Living Area
Simple things you can do to save energy & water
Benefits
- Energy Savings
Entertainment System
As big, flat screen TVs become the norm in most households it's worth remembering that these TVs use up to 4 times more energy than their older style Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) predecessors. To save energy compare power ratings before you buy. Remember while it may be convenient to leave your stereo or TV equipment on standby, it will cost you and the environment. So turn off at the power point when not in use.
Benefits
- Energy Savings
Computer & Printer
Laptops and computers are now an integral part of our everyday lives. It's tempting to leave them turned on for easy access. But this is an expensive habit. Do you know that for about $20 you can buy devices, such as the Eco Button which saves electricity and money by simply putting your computer to sleep when not in use. As with all electrical devices, turning them off at the power point can save on your bills.
Go to http://www.eco-button.com/aus/A2.1.home.htm for more information
Benefits
- Energy Savings
Air Conditioner
There's nothing like air conditioning on a hot summer's day. Used sensibly these units make our lives comfortable. Consider that air conditioning can contribute significantly to your power bill. An inexpensive and effective way to reduce your air conditioning costs is to adjust the temperature setting. By setting the temperature a few degrees higher you can reduce your cooling costs by 6 to 8%. Remember to clean the air filters regularly And keep doors and windows closed when in use.
And in winter set the temperature to between 18 and 21 degrees. For every degree above 21 de-grees, it adds roughly 10% extra to your bill.
Benefits
- Energy Savings
Light
A simple way to make big savings on your energy bill is to replace standard household light globes with energy saving globes. This change can save up to 80% of energy used on lighting and reduces your household emissions. Did you know that the energy used in a one hundred watt incandescent globe is divided into 93 watts of waste heat and only 7 watts of light.
Benefits
- Energy Savings
Fan
A typical ducted air conditioning unit uses 3,500 watts of energy when running. A typical ceiling fan uses 60 watts of energy, even when running on high. That's a huge difference in energy consumption. So when thinking of cooling consider ceiling fans first and see the savings.
Benefits
- Energy Savings
- Government Rebates
Ceiling Insulation
Did you know how much heat gets lost through the roof? Heat always travels upwards, so most house-hold heat loss is through the ceiling and roof. Uninsulated ceilings can loose up to 35% of heat in winter and gain up to 35% of heat in summer. Ceiling insulation not only makes great sense but there are now great government rebates available.
