Have you ever opened your household energy bill and baulked at the price? Or are your office energy costs eating into your bottom line? Or both? If so, you may want to consider using energy saving devices.
By using some of these devices, you can significantly lower the cost of your home and office energy use, while lowering the impact on the environment at the same time.
Here are four energy saving devices that will help improve your home and office energy efficiency.
1. Smart Thermostat
Unlike your regular thermostat, a smart thermostat observes your heating/cooling habits and ‘learns’ when to adjust the temperature accordingly, without having to rely on a programmed schedule. It keeps the temperature at a comfortable level during the night, and adjusts again as you are waking up.
Also, if you’ve left the home and forgotten to turn off the heating/cooling, you will still be able to switch it off as a smart thermostat can be controlled remotely through your mobile phone.
Here are 5 of the best smart thermostats as reviewed by lifehacker.
2. High Energy Rating Appliances
According to the Department of Environment and Energy Australia, appliances make up 45% of a household’s energy usage. That’s why it makes sense to purchase appliances that are energy efficient. The Energy Rating Label scheme is a way for you to decide on appliances that have higher energy efficiency. The more stars, the more energy efficient the appliance.
For appliances that are constantly using power, such as a refrigerator or freezer, a high star energy-rating appliance could save you lots of money in the long run.
3. Ecoswitch (or Smart Power Switch)
Appliances on standby still consume power, even when they are switched off. These “energy vampires” suck the lifeblood from your bank account; they substantially increase your energy bill over the course of a year. Fortunately, standby power usage from appliances is one of the simplest energy leaks you can ‘plug’ by using an Ecoswitch.
An Ecoswitch allows you to conveniently turn off all devices at once with the flick of a switch, without having to access hard to reach power outlets (such as behind a computer desk, or behind a TV unit). This would improve your home or office energy efficiency substantially.
Tip: Group appliances together by their usage pattern. For example, grouping your PC, monitor, printer and speakers onto one powerboard connected to your Ecoswitch. This allows you to switch them all off at the same time after you have finished using your PC.
4. Solar Charger and Charging Stations
The sun is an abundant, low cost and renewable source of energy. If you are a frequent user of mobile devices such as a smartphone or laptop, a solar charger can help you recharge your mobile devices without adding to your energy costs.
They are also portable, so if your phone runs of out power, you can recharge it while you are on the go.
On the other hand, if it is raining, you could use a charging station. These devices switch off after your phone or laptop has fully charged, preventing you from wasting energy on fully charged devices.
Individually, these energy saving devices may seem to have a small impact on saving energy. However, when used together over the long-term you will see large savings on your home and office energy use. Why not pick one and make a start today?
Of course, using energy saving devices is just one way of lowering your energy bills. If you want a better deal on your energy rates as well, consider talking to an independent energy broker… like us! Please call the Bulk Energy team on 1300 46 2855 today, to find out how you can save on your next energy bill.
