Lower Utility Bills

All of these simple tips are additional ways to lower your utility bill.

• Switch appliances off at the wall, even unplugging them, instead of leaving them on in a standby mode.  Also, remember to unplug mobile phone chargers too when you have finished using them.  Items use power when still plugged in, and these steps could reduce your utility bill by up to $100 a year.
• Pull the plug on your second refrigerator.  you can save up to $300 a year by getting rid of an old inefficient fridge or freezer.
• Check your hot water heater temperature.  Ideally, it should be at 55 degrees Celsius.  An extra 10 degrees, for example, could cost you up to $140 a year in utility bills expense.
• Rinse dishes using cold water instead of rinsing them under the hot water tap, as cold water uses less electricity and will help lower utility bills.
• Stop the drips - fix dripping faucets by replacing the washer or fitting.
• Buy bright - replace your houses 4 most used bulbs with energy efficient CFL ones.  They cost only around $5 each but last up to 10 times longer, and provide the same amount of light.  Doing this can save around $65 a year.
• Save water and electricity by installing an energy efficient, lower flow shower head.  This could save you a couple hundred dollars a year on your utility bills if you use a lot of hot water.
• Stop drafts sneaking in your house and out under doors or fireplace with a drought stopper.  Block your fireplace off too if you are not using it.