WINTER ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Winter creeps up on us fast, and as much as we say the phrase Winter Energy Saving Tips all year, it is during winter that it screams out at us a little louder.

Days are colder, and nights seem darker, making us all feel a little less comfortable. In ourselves and this discomfort directly links the amount of electricity used in an average South African home.

Coupled with the increased use of electricity comes the increased cost. Not just of electricity but pretty much everything else.

We are left with the problem of trying to spend less or make what we have gone further. Knowing we will use more electricity which in turn costs us more money. In this post, we cover winter energy saving tips in your home.

Winter Energy Saving Tips

• Winter energy saving tips the cold winter months heaters work overtime.
• This is because it is dark we have more lights on for longer.
• Appliances such as tumble dryers are used more and because the weather is colder.
• The weather and the evenings are a little darker TVs, and other entertainment equipment gets used a little longer.
• Electricity use will increase, and it looks like there is no way to save, or is there?

Change Where You Get Your Power From

Unlike many other countries, South Africa doesn’t offer various electricity providers, but there are alternative sources of power.

Alternative sources that may have a capital cost at first but which longer-term save money.

Solar is one of the best ways to save on electricity costs, and despite the upfront costs, Solar is tremendously effective.

In a country where even in winter, the sun still shines. If you realise that almost a quarter of your energy costs were spent on the heating water in your geyser, your bills will drop considerably by just using a modern solar geyser.

A quarter of your bill, it wouldn’t take long to pay for the installation, would it?

Installing Timers

• Solar can be expensive for some, and if you want to cut down and save toward a solar system, the next logical step is to install a Geyser timer.
• These simple and affordable devices switch your Geyser on in time for you to come home and have a warm shower and switch the power-consuming water heater off at times during the day when not needed.
• When the geyser is off, no power is being consumed. It is as simple as that.
• This saves you, even more, when you take the following tip into consideration.

Roof Insulation Best Winter Energy Saving Tips

• Roof Insulation is perhaps the most underrated and misunderstood winter energy saving tip of all.
• Your home or any building uses energy.
• One of these is your Geyser, and insulation added with the timer adds value to your timer.
• Windows, ceilings and those cracks around doors are places heat loves to head toward an escape from you.
• So many people pay a fortune to heat their home only to have all the heat seep out through a lack of roof insulation.
• Simple things like a rug on a tiled floor or even curtains around a window insulate the home.
• Don’t forget your loft or ceiling space, using something like an ISOTHERM layer on the ceiling.
• The heat generated in the home rises and is lost to the ceiling space.
• Roof Insulation is a great winter energy saving tip as well as a summer energy saving tip.
• When installing thermal insulation, make sure to install the correct thickness of insulation to achieve the R-value for the region that you live in.
• Another popular insulation is Aerolite Insulation.

Look At Your Lighting

• Electric lighting is a luxury that comes at a price with the wrong type of light bulb.
• Whenever you switch on a light, you draw electricity, so one needs to consider if having a light on is necessary; it is a simple stop and pause.
• Lighting has come on a long way in recent years, and while energy-efficient globes are available.
• And this does make a difference. The best energy saver by far is to convert to LEDs.
• LEDs use very little power and give off a lot more light than their tiny size might suggest.
• The conversion to LED lighting does have a cost.
• As do many energy-saving solutions but the LED globes have an extremely long lifespan.
• Twenty-five times longer and deliver a broader range of lighting options than was previously available with light bulbs.

Blanket and Hot Water Bottle

We have become too reliant on electricity, and by far, the most cost-effective way to keep warm and save electricity is to snuggle up under a blanket with a hot water bottle, better still do with a loved one.

Body heat is nature’s way of keeping, and a blanket is a perfect insulator. So an extra blanket at night instead of an electric blanket can save a small fortune.

And the hot water bottle is by far the cosiest warmth one could wish to feel apart from a loved one next to them.

These are just five winter energy-saving tips; there are many others. However, these five will save you money and make you happier in doing so.

Why Is Energy Saving So Important

• Energy Saving is important as Energy Saving and Global Warming are linked.
• The more energy we use, the more we affect our planet. Read the true story of climate change and global warming.
• There are many energy-saving tips.
• However, when one thinks logically, the main energy-saving areas in the home are roof space and windows.
• If homeowners can reduce the heat loss and gain in these areas, they will have a far more energy-efficient home.
• And a home with good Roof Insulation and well-sealed windows, and good curtaining will make a difference in the house.
• Not only will saving energy help homeowners save money on heating or cooling. Homeowners will also be doing their bit to save the planet.