Tips On How To Cut Energy Bills

As the temperatures rise here in Australia, the bush fire risk goes up and so does my power bill. The air conditioning unit seems to stay on almost permanently, the pool pump hums continually and the kids stand in front of the open fridge trying to work out what they want! In the aftermath of the global economic crisis, I am coping but I'm always looking for helpful hints to reign in my electricity costs.

My research tells me there are lots of things I can do. Try these for starters:

1. The pool is a great way to stay cool in summer, but it would be much better if I could use it for longer and it didn't cost me any more. So I'm looking at getting a solar system for heating the water to give me a longer swimming season. Then by using an insulated pool blanket I can reduce the heat loss.

2. Leaks around windows and doors are an issue both in summer and winter. By using some expandable foam and/or caulking compound I can cut down on heat loss during winter, and heat getting in during summer.

3. Water heaters seem to chew up a lot of energy. Consider lowering the temperature on the thermostat and/or increasing the insulation around it so the heat doesn't escape as quickly. Solar hot water services are also a proven way to reduce your bill.

4. My family seems to want the house to stay nice and cool even when they are not in it! The way around this is to use a programmable thermostat so you can choose when to heat and cool your home, so that you are not wasting energy when you are not there.

5. Add insulated curtains or blinds to your windows to regulate the temperature. During winter keep your blinds open during the day to let the sun in and warm things up and close them at night to keep the cold out. During summer do the opposite! Just learning new habits will save you money!

6. Consider acquiring a humidifier. You will find that ultra dry air feels colder than moist air so you can actually turn your thermostat down a little and add moisture and you will still feel comfortable while using less power. But this is not much help during summer.

7. Instead of just trying to minimise use, maybe it is time to think about building your own wind turbine to generate your own electricity. Some sources quote that it only costs $200 to $300, you need just a few basic skills, and it can be done in a couple of weekends. Depending on how much wind you get you can drastically reduce your usage.

8. Another use of solar energy is to use it not just to heat water but also to generate electricity, so that when it is not windy you still have power that can be used straight away or stored in batteries.

So, what is stopping you from starting to do something now to cut your electricity bills? Another bonus: all these measures are good for the environment, so don't put it off any longer.