ISSUED BY THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY (EECA)

MEDIA RELEASE

7 May 2008

Tips To Save Electricity This Winter

Kiwi families have a chance to save money on their household power bills by adopting some simple, everyday actions to use electricity more efficiently and stop any unnecessary waste this winter.

“Taking action need not cost more than a little effort everyday,” said MikeUnderhill, EECA Chief Executive. “There are lots of easy things we all can do that will make a difference and keep the power bill down, such as turning off lights and appliances at the wall when not in use.”

EECA recommends getting started with easy actions that will cost virtually nothing but could save you money:

• Switch appliances off at the wall instead of leaving them on standby and remember to turn off mobile phone chargers too when you’ve finished using them. This could save you up to $100 a year.
• Choose when you use your heated towel rail - instead of having your heated towel rail on continuously, use it foronly a few hours per day. You can save $70-$140 a year by doing this.
• Pull the plug on your second fridge– you can save up to $300 a year by getting rid of your old inefficient beer fridge orfreezer.
• Check your hot water temperatureat the tap – it should be at 55 degrees Celcius. An extra 10 degrees, for example, could cost you up to $140 a year.
• Make use of the sun– dry your laundry on the clothes line whenever possible instead of using a dryer. Keeping windows clean and free from overhanging trees is another way of taking advantage of sunlight to warm your home.
• Rinse dishes under cold waterinstead of rinsing them under the hot tap.
• Close the curtainsjust before dark to keep the heat in.
• Use the right sized saucepanforthe element when you are cooking, so heat doesn’t escape around the sides. And use a lid to keep the heat in.
• Stop the drips – fix dripping hot taps by replacing the washer or fitting.

EECA’s recommended actions that can make a difference with a little investment include:

• Buy bright – replace your four home’s most-used bulbs with energy efficient ones. They cost around $6 each but last up to 10 times longer. Doing this can save around $65 a year.
• Save water and energyby installing an energy efficient, low-flow shower head. This could save you up to $500 a year if you use a lot of hot water.
• Stop draughtssneaking in and out under doors with a draught stopper. Block your fireplace off too if you are not using it.
• Use thermostats and timersso your heaters, including heat pumps, only come on when you need them and automatically turn off once the right temperature is reached.
• Use the wood burner – if you’ve got a wood or pellet burner, it’s generally cheaper heat than electricity.

For more information about how you can be more energy efficient in your home and for EECA’s series of ENERGYWISE™ Action Sheets, visit www.energywise.govt.nz or call 0800 749 782.

Ends.

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