Advice by Season

In Summer we are generally outdoors more and spend less on heating, yet our power bills can remain high or spike during the festive season. Some tips for keeping your bills low in warmer weather:

• Do you have a large freezer or second beer fridge? These appliances, especially older models, are likely to use more power than any of your other appliances. Keep these appliances out of the sun and ensure there is an air gap surrounding them.
• Replace high use conventional light bulbs with LED bulbs, they use up to two thirds less power.
• If going away for more than three days, turn off your hot water cylinder.
• Switch appliances off at the wall when you go away on holiday.
• Check out your power usage and company – switching to a night rate might save on hot water costs. Switch the hot water cylinder off between 7am and 11pm for a week. If you don’t run out of hot water, you might be better off on a night rate.
• Check the seal on your fridge door with a piece of paper -with the door closed, if you can run a piece of paper between the seal and the door surface when it is closed, you need to replace the seal.
• Use your curtains to shade the house against the sun and prevent it from getting too hot.
• Using your heat pump as an air conditioner is expensive – if there is a breeze, open doors and windows instead.
• Fridges and freezers can make up 15% of your power bill. If you’re shopping for a new one, go for a high energy star rating.

As the weather cools down it is time to start thinking about how to keep warm this winter.

• Check your curtains – are they double layered, fit well across the window, below the window sill, and without gaps up the top? If not, check out our curtain bank.
• Check your insulation – or have us check it for you. If you need a top up, it is wise to do it before it gets really cold, as wait times may apply.
• Does your home feel damp? If the soil under your house is damp, you may need a polythene vapour barrier.
• Close the gap between the curtain track and the wall with a rolled up towel, piece of cardboard or corflute, or plywood. Or consider installing enclosed curtain tracks to remove this gap altogether.
• Cut vegetation away from north facing windows to get the most out of the free heat you receive from the sun.
• Now is a good time to clean your heat pump filters before they start working hard. Just pull the internal filters out and vacuum them. We recommend cleaning them every month.
• Consider asking your power company about smoothpay, which averages your bills across 12 months so you don’t have any high, unexpected winter bills.
• If you use a clothes dryer, make sure it is vented to the outside (not into the roof).
• Try to dry your clothes outside when you can. If you have to dry them inside, do so in the bathroom or laundry, with the door shut and window open.

• Open curtains first thing in the morning to get free heat from the sun, and close them at dusk to trap the heat in.
• Wipe condensation off windows and frames every morning. If you leave it, the moisture will re-evaporate into the air, making your home damp and harder to heat. You can purchase a scoopy from our online shop, which catches condensation as you squeegee it.
• Ventilate daily by opening windows on opposite sides of the house for at least 10 minutes, even in winter.
• Assess your heating – in a very draughty house, radiant heat (bar heaters, log burners) will keep you warmer than convection heat (fan heater, oil column heater). Call us for advice on how to best heat your home using the resources you’ve got.
• If you use a dehumidifier, turn your heater on at the same time – warm air makes is easier to extract moisture than cold air.
• If using a log burner, only use dry firewood.
• Hot water can account for up to 30% of your power bill. Use cold water for washing clothes and rinsing dishes, and make it a rule to have shorter showers in the winter months.
• Keep a gap between furniture and external walls to prevent mould from growing
• Use a double door sausage, that moves with the door, on doors between heated and unheated parts of the house.
• Reduce condensation and dampness by keeping the doors to bathroom, kitchen and laundry shut.
• Unflued gas heaters can emit up to 1 litre of moisture every hour, causing dampness in your home. They are expensive to run, and can release dangerous gases. Only use them in an emergency.
• Pre-heat the bathroom before showering. Use a fan heater that heats the air. The warm air will carry moisture through the window or extractor more efficiently.

• Spring cleaning time! Remove mould with a hot, soapy water solution. Spray on, leave for 1 minute, and wipe off. Bleach does not remove mould, but stains it white.
• Leave wardrobes slightly open to prevent mould growth
• Have your hot water checked by an electrician – it should be 60 degrees at the cylinder, and no more than 55 degrees at the tap. Adding a temperature limiting valve can help with this.
• Check out www.powerswitch.org.nz to see if you are with the best provider for your needs. Call us if you need help with this.
• Save on hot water costs by installing a hot water cylinder wrap, available on our online shop.
• Remove mould from curtains with a solution of 2-3 drops oil of cloves (available from the pharmacy) and 500ml water. Spray on, leave overnight, then take curtains outside and shake off the mould.
• Check your lighting – older style downlights can significantly reduce the energy efficiency of your home.
• If you want to save power, use the microwave or slow cooker to cook, both use less power than the oven.