With the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) announcing potential price hikes of up to 10% in New South Wales, and significant increases across South Australia and Queensland, Australian households are bracing for a costly winter.
As we enter the colder and wetter months of the year, LG has shared its top five ways to cut your home energy bill this winter and help reduce costs in the long run.
1: Maintain your appliances to ensure they operate at their most energy efficient
Maintaining your washing machine can help it perform at its best and save you money in the long run. Regularly cleaning the machine’s lint filter and checking the drain hose for blockages can help prevent problems that can lead to energy waste or even machine breakdowns. By taking care of your washing machine, you can ensure that it continues to operate efficiently and save you money on your energy bills.
When it comes to heating your home in winter, it’s worth doing a quick maintenance check of your air conditioning unit to ensure it’s working properly. Simply checking for unusual noises, smells, and that the air flow is consistent can help avoid sunken costs of running a broken A/C which can chew up your energy bills.
2: Take advantage of features that let you control and monitor your appliance energy usage
Saving energy at home is much simpler when consumers can grasp how much energy they are actually using on a week-to-week basis. With the LG ThinQ app, users can effortlessly monitor and optimise the energy efficiency of their appliances from the convenience of their smart phone. Included within a range of home appliances like the LG Heat Pump Dryers, LG WashTower, and LG 635L Side-by-Side fridge with InstaView Door-In-Door, gaining insights into your household gadgets has never been easier. The app can even consider usage patterns – for instance, it can adjust the refrigerator’s power consumption to the lowest level during nighttime hours, when family members or roommates are far less likely to open and shut the fridge door in search of ingredients or snacks.
The weather at this time of year can be unpredictable, with sunny days followed by a week of thunderstorms. Fortunately, if the weather suddenly changes up on you while you’re out, smart ACs mean you can control the unit from your phone. Many brands have their own ecosystems that work with other smart home devices. Some ACs on the market have clever technology that helps you manage energy usage based on the requirements of the space.
3: Use the right amount of laundry detergent
Using too much detergent can cause your washing machine to work harder than it needs to, which can waste energy and money. When using a high efficiency washing machine, it’s important to use the right amount of detergent for each load. The LG 12kg Series 10 Front Load Washing Machine with ezDispense® + Turbo Clean 360® features the ezDispense® load sensor that detects the weight of each laundry load to release a suitable preset dose after being filled only once – therefore saving even more energy by using only the necessary amount of water and detergent.
4: Seal air leaks
Air leaks in your home can allow warm air to escape in the winter, leading to wasted energy and higher energy bills. Sealing air leaks around windows, doors, and other areas of your home can help improve your home’s energy efficiency and save you money. You can use weatherstripping, caulking, and other materials to seal air leaks and keep your home comfortable this upcoming winter.
5: Consider upgrading tired appliances that are draining energy
One of the easiest ways to save energy in your home is to upgrade your appliances. Appliances that are older than ten years are often less energy efficient than newer models, which means that they use more energy and cost you more money. When shopping for new appliances, look for ones with a high energy rating which means that they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Australian Government. Dryers that use heat pump technology are generally the most energy efficient models on the market. Newer washing machine models also have energy and water saving cycles built in.
When it comes to heating your home with long term savings, look for ACs that use an inverter motor. These units can adjust temperature by changing the motor speed without turning the motor on and off, for reduced power loss and energy savings.
