10 Ways to Cut Your Energy Bills This Spring

Spring in Bendigo is the quiet stretch between the last cold snap and the first 38-degree day. It's also the best time to get on top of your energy use, because you can make changes without sweating on them. Here are ten things that actually make a difference.

1. Book a service before summer

A system that's clean, gassed correctly and running the way it should uses less power for the same comfort. Booking in September or October also means you're not waiting in a queue during the first heatwave.

2. Wash the filters

The single easiest job on the list. Slide the filters out of your split system, rinse them in warm water, dry them fully and slot them back. On ducted, check the return-air filter. A blocked filter makes the fan work harder and cuts your airflow.

3. Use the timer

Cooling an empty house is money out the door. Set the system to start half an hour before you get home rather than leaving it running all day, and set it to wind down overnight.

4. Seal the gaps

Draught seals on doors, a door snake, and a bit of weather strip around old window frames cost very little and stop the air you've paid to cool from leaking straight outside.

5. Set a realistic temperature

Every degree colder adds roughly 5 to 10 per cent to your running cost. Twenty-four to twenty-five degrees is comfortable in summer. Setting it to 18 doesn't cool the house any faster – it just runs longer.

6. Run ceiling fans with the air conditioner

Moving air feels two to three degrees cooler than still air, so you can lift the thermostat a couple of degrees and feel the same. A ceiling fan costs cents an hour to run.

7. Close off rooms you don't use

Spare rooms, laundries and studies don't need conditioning. Shut the doors and close the outlets so the system concentrates on the rooms you're actually in.

8. Look at zoning

If you're constantly cooling the whole house for two people, zoning your ducted system lets you run the living area during the day and the bedrooms at night. It's one of the better upgrades for an existing system.

9. Shade the west-facing windows

Bendigo's afternoon sun is brutal on west windows. External blinds, awnings or even a well-placed tree cut the heat before it gets inside, which is far more effective than blocking it once it's in the room.

10. Price a replacement on an old unit

If your unit is 12 to 15 years old, the efficiency gap between it and a new inverter system is significant. Getting a quote in spring costs nothing and tells you where you stand.

Need a hand?

We're a local Bendigo team and we're happy to take a look. Give us a call on (03) 5444 4677 for honest advice and a free quote.