We’ve all felt the pinch of increasing energy prices. But there are several changes you can make to your home that will help conserve energy and save money.
By installing a quality solar system and adjusting how you use your electricity and gas, you can make a significant difference on your next bill.
Here are our top tips on what you can do to reduce your energy bill:
Install energy monitoring to measure your energy usage
Replace old appliances
Install a solar system and reduce your reliance on the electricity grid
Make the switch from gas to electric appliances
Add a battery to your solar system to store energy
Install energy monitoring
An energy monitor will help you to measure your energy usage and make adjustments to save money. You can install an energy monitor before or after you have solar installed. If you don’t yet have solar, it will tell you what appliances are using the most energy, and the best times to use them to lower your energy costs. It will also provide information on what size solar system you need to meet your needs.
You can also have an energy monitor installed at the time or after your solar system is installed. It will attach to your solar panels and collect data on how much energy they are producing, and the amount of energy you are using from the grid. You can access an analytics dashboard on your phone, where you can see live data on how much energy you are producing, using, and how much money you are saving. Some energy monitors such as Solar Analytics also provide tips on how to optimize your solar system and reduce your energy usage.
Replace old appliances
Consider replacing any appliances that are older than 10 years old as they may not be energy efficient. Look for the Energy Star label, and review the energy ratings to ensure you choose the most energy-efficient model. While the initial cost of an energy-efficient appliance may be higher, it will pay off in lower energy bills over time. Energy-efficient appliances often also have longer lifespans. With a little research, you can find an appliance that will save you money and help protect the environment.
Install a solar system
Investing in a good quality solar installation is the most effective way to reduce your energy costs. A good solar system typically pays for itself within 3 to 5 years. After that, you'll be saving money every month on your energy costs. Some of our clients have even been in credit! There are lots of government rebates and incentives available to reduce the upfront cost of solar. So if you're thinking about solar, check out our solar calculator to see how much you could save.
Make the switch from gas to electric
To further make the most of your solar system, consider switching from gas to electric where possible. Changing your heating, stove top, and hot water service to electric so you can use your own energy produced from your solar panels rather than relying on energy retailers, with ever-increasing prices.
You can change your gas heating to an electric ducted split system to run both air conditioning and heating. Change your stove top to induction, and you'll still get the benefits of efficient gas cooking, without the cost or the mess! If your hot water service is gas, get an electric heat pump installed instead.
Gas is also bad for your health, as it produces emissions into your home. By switching to electric, you'll not only save money, but you'll also be doing your part to protect your family's health.
Add a battery to store energy
A battery can be a great addition to your solar system. It will store energy produced by the solar panels during the day so you can have access to power any time, even at night or during a blackout. A battery can also be added to a solar system later.
There are many ways that you can reduce your energy costs and save money on your electricity bills. If you want to find out more, or would like to chat about installing a solar system, contact our team of Solar Solutions Consultants.
Our team of experts are happy to help and can provide you with a customised solar design and quote, discuss options for energy monitors and batteries, and for converting to all-electric.