It’s no secret that recent years have seen a sharp increase in the cost of living all around the world. Australia is no different and this situation has left many locals looking for ways to reduce costs without hampering the quality of living.
Many homeowners are resorting to solutions provided by the electricians Melbourne locals are relying on to keep energy bills manageable. In addition to offering tips about day-to-day lifestyle changes, credible electricians can also offer practical solutions well worth considering.
Reducing Your Energy Bill is Possible
If you think you’re already doing everything you can to reduce your monthly energy bill, it’s time to take a look at various electrical features in your home. With that in mind, our electrical experts have compiled a list of the basic solutions your local electrician can use to help you reduce those hefty energy bills.
Set Up an Electrical Inspection
The first step is to set up an electrical inspection with a credited electrician. This is necessary even when there doesn’t seem to be an imminent problem. The electrician will identify old and energy-guzzling components that can systematically be replaced with more efficient solutions. Some of these commonly found in old Australian homes include the following:
- Dated iron core lighting transformers that waste a huge amount of energy
- Clogged exhaust fans that are often filled with grime and dirt, slowing down efficiency
- Older appliances that use more electricity than necessary
- Incandescent light fittings that draw more energy than needed
- Overworked old electrical panels struggling to meet modern requirements
Replace the Lighting in Your Home
Older homes are giant energy guzzlers, and it starts with the incandescent light bulbs in every room. Typically, these light bulbs are the ones that convert electricity into light by heating a filament. As the filament heats up, the bulb lights up. While quite effective since 1879, it’s time to review this age-old solution.
The Australian government has been working on phasing out incandescent and halogen light bulbs and replacing them with more energy-saving LED options. Making this switch will instantly start showing a significant saving on your monthly energy bill.
An electrician will help you choose the best LED options for each room in your home.
This often includes installations that include the following:
- Ballasts
- More efficient wiring for indoor and outdoor applications
- Upgrading your switchboards, switches and dimmers
- Opting for task lights rather than relying on ceiling lights
Introduce Energy-Efficient Appliances
Are you one of those homeowners who’s very proud of the fact that you still have the same fridge after 20 years? While you think you may have saved a lot of money by not upgrading over the years, the reality is that your old appliances are guilty of inflating your energy bill.
For starters, your electrician will help you identify which appliances are actually necessary and then provide you with more energy-efficient models. Energy-efficient appliances are eco-friendly since they use less greenhouse gas emissions.
They also use less water and traditional chemicals. It’s important to have these appliances installed and connected by your electrician to ensure that any wiring requirements are done safely.
Consider SMART Technology
Another simple way to reduce energy consumption in your home is to consider a variety of SMART features. This doesn’t necessarily mean converting your home into one of those modern homes that you talk to!
Rather, your electrician will start with more practical solutions such as installing programmable thermostats to maintain the temperature in your home. This is considerably more effective than using your heating and cooling systems on their highest settings all the time. A steady setting will not only make your energy bill more manageable but will also create a comfortable living space for everyone.
Using motion sensor lighting in your outdoor areas will also go along way to saving energy. This means that the lighting you use around your home will only go on when motion is detected such as a person or pet walking in the vicinity of the light. This will use considerably less energy than keeping external lights on all the time.
Upgrading Dated Electrical Panels
Outdated electrical panels found in older homes often don’t meet the energy demands of modern appliances and everything else that needs to be charged. An electrician will be able to assess the current power that you need and then upgrade your electrical panel accordingly. This will not only not make your panel more energy efficient but will also reduce the risk of potential short circuits.
Final Thoughts
Saving energy in your home starts with having a certified electrician assess your current electrical system. This means they’ll be able to provide you with a comprehensive list of what can be changed, improved and installed to help you reduce your overall energy bill. While it’s true that installing new systems may be costly initially, the good news is that the long-term savings will be well worth it!
