How to Curb The Consumption of These Top 5 Energy-Hungry Appliances
Posted on: 22 July 2016
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Did you know that the average Australian family spends almost $100 per week on energy sources? This can take a huge chunk out of your budget, leaving you with less money to spend on luxuries and fun. If your energy bills are soaring and you can't understand why, use these tips to bring down the energy consumption of the five most wasteful household appliances.
1. Air Conditioning
Keeping your home cool can be the biggest energy expense you face in summer, with air conditioning units burning through energy at an alarming rate. If your air conditioner is using more power than ever before, it could be clogged with dust, pet hair and other airborne particles that prevent it from working effectively. Try cleaning the filters to make your air conditioner work more efficiently.
2. Lighting
An individual bulb doesn't use much energy, but you probably have dozens of them in your home. In fact, the average Australian household spends six percent of its energy budget on lighting. Encourage every member of the family to turn off bulbs when they leave a room to reduce energy wastage. It's also a good idea to replace high-watt bulbs with LED bulbs, which use very little energy.
3. Washing Machine
Every time you run your washing machine, you use energy. Always wait until you have a full load of laundry to run your machine, rather than washing small loads. The cool wash cycle uses less energy than the hot cycle, so wash your clothes at a cool temperature unless they are badly stained.
4. Dryer
A clothes dryer is one of the most energy-hungry appliances in the typical Australian household. Even worse, a dryer releases a lot of heat into your home, making your air conditioning work even harder on hot days. Save energy by hanging your clothes out instead of drying them in the dryer.
5. Refrigerator
You probably never think about the energy consumption of your refrigerator, but it's actually a major contributor to high energy bills. New refrigerators are relatively efficient, but older models can use a huge amount of energy, particularly as most households run their refrigerators all the time. Consider upgrading to a newer model if your refrigerator is very old. Cleaning dust and storing items away from the back of the refrigerator can also help it run more efficiently, as it allows the refrigerator to vent heat effectively.