Keep your power bill cool over summer

You might ask: Why worry about high power bills over summer – that’s a winter problem? But with the costs of the air-con and the extra drinks fridge cranking all summer long, you may get a bit of a shock at how quickly the costs of keeping cool add up.

Keeping the drinks cold

It’s really common when Kiwi households buy a new, energy efficient fridge, that they then relegate the old one to the garage, where it continues to chug away keeping beers, wine and the left-over pav cold.
According to Energywise, old fridges and freezers can cost two to three times as much to run as a newer more efficient one. If you really need additional space to keep drinks and food cold over summer, it may be more economical in the long run to buy a more modern fridge.

Chill out in the fresh breeze

While using your heat pump to cool your house is quite a bit cheaper than using it to keep warm, it can still add extra dollars to your power bill over the summer months. Try keeping your doors and windows open, to enjoy some fresh air – which doesn’t add to your power bill. If you’re concerned about the mozzies, look for some insect screens, which will still let the air in, but keep the flying insects out.

Turn off the power when you go

If you’re going away for a few days – or longer – make sure you turn off all the appliances at the wall. Leaving them on standby can add unnecessary costs to your power bill – money you can use on your road trip instead.

While you’re turning off all the appliances on standby – don’t forget to turn off your hot water too. There’s no point paying to keep it warm every day that you’re not there – and it won’t take too long to heat up when you get back.

Cool off the shower

While your hot water needs to be set at 60 degrees Celsius minimum, each degree over that will just end up costing you more money. If you turned up the heat over winter, make sure you turn it down again over summer, and save some extra dollars.

In addition to keeping the temperature low, keep your hours in the shower down too. Each extra minute in the shower can cost up to $70 extra per year for a family of three. If you need to have those longer showers for thinking in, consider reducing the water flow (perhaps by changing the shower head). That way, you can save money on water while still enjoying the therapeutic benefits of a long leisurely soak under the shower.

Fill it up before switching it on

Often, summer means a house full of guests and regular entertaining. However, this also equates to more dishes and extra washing to do. Summer is a time of entertaining and often means a house full of guests. Each extra load you do will add to your power bill – so make sure the dishwasher and the washing machine are full before you switch them on. Each dishwasher load you skip saves you about 40c, while each hot washing load significantly more. Skipping one dishwasher load a day could save you nearly $10 per month.

Like to discuss your options?

We can’t keep the heat at bay, but we do know finance. If you’d like to upgrade to more economical appliances, and need some funds, please get in touch.

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Disclaimer: Please note that the content provided in this article is intended as an overview and as general information only. While care is taken to ensure the content is correct, the information provided is subject to continuous change. Please use your discretion and seek independent guidance before making any decisions based on the information provided in this article.