Five cool ways to keep your hard earned cash in your wallet, and not on household bills.
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Escape from a hot, stuffy kitchen and make the most of the balmy evenings with a barbeque dinner. If you must use the stovetop, cover saucepans tightly so the food cooks quicker; or, use the microwave, which requires less energy.
On scorching days, keep windows and drapes shut. Light-coloured curtains or blinds reflect sunlight away. Consider installing shutters, awnings, block-out blinds or reflective window film to keep heat out and the interior shaded. At night, when the temperature falls, open the doors and windows to let in the cooler air.
When updating appliances (especially fridges, which use the most energy), make sure they have a tick rating. Wash in cold water: a massive 85 per cent of energy needed for a load of washing is spent on heating the water. Swap to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which last 12 times longer than conventional incandescent bulbs and use a third of the energy.
If you have air-conditioning (AC), book a service – you’ll recoup the cost in improved efficiency. Considering getting AC? Split reverse-cycle systems tend to use less energy than fixed units. Whichever model you choose, ensure it has a high tick star rating, economy settings and adjustable speeds, and choose one sized for the space you want to cool – too-large units waste energy.
Clean filters and coils regularly. Another option is an evaporative cooler, which works by drawing air through a water-moistened filter. Whichever system you use, maximise its effects by closing doors to areas not being cooled and using a ceiling fan, which pulls hot air up and away from where you are. Four-bladed fans with tilted blades provide the best air circulation.
If you don’t have AC (or want to reduce using it), open windows on the side of a room where a breeze is coming in and position a fan to blow hot air out a window on the opposite side, creating a ‘chimney’ effect. Install a pergola over heat-affected windows, and grow deciduous climbing vines over it. Plant shady hedges along driveways and paths, as concrete and pavers store and radiate heat.
Text: Bauer