With electricity prices rising, for many households, it’s necessary to make small changes to energy consumption to make it more affordable. However, it’s hard to know where to start, and the old suggestion of turning your appliances off at the switch won’t make a big enough dent, so we’ve compiled a list of changes that your household can make to cut your electricity bill down.

1. Make the Switch to LED Lighting

When you’re looking to reduce energy costs for your household, one of the easiest ways to do this is by switching your traditional light bulbs to LED alternatives. There’s a misconception that light bulbs produce a brighter light, hence why many individuals hesitate to make the change. However, halogen fittings can require between 35W and 500W per hour of use, whereas LED lights only require between 9W and 18W and can still produce the same amount of light. On top of this, LED lights also last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs. With a single LED light, you get anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 hours of use, which is over 30 times as much as a halogen fitting. Not only are you saving money from the reduced electricity usage of LED lighting, but you’ll also have the bonus of having to buy and replace your bulbs much less frequently.

If you’d like to learn more about how LED lighting can make a positive impact on your cash flow and the environment, read our blog post here.

2. Do You Research on Energy Providers

In Australia, there’s a lot of competition for electricity companies, and it can be difficult to know which option is the best for your household. If your contract has expired or hasn’t changed in many years, it may be time to see what else is on the market – but make sure you do thorough research. Don’t be tempted by the bold promises of lower rates or sign-up gifts companies will offer to rope you in. Make sure you read the fine print so that you don’t end up paying more once the contract is over or if you don’t follow the conditions closely. While we suggest conducting your own research as well, there are a number of websites that can help you make a decision, such as Compare The Market and iSelect, which make comparisons on a number of different electricity companies and take into account your house’s needs. Switching energy providers doesn’t mean your supply cancelled. It’ll simply change hands for your next billing period.

3. Invest in Solar

While we understand not every household can afford the initial cost of installing solar panels, it may not be practical. For those that can, it’s a worthy alternative to consider. When it comes to solar, Australians are in a prime position. With so much sunshine (even when it’s hiding behind the clouds), having solar installed in your home can reduce or eliminate the amount of electricity you need to purchase from your energy provider. With solar energy, your appliances will automatically use the energy generated until depleted, before switching to your provider’s source.

Your solar system can even make you money. If your system makes excess energy, it can be sold back to the grid, otherwise known as a “feed-in tariff”, which provides an income stream for you. Generally, feed-in tariffs can earn you between 8-15c per kWh, and for comparison’s sake, energy is usually purchased from providers for between 20-40c per kWh. For most Australian households, the savings from the energy produced by solar systems end up covering the initial costs of installation within six years.

4. Upgrade Your Existing Appliances

Your large household appliances can be a serious drain on your energy supply, particularly if they’re outdated models. These days, many larger appliances (e.g. air conditioners, ovens, fridges) have energy ratings to help you distinguish which are the most efficient. Energy ratings are based on a 6-star system, and the lower the energy consumption of the appliance, the higher the star rating it gets. The labels, which are a mandatory Federal Government initiative for many large appliances, also provide consumers with the item’s estimated annual energy consumption, as shown in kWh, making your job even easier when making your choice.

Similar to installing solar power systems, upgrading your appliances to energy-efficient alternatives come with an initial cost, but this should be seen as an investment. Over time, the amount you save on your bill will more than pay off your appliances, and you’ll be helping the environment!

Quay Electrical can assist you with upgrading all lighting to LED, installing your new appliances, and installing independent metering within switchboards to help determine which circuits or household items are costing you the most when the bill comes. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help you, contact us here.