staying warm & saving money

YOUR GUIDE TO

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This easy guide to cutting your power bills has been developedby Sustainable Living Tasmania (SLT). SLT is a not-for-profitorganisation that has been spreading the word on sustainability for40 years. We deliver programs and advice on home energyefficiency, food security and transport. We also host Tasmania'sannual Sustainable Living Festival.

The development of this guide was originally sponsored by theTasmanian Government. Rights to reproduce and alter the booklethave been granted for the purposes of this project.

For more information visit: www.slt.org.au/gbs

Sustainable Living Tasmania: Level 1, 71 Murray St, Hobart. Ph (03)6234 5566

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Contents

Save money and

stay warmpage 4

Lightspage 19

Keep warmpage 6 Appliances

page 21

Windowspage 9

Fridges &Freezerspage 23

Condensationand mouldpage 11

Cookingpage 25

Heatingpage 12

Washingclothespage 26

Hot waterpage 16

Tips page 28

Printed Revision #5, April 2014

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How much energy do I use?

The average 4 person house in Hobart uses around 42 kWh inwinter and 27 kWh in summer. That’s around $3100 per year inelectricity bills. You can see the average and compare yourbill at www.energymadeeasy.gov.au

Save money & stay warm

There are lots of simple ways to reduce power costs – even if you livein a rental house. While each action is small, combined they canhelp save hundreds of dollars on your power bills.

This booklet can help you to decide which options will work best foryou. Not all of these actions will suit each house and some requirethe approval of the property owner or a plumber.

Heating and hot water are the major power costs for mostTasmanians, especially in the winter months. You can also savemoney on lights, cooking, fridges and much more. Find out in thisbook what you can do.

(Information based on average Tasmanian home)

Heating, 50%

Hot Water, 25%

Other appliancesincl. standby, 5%

Refrigeration, 7%

Lights, 4%

Cooking, 9%

Where is my power going?

Save money & stay warm

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For people on Quarterly bills your “hardwired” heaters and hot water are on tariff 41 or tariff 42 and will be charged at a cheaper rate than your lights and fridge on tariff 31. To save the most money use hardwired heaters in preference to plug in or portable heaters.

About yourelectricity bills

PAYG customers are charged different ratesat different times of the day. You can getthe chart that shows the times and pricesfrom the place you re-charge. Generallyspeaking it is cheaper to run appliancesbetween 11am and 4pm and after 10pm.

Electricity bills are measured inkWh. It is a measure of “poweruse” multiplied by the amount of“time” that it is used. It equals1000 Watts for 1 hour.

About your electricity bills

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Keep warmCold air can creep into your home through gaps and cracks arounddoors and windows.

Seal the gaps to keep warm air in and cold air out.

Where’s thedraught?

Can you feelcold aircoming in?Find the draughtby holding anincense sticknear doors,windows andother joins.Does the airmove thesmoke?

Block a gap at the bottom ofyour door with a door snake orrolled-up towel.

Cover gaps

Keep warm

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Push it right up against the door to keep thecold air from coming through.

For the bottom of outside doors,you can use a weather seal.

If the gap is uneven,use a weather strip. Ithas a rubber seal (likeon your fridge)

Use tape to seal around the sides ofdoors and windows. You can buythis at a hardware store.

Keep warm

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Rugs or carpet help tokeep floors warm.

Cover old vents with clothtape or contact adhesive.Don’t try this if you alreadyhave condensation issues

Cover your floor

Cover vents

How much could I save?Mike and Jane live in a weatherboard home. Theystopped draughts from doors and windows byusing door snakes, putting sealing tape onwindows, and covering vents. This made a bigdifference to their heating costs.

TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR = $74(based on standard Aurora tariff of 26.807c/kWh)

BEFORE AFTER

Keep warm

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Windows

To keep your house warm:When the sun is shining,open your curtains.When the sun is gone,close them.

Let the sun in

Use thick curtains

The best curtains are full-length(down to the floor) thick or lined.There should be no gaps.

You can often get good curtainscheaply from op-shops.

