6th July 2020 / Prue Fletcher: Warming Up This Winter: How to Keep Your Energy Bills Down

As COVID-19 restrictions look likely to keep us at home for the cooler months, our energy consumption is set to rise and will eventually reach its peak across the July – August period.

On average, our energy usage increases up to 20% during Winter; a financial strain that Aussie homeowners could really do without at the moment.

Staying warm and comfortable throughout the Winter months doesn't need to be costly and there are some simple ways we can keep warm which will also help to reduce our outgoings.

Here are my top tips to help keep your toes warm and back pockets full:

NEGOTIATE A BETTER RATE WITH YOUR ENERGY PROVIDER

The Federal Government has advised energy companies to be more flexible with waiving late fees and avoiding disconnecting services, also offering customers the ability to enter into repayment plans if they came into financial hardship during this pandemic. It is always recommended to contact your energy provider every 6 months to renegotiate your rate. Given the current economic climate, it is even more important to stay on top of this now. Also, don't be afraid to shop around – switching plans could save you money.

TURN OFF APPLIANCES

Across the cooler months, try your best to remember to turn off appliances when they're not in use. We're often blessed with some beautiful, crisp mornings which turn into sunny days, so plan your week and wash your sheets when the sun's due to come out, rather than putting them through the dryer. Avoid using the heater at night and instead pile on some extra blankets to keep in the warmth (investing in high quality products such as pure wool will ensure heat is better retained). Artificial heat can affect your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep and leave you feeling foggy in the morning, so the closer to nature we can be the better!

USE YOUR CURTAINS

My mum is the Queen of the house and some of the best homely tips she ever gave me was to start closing down the house at 5pm. The amount of warm air that escapes through windows can be up to 25% during the Winter months with the majority of heat loss caused by air escaping through door jams and small openings. Some tips to help eradicate these issues is to close your curtains when the sun goes done and ensure you have a block out blinds behind sheers as well as seal any gaps around doors and windows to draught proof these areas.

CONSIDER UNIT LOCATION

When using gas ducted heating it's worthwhile considering where the unit is located. If the system is located at the rear of the home, it uses more energy to push the heat all the way to the front of the home causing you to feel the cold more and in turn increase the temperate on the thermo stat. Instead, close or turn off the vents in the rooms which are not in use so the air is circulated only to the rooms which are occupied. You will better be able to maintain the recommended heat range of 18-21, which will ultimately help keep your energy usage at a more moderate level.

DRESS FOR THE SEASON

We are a country which breeds 'creatures of comfort', having the luxury of turning on the heating when cold and ramping up the cooling at the first glimpse of Summer. But as we all are faced with the reality of spending more time at indoors why not reach for your woollen jumper or coat just as we would have if we were rushing out the door.

Think - Heat yourself before heating the space around you.