Could you be saving money on your energy bills?

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If you looked at your last energy bill in disbelief, you’re not alone. For most Australians, energy costs are now one of the biggest items on the list of household bills. Continuous hikes in electricity tariffs have pushed bills upwards year after year. Australians pay $0.50 per kWh, compared to the European Union average around $0.30 per kWh and US prices between $0.10 and $0.2.

Sure there are different energy suppliers and many tempting promotional offers. But, they’re often confusing and difficult to compare. As a result, around 80 percent of households stick with the big three suppliers.  Is there another way to cut the bills? Take costs into your own hands by following our simple energy saving tips.

Our top energy saving tips

Switch it off

First up is one of the easiest changes. Just turn off all those appliances when you’re not using them. Leaving the TV, computer and many other appliances on standby is convenient, but that means each appliance is still consuming energy and costing you money. Same with lights; if you don’t need them, turn them off. And, while we’re on the subject, are you still using those old fashioned incandescent light bulbs. Changing to energy-efficient LED bulbs could save you $16 a year on every light. 

Become an energy star

Now you’ve got the energy-saving habit, start looking around for more savings. Are you thinking about replacing your washing machine, oven or fridge? Before you buy, make sure the model you choose has an ENERGY STAR rating. Your washing machine energy consumption could drop by 25 percent and you’ll use less water too. For fridges, the savings aren’t so big – around 9 percent less energy – but they still help cut the overall bill. 

Stay out of hot water

Talking of water, here’s an area where you could make savings in different ways. Okay, you need hot water for washing and cleaning, but could you use less? A shower will take less hot water than a bath. Do you need to hand wash dishes every time you use them? Heating water is a big energy guzzler.

As well as using less hot water, check your hot water tank. Are the tank and the pipes insulated? You won’t have to use so much energy keeping the water hot because the insulation prevents the heat from escaping. 

How old is your water heater? Modern water heaters are designed to be energy efficient, giving you another opportunity for big savings. Make sure it has a thermostat so you can control the temperature and the times when it’s operating. 

Keep it in the home

Make those improvements in water heating and you’ll reduce your winter heating bills too. In colder territories that could make a big difference. To make the savings even bigger, check the insulation in your home. The biggest heat losses are through the roof, windows and doors in that order, which can be solved through home improvement. Insulating the loft is a good way to keep the heat in and heating bills down by around 20 percent. 

Double-glazing windows is another big saver, and make sure your doors don’t have big gaps that let heat escape. Air conditioning doesn’t contribute so much to energy savings, but you can still cut some dollars. Keeping doors and windows closed is a must, and pulling down the shades can help keep the home cool without pushing the air conditioning system too hard. If the temperature outside is reasonable, you might find it costs less to use ceiling fans instead.

Get smarter

So far, we’ve covered some common things you can do to keep energy bills down, but more and more people are turning to smart solutions to get to the next level. For a start, ask your energy company to fit a smart meter. That way you can check what you’re spending day-by-day. And, you can see how much energy you use each time you switch on an appliance. You’ll get some real surprises and soon become very energy conscious!

Check your supplier’s pricing plans too. If they offer off-peak tariffs, start planning your daily cooking, washing and heating routines around the lowest-cost times. Maybe reserve baking, water heating or clothes and dishwashing for off-peak times. Using appliances off-peak could save $100 a year. Of course, the ultimate smart solution is a smart home where windows close, heating and lighting come on and off, and appliances are switched off automatically. Something to work towards; but, for now, there are plenty of simple changes you can make to start bringing those bills down.

Get in touch with us at Maxwell Sparx

Don’t forget, if you need to have any electrical work done to make those savings, make sure the work is carried out by qualified electricians. It’s not just safer; your electrician can advise you on the best and most efficient way to make your home more energy efficient. 

We specialise in both residential and commercial lighting and power across Sydney. For more information, please contact us on 0418 649 254 or email our friendly team at samuel@maxwellsparx.com.  

