Winter is Coming. (Well, your Winter energy bill, anyway).
Game of Thrones references aside, this usually means inflated Winter energy bills are on their way. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By being just a little more mindful, you can save yourself hundreds.
Follow these super simple steps to be on your way to a much more manageable Winter energy bill.
1. Seal any air leaks… and save on your Winter energy bill
Keep warm air in and cold air out by plugging any air escape routes you can find in your place of business. This will reduce the need to blast the heater constantly.
- Gaps under doors – Use a fabric door snake (or DIY it with rolled up towels!) to run along the gaps at the bottom of your doors.
- Cracks around window and door frames – Grab some removable caulk from Bunnings and plug up the cracks for winter, and remove it for summer.
- Large gaps around internal plumbing & fixtures – Use expanding foam sealant.
2. Keep doors & windows closed… and save on your Winter energy bill
It may sound obvious, but how often have you forgotten to close the door to the next room behind you? Tsk tsk! Install self closing hinges if your business sees lots of customers coming through the door in the brisk winter cold.
3. Use the timer setting on your thermostat… and save on your Winter energy bill
You’ll find you only really need to heat your space in short bursts. If you’ve plugged up air escape routes properly, hot air should stay put a lot longer. Set the self timer on your thermostat to go off in hourly bursts. The smaller the room, the longer you can leave between bursts.
4. Don’t make the room a sauna… and save on your Winter energy bill
A common mistake many people make with their heaters is to set the temperature to a spectacularly cosy setting that gets much too hot too quick. Set your thermostat to the lowest possible setting you’re comfortable in. For every degree you keep it down by, that’s up to 3% off your heating bill!
5. Change your light bulbs… and save on your Winter energy bill
Here’s a bright idea: use low consumption LED light bulbs instead of your standard globes during the cooler months when day light savings has gone into hibernation mode and keep your rooms lighter for longer at a lower cost.
