Save electricity this winter

Currently the southern hydro lakes are low, which puts a bit of pressure on our electricity system. It doesn’t need to be a problem if we all do a little bit to save electricity today.

The electricity industry has launched a campaign to ask New Zealand businesses and families to think about their electricity use and to stop any unnecessary waste.

Targeting the waste makes sense - doing what you can to improve the energy efficiency of your home also improves your comfort, saves you money, and reduces environmental impacts like climate change.

There are three main areas you should focus on at home

• how you heat your water,
  
• how your heat your house
  
• the appliances and lighting you use.

Have a look at the list below and see if any of the tips would help you save electricity this winter.

Water heating

Water heating uses 30% of household energy

• Check your hot water temperature at the tap – it should be at 55 degrees Celcius. An extra 10 degrees, for example, could cost you up to $140 a year.
  
• Make sure your dishwasher is full – try the eco feature if you have one and make sure you wait until you have a full load before switiching your dishwasher on. If you have gas hot water and your dishwasher heats its own water,.wash your dishes by hand.
  
• Rinse dishes with cold water instead of rinsing them under the hot tap.
  
• Stop hot taps dripping – fix any dripping hot taps by replacing the washer or fitting.
  
• Save water and energy - install an energy efficient, low-flow shower head. This could save you up to $500 a year if you use a lot of hot water.
  
• Wash the clothes in cold water. By doing a cold wash instead of a warm wash you could save about $50 a year.
  
• Take a shorter shower. If a family of four each spent a minute less in the shower they’d save $63 a year.
  
• Wrap the heat in. If your electric hot water cylinder and/or pipes feel warm to the touch, they are losing heat. Insulate them by wrapping – you can get wraps from hardware stores.
  
• Shower rather than bath and keep the shower short.

Home heating

Heating our homes uses 30% of household energy

• Hang curtains – use good quality thermal or close-woven fabrics and close them before dark to keep the heat in.
  
• Use the wood burner or wood pellet burner
  
• Stop draughts sneaking in and out under doors with a draught stopper.
  Use thermostats and timers so your heaters, including heat pumps, only come on when you need them and automatically turn off once the right temperature is reached.
  
• Check your insulation – even small gaps mean you’re paying for heat that’s going straight out of your house.
  
• Make use of the sun by keeping windows clean and free from overhanging trees it’s another way of taking advantage of sunlight to warm your home.

Check your appliances and lighting

Appliance and lighting consumes 40% of household energy

• Switch it off – turn appliances off at the wall instead of leaving them on standby and remember to unplug mobile phone chargers too when you’ve finished using them. This could save you up to $100 a year.
  
• Switch off your heated towel rail - instead of having your heated towel rail on continuously, use it for only a few hours per day. You can save $70-$140 a year by doing this.
  
• Pull the plug on your second fridge – you can save up to $300 a year by getting rid of your old inefficient beer fridge or freezer.
  
• Use the right sized saucepan for the element when you are cooking, so heat doesn’t escape around the sides. And use a lid to keep the heat in.
  
• Buy bright – replace your four home’s most-used bulbs with energy efficient ones. They cost around $6 each but last up to 10 times longer. Doing this can save around $65 a year.
  
• Use a clothesline rather than a dryer.