Electrical safety tips for your home

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Electricity in the home is one of the most important resources we have. It provides light, heat and power for cooking or running all those appliances that make our lives convenient — and enjoyable. But, electricity can also be dangerous. Accidents caused by electricity accounted for over 1,000 hospital cases and 55 deaths in Australia between 2014 -16. So, how can you be sure the electricity in your home is safe? Here are some practical electrical safety tips that you can follow quickly and easily to find out if there are any risks. But, we would stress that if you do need to get any problems fixed, ask a qualified electrician. DIY electrical work can be dangerous if you’re not sure what you’re doing.

Fit a safety switch

Top of our list of electrical safety recommendations is to make sure you have a safety switch fitted and it’s working. A safety switch is vital because if you turn on a faulty appliance and there is an electrical problem, the switch will ‘trip’ in a fraction of a second to cut the electrical supply and prevent anyone getting injured. You can reset the safety switch, but disconnect the faulty appliance first and get it checked and repaired before using it again.

You must have a safety switch in your home to comply with the law and the Australian Electrical Code.  This law was introduced in 1991 for all new builds, but, if your home was built before this time, it may not be protected by safety switches. Detailed regulations vary from state to state, so ask your electrician to check.

Check all appliances and switches

Before it comes to an incident, check all your appliances, switches and sockets. Look for tell-tale signs like loose, exposed or damaged wiring and cracks in plugs or sockets. If you see any signs of damage or wear, switch off the power at the main switch, disconnect the appliance from the socket and tell others not to use it. The same goes for switches or sockets – mark them with coloured tape or a note and tell others not to use them. Then either have them repaired and tested by an electrician or dispose of them.

If you’ve got older appliances that haven’t been used for a while, it’s worth having them checked by an electrician. Wiring, plugs and regulations have changed over the past 10 – 15 years, so an old appliance may pose a risk.

One appliance that you must definitely check regularly is the smoke alarm. We recommend testing it once a month, change the battery once a year and replace the unit if it’s more than 10 years old.

If you’re buying new appliances, always check that they are suitable for use in Australia and have a regulatory compliance mark (RCM). This shows that they have been approved by an official body to meet Australian electrical safety standards. 

Eliminate risks

There are some things you should check around the home to make sure there are no risks of accidents that could cause electrical problems. Make sure you don’t have long trailing cables, particularly on the floor or under carpets. Someone could easily trip over them, dislodge the plug and risk a shock.

You may have more appliances than sockets in some rooms. It’s tempting to plug several appliances into an extension bar, but be cautious about having too many live on the same bar. You can easily overload the circuit. An electrician can extend your radial circuit to give you additional sockets.  

If you’ve got young children, protect open sockets with child-proof covers to make sure they can’t poke them with their fingers. Switch off appliances when they’re not in use — children can be adventurous if you’re not watching!

Make sure you don’t mix water and electricity – a very dangerous mix. So, never use any electrical appliances when you’ve got wet hands. Keep water away from your appliances, particularly when they’re switched on. Keep any cables off the floor; there’s a risk if you’re washing the floor or just wearing wet shoes. You must not bring any electrical appliances into the bathroom, although you can use shavers or hair dryers plugged into an approved bathroom socket. If you’re using appliances outdoors like hedge trimmers, mowers or jet washes, make sure they’re connected to a circuit breaker. If there is an accident or if you try to work in wet conditions, the circuit breaker will cut the power and keep you safe.

Call the professionals  

As electricity can be dangerous, we don’t recommend tackling any major electrical work yourself.  The general guidelines are that you can change light bulbs or fluorescent tubes, replace fuses and reset safety switches or circuit breakers.

Electrical repairs, replacing switches and sockets, and changing or extending wiring are jobs strictly for qualified, licensed electricians who work safely and ensure that any work complies with regulations.

If you need to have any electrical work done to make your home safer, please contact the friendly team at Maxwell Sparks for more information and a free quotation on 0418 649 254 or samuel@maxwellsparx.com.