Use thick curtains

Most blinds don’t keep the heat inbecause they have large gaps

Windows

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Window insulation film can help keepwarm air in. “Clear Comfort” is a see-through plastic which you attach toyour window frame and then shrink it tofit with a hair dryer. Or try using bubblewrap for instant double glazing!

Another option is to cover unusedwindows with material, especially duringwinter.

26B

Pelmets trap air between the curtainsand the window. They help stop heatloss through the window.The most common type is a woodenbox pelmet that sits over the curtainrail.

A ledge pelmet sits on top of thecurtain rail, out of sight.It can be made from thickcardboard, foam, or wood –anything that blocks the spacebetween the rail and the wall.

Use pelmets

Double glazing the easy way

Windows

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To reduce dampness try the following:

On sunny days, open up windows and doors Use ceiling or wall fans in bathrooms and

kitchens, or open windows to let out steam Cover pots with lids Wipe down wet windows Don’t dry clothes inside the house, if using a

dryer make sure a window is open Window insulation film (or bubble wrap) is a

great way to stop moisture on windows Use a fan heater in damp rooms for a few

minutes each day Wood heaters are great for drying moist air

Mould can only thrive in moist conditions. In such conditions,mould spores can grow and will continue to grow until stepsare taken to both remove the mould and eliminate thesource of moisture. Problem areas can be bathrooms, showerrecesses, windows, under leaking roofs and near gutteringand down pipes.

Condensation is formed when warm moist air touches a coldsurface. To reduce condensation try to reduce the amount ofwater vapour released into the air, vent the house so dryer airenters and heat the home to make the air warmer.

To clean up mould try the following: Wear safety gear such as gloves, dust mask and

eye protection Dilute around 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil per cup

of water and spray onto the mouldy surface. Clean up with bi-carb soda and vinegar mix

with a cloth.

CONDENSATION and MOULD

Condensation and mould

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Heating

Why heat your whole house?

If you spend most of the day inone part of the house, justheat that area.

Close the doors to the rest ofthe house.

If there’s no door, hang ablanket or curtain in thearchway or hall.

Only heat the rooms you use

How much could I save?Narelle heats the livingroom and keeps doors toother rooms shut wheneverpossible. This means she hasbeen able turn down theheating from 25°C to 20°C.This has reduced herheating bill by 40%.

TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR =$X(based on standard Auroratariff of 25c/kWh)Warm up your bedroom just

before you go to bed.

A hot water bottle warms youunder the covers, where youneed it most (but for safety,always use a bottle cover).

Put on a jumperinstead of turning up

the heater. Every extradegree costs you

money.

Heating

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1

Set below 21°C (use theyour heater tothermostat or a thermometer to check). A

good technique is to lower the temperatureuntil it is”just comfortable” and set the

thermostat at that temperature

Use a timer.Set it to switch the heater onten minutes before you getup, or arrive home. Set it toturn off at night.

Use the right heater

Heat pumps are the cheapestform of electric heating, butcan cause draughts.

For best results: Turn off overnight or if you

are away from the house formore than a few hours

Turn the thermostat down to18 – 21°C.

Which heater is best for you? Use the best heater for your heatingneeds, and keep costs down. For people on quarterly bills it makessense to use your “hard-wired” heater before using a plug-in heater

Heating

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Fan heaters are “plug-in” andwarm the air quickly.For best results, run the heateron HIGH until the room iswarm. Then turn it to LOW.These heaters dry the air soare good if there iscondensation in your home.

Many houses have a “Pureheat Royal/Belmont” heaterinstalled. These heaters use quite a lot of energy (up to 8kW). Ifyou have one of these heaters you should use it wisely to keepyour power bill down. These heaters have two main settings”Space Heat” and “Radiant heat”. Each is suited for a task.You can turn both settings on, but you will use more energy!

Space HeatIf you are trying to heat the roomor larger spaces turn on the“space heat”. Make sure you usethe fan: The fan only uses a littleenergy but helps spread the heataround.

On most models, this part of theheater has a thermostat. Turn the“heat control knob” to “hi” whenthe room is just warm enough,then turn the heat control knobanti-clockwise until it clicks.

Radiant HeatThis is good if you are sitting nearthe heater. It feels warm and cosybut wont heat other areas.

