Smart Power Tips of 2020

Electricity prices can easily surge with all the appliances running in your home. The best way to save your energy bills is to not use these appliances all at once. As easy as it sounds, it’s difficult to limit your usage as these appliances bring a lot of convenience.

The great news is you don’t have to cut the usage of these appliances. You simply have to utilise energy-saving tips! These smart power tips can help you save money and maximise the usage of your appliances at the same time.

Here are some of the best tips in choosing energy-saving appliances for your home.

LED can never go wrong

Lighting may not ring the bell as a power-hungry appliance, but it does. An average Kiwi household uses between 40-60kWh of electricity per day. Within a month, it accumulates up to 1,200-1,800kWh. That’s almost 16.9-25.36% of all the electricity consumed in an NZ household!

If you replace your lighting fixtures with LED, it can amount to as little as 5 -10 kWh per day. Some LEDs also have integrations with Nest, Apple HomeKit, or Samsung SmartThings. Through its respective apps, you can customise how bright you want your lights. It can also detect if you’re asleep, and turns off the lights for you.

Conserve water and power at the same time

Washing machines are tricky because they consume power and water at the same time. Compared to standard washers, smart washing machines consume 40-50% less energy and 55% less water. Switching to an energy-saving washer can result in up to $75 savings per year on your energy and water bills!

Luckily, manufacturers now produce appliances with water and power-saving technologies. Some of the best ones you can pick are Frigidaire FAFS4272LW, Whirlpool WFW9050XW, Electrolux EFLS52, and Samsung WF56H91.

Read: Most Popular Energy-Efficient Home Appliances of 2020

Go smart with your thermostat and air conditioners

Thermostats and air conditioners are one of the essential appliances in a Kiwi home. Heating can take up to 35% of Kiwis’ power bill during winter. Luckily, there are smart thermostat and air conditioning unit options such as a heat pump.

Switching to smart heat pumps can lower your electricity generation for only up to 25%! Heat pumps are great because they can keep your warm home during winter and cool during summer by manipulating the heat movement in your home. The great thing is that even the smallest size can heat and cool up to 150m² home.

Let your windows collect solar energy

The most traditional solar power collection is by installing panels on the roof. While it’s the most effective, it’s also expensive. Fortunately, there’s an effective power and money-saving way to collect solar power — through windows, curtains, and other light blockers.

While it may not collect all the energy, it’s more than enough to power up your basic appliances like lights, refrigerators, and fans. If you want to store this energy to power up your home even at night, consider purchasing solar batteries. Aside from powering your home during nighttime, you can also use it as a back-up during power outages.

Read: Power Outages No More: Consider Solar Batteries For Your Home

Get energy-saving certified appliances

With plenty of great energy-saving appliances, it can be a bit difficult to choose the best one for you. Instead of saving money, you may end up spending more if you don’t choose the right one that fits your needs.

To ensure you’re getting the right smart appliances, always look for certified stickers. Check for certifications of organisations such as Energy Star, Renewable Energy, Tradable Renewable, and more. These stickers usually indicate how much energy the appliances use as well as their other smart specifications.

Upgrade to smart meters

If you want to know which of your appliances consume the most energy, then you switch to smart meters now. Unlike analogue meters, this records your household electricity consumption with half-hour intervals and sends the data to your power company each day.

Also called smart energy monitors, this device read your energy with better precision. It allows you to have a more comprehensive look at your energy consumption. Some power providers also have an online tool, which shows your data like your per kilowatt-hour consumption of your appliances and the prices it accumulated.

Read: What Are Smart Metres and How Do They Work?

Choose a comprehensive power plan

While you can save money by getting these devices, there’s no better way of saving power than choosing the right power plan. Make sure that your plan fits the size of your household, your family’s energy usage for heating your water, home, and cooking, and more.

To find the best power provider, compare your options today at CompareBear. Get the best power plan that matches your needs and save more money for the long term.