Switch it on – but not for long!

MEDIA RELEASE

Switch it on – but not for long!

29th May 2007

Despite May being tipped as being one of the warmest on record, you may have already turned your heated towel rail on and you’re probably using your clothes dryer more too. But what you may not know is that some of the appliances in your home that are left on for long periods over the winter months can consume more energy than big energy guzzlers like dryers.

It may be obvious, but it comes down to the simple fact that a small appliance switched on and running over a long time is the same as using a big appliance over a shorter time - both can consume large amounts of energy. So, for example, a towel rail left on 24 hours a day can consume the same amount of energy as a dryer used for 90 minutes*.

All appliances left on standby mode also consume energy, which adds up to about 10% of the average household electricity bill. The general rule is if a light is on, it’s consuming energy.

The appliances we least expect can also be the culprit, adding unnecessary cost to your energy bill – like your fridge. Although you can’t turn your fridge off, here are some tips for running you fridge more energy efficiently:

- If you’ve got an older fridge – check the seals and make sure there’s no ice build-up - both can mean your fridge is not running efficiently.

- Now that the cooler weather is here consider turning things like beer fridges off as they are often older and run very inefficiently.

- Listen to your fridge. Is the motor on a lot of time or never switch off? Get it checked if it is.

- Don’t have you fridge in direct sunlight or near a heater – it has to work harder.

- Check the temperature – not too cold and not too hot. Your fridge should be between 3ºC and 5ºC and your deep freeze between -15ºC and -18ºC.

- Keep it clean – carefully clean the coils at the back of your fridge at least once a year and defrost and clean inside regularly.

BRANZ researches energy use to understand how, why and where energy is used in our homes. From their research they have discovered many ways you can be more energy conscious and efficient in your home.

More tips to help you be more energy efficient include:

- Check to see how old your appliances are. Older clothes dryers and fridges are much less energy efficient than new ones. You may be able to ‘pay’ for your new appliance with the cost savings from your energy bill. Energy labels are now a requirement on all fridges and freezers, washing machines and dryers, air conditioning and heat pumps and dishwashers so try and buy more energy efficient models.

- Soft touch control panels (like those commonly found on washing machines) don’t turn appliances off – you need to turn the power off at the wall switch.

- Replace standard bulbs with energy efficient (compact fluorescent) ones in high-use areas of the house like your living room and kitchen.

- Turn your heated towel rail on for shorter periods of time rather than leaving it on all day, or install a timer to do it for you.

ENDS

*Study Report - Energy Use in New Zealand Households. Report on the Year 9 Analysis for the Household Energy End-use Project (HEEP). BRANZ 2005.

BRANZ & Building Research – Who We Are

BRANZ Ltd is NZ’s leading provider of research, testing, consultancy and educational services for the building and construction industry. While BRANZ Ltd has its own Board, it is owned by Building Research and draws 37% of its income from investments by Building Research.

BRANZ should not be referred to as the Building Research Association of New Zealand, even by way of explanation. BRANZ Chief Executive is Peter Robertson. www.branz.co.nz

Building Research is a funder of research for the building and construction industry in NZ. It is a separate entity governed by a Board drawn widely from industry. Building Research invests in a range of research, technology transfer and scholarship activities, with funds provided by the Building Research Levy.
www.buildingresearch.org.nz

Homeowners can call BRANZ on 0900 5 90 90 for practical building information. Calls cost $1.99/min +GST.

Building Industry Professionals can call 0800 80 80 85 to speak to a technical advisor

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