Pureheat “Royal”

Heating

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Column heaters are “plug in” andslowly heat the air. They are one ofthe most costly ways to heat aspace.

For best results: stand the heater in the middle of

the room use the thermostat to set on the

lowest comfortable temperature turn it off if you’re out of the room

If someone in the house has asthma,column heaters may be your bestchoice.

Wood heaters can be efficient and cheap torun if used correctly. For best results:

Start with lots of small pieces of wooduntil you have a big fire. When starting afire or adding more wood, allow the fireto burn brightly for 20 minutes beforeturning it down.

Use only dry wood. Wood heaters work best if you don’t put

too much wood in.These simple steps will help to reduce smokeand improve health in your community.

Heating

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Hot Water

Use foam tubing to stop heat lossfrom your hot water pipes. Calledlagging, this tubing fits easily overthe pipes. You put it onto the pipesfor a meter or so where they leavethe tank. You can get it from ahardware store.

To put it on:1. cut along the length of the

lagging to open it up2. slip it onto the pipe3. use electrical tape or cable ties

to hold it on snugly.

Set hot water at 60°C

Cover hot water pipes

Ask a plumber, electrician oryour landlord to set your hotwater temperature at 60degrees.

If it’s lower than this, bacteriacan build up.

How much could I save?Julie and her two children have a hotwater tank outside set at 76°C. Thetemperature was turned down to60°C.TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR = $29(based on standard Aurora hot water tariff of 16.757c/kWh)

Hot Water

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3

Keep your hot water tank warm bywrapping it up. You can buy a coverfor your tank or use insulation batts.Make sure you don’t cover thepressure outlet valve! This is importantfor safety.

Wrap up your tank

Short showers

How much could I save?Dave and Kaylene each have fiveminute showers each day. Theyreplaced their old 17L/minshowerhead with a water savingshowerhead which uses 9L perminute.

TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR = $139(based on Aurora hot water tariff 16.167c/kWh)

Shorter showers of three or four minutesmean less hot water so less cost. Youcan use a timer to keep track

Have shallow baths. Baths use morewater than showers.

Hot Water

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Move your mixer tap Remember to leave your mixertap turned all the way to theCOLD side.

If it’s left in the middle it runswarm water. This costs youmoney.

Fix the dripFix dripping hot water taps.A drip every 2 seconds canwaste over a thousand litres ofhot water every year. This is asmuch water as 10 baths!

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Use a water-saving shower headthat uses 7-9 litres per minute.

Use flow restrictorson your taps

Water saving shower head

Flow restrictors for all your tapswill reduce water use.

Hot Water

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Turn lights off

Use energy efficient lights

Compact fluorescent lights (CFL) useabout a quarter as much power as“normal” light bulbs. (Keep awayfrom cheap brands as some aren’twell made and won’t last)

LED lights fit most light sockets. Theseare energy efficient and last a longtime.

Use low-energy fluorescent tubes.They don’t flicker, have natural lightcolour and use a lot less energy.

The right light for the job

Lights

Use natural light when you can.

If you’re reading, use a lamp witha lower-power light bulb.

Lights

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How much could I save?Tony changed his security light from a 150W Halogen to a23W CFL. Using the light 10 hours per night the light payedfor itself within 3 months.

TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR = $130(based on standard Aurora tariff of 27.785c/kWh)

What to do if your energy savinglight breaks

Energy saving (fluorescent) lightscontain very small amounts ofmercury, so it is important to clean upcarefully if you break a globe.If one breaks:1. Open windows and leave the room for

15 minutes.

2. Wearing rubber gloves, sweep up (don’tvacuum) the broken material.

If small pieces are in the carpet, use adamp cloth or sticky tape to pick themup.

3. Put the pieces into a sealed plastic bag.Take it to be recycled or put in outdoorrubbish bin.

4. Wash your hands and face. If you getany pieces of broken globe on yourclothes, put clothing in rubbish bin orwash carefully by hand with soap andwater.

The first time you vacuum the area wherethe bulb was broken, remove the vacuumbag afterwards. Put the bag in the outdoorrubbish bin.

Lights

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How many stars?If you’re buying white goods, check theenergy label to see how many kWh (kilowatthours) per year it uses. The lower the betterA fridge (or freezer) with a 5-star energyrating uses half as much energy as one witha 1 star.

