it off.
• Turn off your electric hot water system. But be aware many off peak systems need to
reheat overnight when you return
• Use motion sensors or timers on security lights, instead of leaving lights on.
“The Christmas holiday period can be a time of high stress and high bills and being energy efficient is a simple way of reducing both.”
Info from Energy Australia
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