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(Energy) How To Save On Your Energy Bills
(Energy) How To Save On Your Energy Bills
How to save
on your
energy bills
Saving energy in the home can be so easy. This booklet shows you
how. At a glance, you will see typical running costs for hot water,
heating and household appliances. There are lots of handy hints
which will make a big difference to your household energy costs.
Using less energy also means less pollution and reduced greenhouse
gas emissions. So start now and save energy, the environment and
hundreds of dollars on energy bills.
The information provided in this publication relates to a ‘typical’ household. Each individual household
will vary. The information is intended only to provide guidance to the householder.
All costs refer to winter costs, and all costs are quarterly. Bear in mind that winter energy bills are usually
higher than summer bills.
The living room
Costs about $128 per winter quarter
(It could cost you over $360 or as little as $52)
Three
Space heater* 60 watt lamps, Ceiling fan
costs $80 a 5 hrs/day costs $8 4hrs/day costs $3
quarter a quarter a quarter
Stereo 3 hrs/day
costs $2.90 a
quarter
Heated
aquarium costs
$11 a quarter
Video recorder
5 hrs/day costs
$7 a quarter
Colour TV Cat’s heat
8 hrs/day output worth
costs $16 60c a quarter
a quarter
* Natural gas, off-peak electric or reverse cycle air conditioning
Block off the open fireplace to stop Leave windows open while the heater is on $40
warm air going up the chimney Heat an area twice as large for 8 hours a day $80
Seal gaps around external doors and Raise the thermostat setting by 1°C $12
windows to stop draughts
Save up to $60
Gas cooker
costs $20 a
quarter
Dishwasher with
hot water
connection costs
Radiator
$9 a quarter
1 hr/day costs
$9 a quarter
3 3
The laundry and bathroom
Costs about $68 per winter quarter
(Could cost you over $212 or as little as $28)
Electric strip
heater
1/2 hour/day
costs $4.60
Hair dryer,
a quarter
electric shaver
cost $4 a
quarter
Clothes
dryer used 3
times a week
at 25c a load
Costs $18
a quarter
Hot
water (basin)
costs $2 a
quarter
Three 3 minute showers
a day costs $15
Iron a quarter
Washing machine daily use costs One bath a day costs
used daily on $3 a quarter $7.50 a quarter
warm cycle costs
$7 a quarter
4
The bedrooms
Costs about $39 per winter quarter
(They could cost you over $146 or as little as $20)
Three lights
Cassette radio
Light 3 hrs/night 1.5 hrs/night
costs $1.00 a
costs $2.00 Electric costs $3
quarter
a quarter clock costs a quarter
50c a
quarter
Desk lamp
2 hrs/night
costs 40c a
quarter
Home
computer used
10 hrs/week
Cost $12.60 a
quarter
Single electric
blankets cost $1 Fan heater
3 hrs/night on Double electric
each a quarter blanket costs $2
medium setting
costs $40 a a quarter
quarter
5
The garage/workshop
Costs about $17 per winter per quarter
Car fuel costs them about $269 per quarter
(These could cost you over $718 or as little as $39)
Light
Car fuel costs 40c
6 cylinder family car, a quarter
Drinks refrigerator costs 3800 kms at
$15 a quarter 12.5 litres/100 km costs
Beer, 1 can a day costs about $269 a quarter
$75 a quarter
Power
tools cost
$1.00 a
Bike used quarter
1 hr/day
costs
nothing!
Electric lawn
mower used
1/2 hr/week costs
$1 a quarter
6 6
Other fuels and appliances
For each room in our room-by-room guide we have
made the running cost calculations using the most
common types of electric and gas appliances.
Compare these costs with the lists showing how you
could save and how you would spend more and you will
see how you can make savings on energy costs.
7
Central heating Other factors
Using a space heater to heat a typical living Although running costs of heaters are important,
room costs approximately $98 per quarter. If other factors can affect the overall cost of heating.
central heating is used to heat an entire house,
costs would increase. • Sleeping or formal living areas often do not need
to be heated to the same temperature, or at the
• In-slab heating (electric or hydronic) costs around same time, as informal living areas. If you are
twice this amount, if kept at about 18°C. considering purchasing a central heating system,
• Natural gas ducted heating using a high efficiency look for one which can be ‘zoned’ to heat
(4 – 6 stars) furnace, and hydronic heating with different areas of your home at different times.
radiators using natural gas also costs around This can easily halve your central heating costs.
twice this amount. • If, for instance, you have an area that is heated
• Natural gas ducted heating using a standard only for short periods, the purchase cost of your
efficiency furnace (1 – 3 stars), electric radiant heater could be far more than the running costs.
ceiling heating and ducted reverse cycle air In such areas, a portable heater may be a more
conditioning cost around three times this practical alternative than a fixed space heater.
amount. • Different types of heaters provide comfort in
• Ducted or hydronic heating using LPG costs different ways. In a large draughty room a
around four times this amount. radiant heater which warms you directly will be
more effective and economical than a fan type
• Remember, central heating costs vary widely, heater which tends to heat the air before the
depending on the temperature set, the area person. Radiant heating is especially useful in
heated, the length of time a system is on for, bathrooms.
and the efficiency of the model.
8
Other fuels and appliances
Hot water
The average hot water cost is $60 per quarter.
• High efficiency natural gas storage hot water systems and
electric off-peak systems are similar in running cost to the
above figure.
• High efficiency natural gas continuous flow or
instantaneous hot water is cheaper to run (multiply the
above cost by 0.85).
• LPG hot water is up to 2.5 times the cost of the standard
gas or off-peak units (so multiply the cost by 2.5).
• Peak tariff electric hot water systems (instantaneous and
continual reheat) are about 2.5 times the cost of off-peak
electric hot water (so multiply the cost by 2.5).
• A solar hot water system will reduce annual costs on
average by 50%* saving an average family up to $150 a
year.
* In northern NSW, this saving can be up to 80%
Cooking
The average cost for cooking is $15 per quarter. Cooling
• For a smaller household the cost would be $12 The cost to cool a typical living room with a fan
while for a larger household the cost would be is $3.00 per quarter.
closer to $20. Used for 4 hours a day on hot days:
• Conventional electric cooking costs over double • refrigerated air conditioning will cost around
(multiply the cost by 2.5). $36 per quarter while an evaporative cooler will
• LPG cooking costs over twice that of natural gas cost $12-15 This will be better suited to western
(multiply the cost by 2.5). NSW.
• However, electric frying pans and deep fryers cost • a ducted evaporative system to cool the whole
about 15 cents an hour. When used for short house will cost up to $36 a quarter; and
periods, they are more economical to run than • a ducted refrigerative system will cost around
an electric or gas stove. Using a microwave for $100 a quarter.
most of their cooking saves Brian and Katherina’s
over $5 a quarter.
Appliances that hit the hip pocket
Some other seemingly innocent appliances can
have surprisingly large effects on energy bills.
These include:
Quarterly cost
• Swimming pool filter pump up to $55
• Swimming pool heater (natural gas-fuelled) up to $325
• Sauna up to $55
• Spa $165
• 100 watt security light left on 16 hours a day $14
9
Buying a new appliance?
You can save energy, money and our environment
10
The greenhouse effect
How saving energy helps reduce the greenhouse effect
Some heat
om
radiation escapes
rad ar
ion
Inc
the rest
Troposphere
Earth