You can even calculate how much anappliance costs to run. Power costs about25c per kW. This means that a fridge withenergy rating 530kW per year will cost about$133 per year to run:

530kW by $0.278 = $147.26

Buy energy efficient

Appliances

Large appliances such as fridges, washing machines and dryers costa lot up-front. But they can last 10-15 years. The energy efficiency ofthe model you buy will make a big difference to the running costsand power use over its lifetime.

Before you buy, ask yourself – is it energy efficient?For any appliance, ask yourself: can I turn it off when I’m not using it?

Use a laptop computer. They use much less powerthan a PC.

Use a smaller TV. Big TVs use a lot of energy.

LCD and LED TVs use a lot less power than plasmaTVs.

Appliances

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It can be a pain to turn off computersbecause they take a long time to start upagain.Try clicking on Hibernate. The computerwill switch off completely, but starts upquickly when you turn it back on.

How much could I save?Troy and Danni have a 90cm TV, set top box and DVDplayer that are left on standby for 16 hours per day. Theycan’t reach the power point behind the cupboard to turnthem off. They purchased an Ecoswitch so they could turnappliances off easily.

TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR = $24(based on standard Aurora tariff of 27.785c/kWh)

Standby power is the energy used by applianceswhen they are not in use.Even though it’s a small amount for eachappliance, it all adds up. On average, the cost is12% of your home’s total energy use!Switch appliances off at the power point whenthey are not being used.

For hard to reach power points, usean Ecoswitch to turn off appliances.It’s great for TVs, and reduces fire riskfrom appliances on standby.

Use an Ecoswitch

Don’t leave on standby

Appliances

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What’s the temperature?

Fridges & freezers20

Make sure fridge and freezerdoors have good seals thatdo not leak cold air.

If you can easily slide a pieceof paper or dollar note inyour fridge door, the sealsneed replacing.

This can be done by anappliance repair or specialistresealing company.

3Seal fridge doors

Keep your fridge ataround 5°C and defrostit regularly. Make sureyour freezer is set at-15 to -18°C.

How much could I save?Carolanne has a two door fridgeand freezer unit in her kitchen thatshe often hears running. Shechecked the seals and replacedthem. This made a big difference tothe cost of running her fridge.

TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR = $27(based on standard Aurora tariff of 26.807c/kWh)

Fridges

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Keep the heat sink (the metal grill on theback of the fridge) clean and free fromdust and lint.

This will help it to run more efficiently.

Clean the heat sink

Fridges and freezers are cheaper to run ifplaced in the coolest part of the kitchen.Allow space at the back and on top for airto circulate and keep the unit cool.

Consider locating fridges and freezers inunheated rooms.

Keep ventilated and cool

Turn off that extra fridge

Do you really need that secondfridge or freezer? Usually theseare older models that don’t runefficiently. Unplug it or get rid ofit.

Fridges

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Use the microwave

A microwave can reducecooking costs by up to 75%.Consider using the microwaveinstead of the oven or stove.

Cooking

Lids keep the heat in so fooddoesn’t take as long to cook. Thissaves energy.

It takes a lot of energy to boilwater. Fill your kettle with onlythe number of cups of waterneeded.

Use lids on pots and pans

Think before you fill

Cooking

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Use front loading

Washing clothes

Thaw it

Front loading washing machines are usually more energyand water efficient than top-loading machines.

You can compare models by looking at the information onthe star-rating stickers. Always check how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) the appliance uses.

Washing with cold water getsyour clothes just as clean,and will cut your power bills.

Thaw frozen food beforecooking (in the fridge). Thissaves on cooking time.

Wash with COLD water

Cooking

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Use a solar dryer

Use a clothes line for dryingclothes. In winter, find anundercover area and set upclothes racks.

If you need to use a dryer, tryto partly dry on a clothes linefirst. Always put a full load inthe dryer.

How much could I save?Linda uses her clothes dryer for four hoursevery week on average. She changed tothe clothes line and a portable clothes rackinside.

TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR = $64(based on standard Aurora tariff of 26.807c/kWh)

Washing Clothes