Low Cost Ways to Save Electricity

Control the Thermostat

In winter, set the temperature to 18-20 degrees and in summer, 24-26 degrees. Every 1 degree you reduce when cooling or increase when heating uses 10% more electricity.

Set a Timer

Set a timer for your heating/cooling to come on an hour before people arrive so you’re not turning it on at a higher than necessary temperature to quickly bring the room to a comfortable temperature, it's already there. Set your timer to turn off your heating/cooling an hour before you close to reduce the electricity used and the risk of leaving it on.

Clean Your Filters

Clean your appliance filters every month when you are using them. The more dust there is covering the filters, the more electricity your unit will use to achieve your desired temperature.

Close Your Doors

Close doors to keep the heated or cooled air only in the space you are using.

Use Draught Stoppers

Draught-stop all doors and windows. If you were to roll up that long sliver of space under all the doors and windows into a ball, you will find a virtual hole in your wall much larger than you realise, that hole is making your appliances work harder to keep the air just right.

Lighting will contribute upward of 10% of your electricity costs. By upgrading your lights to LED you can reduce that by up to 80% and not have to buy replacement lights for 10-20 years*.

Businesses of all sizes can access lighting upgrade rebates through the Victorian Energy Saver scheme. Most lighting types are eligible for upgrade, and depending on the rebates available, it could cost you nothing. Of course you should still turn the lights off when you leave a room!

There are many different electronics we use in our businesses, using what we think is a small amount of electricity but it all adds up.

Laptops Use Less Energy

Opt for a laptop over PC as a laptop will use 50-90% less electricity than a PC depending on what you switch from and to.

Use a Powerboard

If you have a computer, and other devices that you only use with your computer. A master/slave powerboard will turn off all devices when you turn off your computer instead of using standby power.

Make Use of Timers

Appliances such as microwaves only need to be on when you’re at work. Put a timer on the appliances that normally get left on so you’re not using standby electricity.

Check Your Usage

You can check how much electricity your device uses by plugging it into a PowerMate. If you want to work out how much that costs you each year, enter the details into the Energy Calculator.

Keep Your Fridge Stocked

Keep your fridge at 70-80% full for efficient running. It needs airflow to run efficiently but also needs cool objects in the fridge to ensure there's little warm air entering the fridge when opened.

Add water in bottles if necessary.

Check Your Seals

Check the seals on your fridge by placing a piece of paper in the door when you close it. If you can easily pull it out, you might need to have the seals replaced.

Check for Leaks and Drips

Check your hot water tank for any leaks, and your taps for drips. A small amount each day can add up to significant energy and water wastage.

Turn Off the Instant Hot Tap

Like your other appliances, if you have an Instant hot water tap, turn it off at the end of the day or put it on a timer.

Install Tap Aerators

Tap Aerators will still give you the water pressure you’re after but using less water and electricity.

Since you’ve come this far and made these changes why don’t you add a cherry on top and switch to a carbon-neutral electricity provider such as Powershop, then you know that all of the unavoidable electricity has been offset. TIP: find a friend to refer you to Powershop and you’ll both get credit towards your next bill.

And remember, the cheapest electricity is the electricity you don’t use.