Which household products and appliances use up the most energy?
Every household is different when it comes to the appliances they prefer and therefore which ones use the most power in a given year.
But now with Australian energy prices going through the roof, you may want to pay extra attention to your appliance choices.
Some use a great deal of energy and it’s important to check this. Time to better manage and reduce your bills!
Which appliances suck up the most energy?
On average, heating and cooling systems use the highest percentage of electricity in Australian homes.
According to Momentum Energy’s managing director, Lisa Chiba, heating and cooling systems make up about 40% of the energy usage of the average Aussie electricity bill.
In order to combat this, be mindful that each degree you turn up your heater, the more energy it uses. The same goes for each degree cooler you turn down your air conditioner. Also try not to keep these appliances running overnight or when they are not absolutely necessary in order to reduce energy consumption.
Does the fridge use a lot of energy?
Yes, another big energy sucker are the appliances in your home that are always running, such as your refrigerator and freezer. These are said to make up about 13% of your overall energy usage.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about this but make sure that the seals on your appliances are in good condition so that you’re not using more electricity than necessary.
You can also adjust the temperature on some refrigerators and freezers: the recommended temperature for a fridge is 3 degrees and between -15 to -18 degrees for a freezer. If the temperature is any lower, you could be using unnecessary electricity.
Hot water systems are also a big drain on electricity, especially in winter when you’re taking extra long hot showers to escape the cold.
The best way to reduce electricity used for showers is to simply cut down on your shower time. This is more easily done with a shower timer or by setting a timer on your phone.
Washing machines and dryers also use a lot of electricity. There are things you can do though, such as opting for a cold wash when possible. Warm wash cycles can use up to ten times the amount of electricity as a cold wash cycle!
You can also make sure that you only use your washing machine when you have a full load, instead of only filling it up halfway and wasting electricity. It might seem impossible to dry your clothes without a dryer in the wet and cold seasons, but when possible, opt for hanging your wet clothes and letting them dry naturally, without using your dryer.
If you follow these tips, you should be able to cut down on your energy usage and hopefully save money on your next bill.
Need more help reducing your energy bills?
If you want more energy saving tips, this money saving article might help you further reduce your electricity usage.
You may also want to consider researching other energy providers and plans to see if you can save money by switching plans. For more information and tips on how to do this, check out our energy home page.
