Purchasing energy efficient appliances like washing machines can certainly decrease your energy use, but did you know there are a number of behaviours you can modify to help save energy too?
Food Preparation
- Thaw food before cooking instead of using the microwave
- Use minimum water and keep lids on pots
- Simmer instead of boiling water
- Match the pot size to the hotplate/burner size
- Turn the oven off 10 minutes before cooking is finished and use residual heat to finish cooking
- When using aluminium foil apply the dull side up
- Turn your microwave, oven and stovetop off at the power point when not in use to avoid using standby power
- Only boil as much water as needed when using the kettle.
Food Storage
- Set the refrigerator and freezer at optimum temperatures. Optimum refrigerator temperature is 3° to 5° Celsius. Optimum freezer temperature is -15° to -18° Celsius
- Minimise the number of times the refrigerator and freezer doors are opened
- Regularly clean and defrost the icebox or freezer
- Provide good ventilation to the refrigeration cabinet
- Don’t overfill the fridge.
Cleaning
- Turn off standby power to dishwasher, washing machine and clothes dryer
- Stop the dishwasher before the drying cycle and allow dishes to air dry
- Only run the dishwasher when it is full
- Wash clothes in cold water
- Use a clothesline for drying instead of using a clothes dryer
- If using a clothes dryer, place a drying rack in front of the dryer to avoid multiple loads
- Reduce showering time.
Lighting
- Turn off lights when the room is not in use
- Only use lights when necessary.
Climate Control
- When using heating/cooling appliances, increase the temperature in summer and reduce it in winter. Every degree will be saving you approximately 10% of your heating and cooling running costs
- Only operate heating, cooling and ventilation when required
- Use economy cycle with air conditioners if possible
- Use zoning and keep doors closed when operating heating and cooling appliances
- Regularly maintain heating and cooling appliances
- Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioning where possible
- Reduce internal heat load by turning off appliances not in use.
Pool and Spa
- Reduce pump filtration run time to match seasonal requirement. E.g. summer 6-8 hours, winter 2-3 hours
- Reduce temperature for heated pools
- Use pool covers and blankets
- Regularly clean the filter and skimmer
- Investigate off-peak tariff options with your energy retailer.
Entertainment
- Turn off TV, DVD/Blu-ray players, game, and consoles, and other entertainment appliances at the power point to avoid using standby power
- Only operate TV, DVD/Blu-ray players, games and consoles, and other entertainment appliances when someone is using it
- Enable power management on all computers to allow hibernation when not in use
- Turn off computers and peripheral devices when not in use.