Electricity audit helps you save

With winter upon us, electricity consumption is expected to increase significantly with the risk of higher bills at the end of the month.
Though it may seem difficult to save electricity in colder periods, you can contain and even reduce consumption by following simple steps and be mindful of your usage.
“Do an energy audit on your family’s consumption of electricity. Be sure to include the use of washing machines, air-conditioners, geysers, lights and kettles and determine whether it is used efficiently and sustainably. Such an assessment will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time,” said Jacquiline Pack, executive officer: marketing and corporate communication services, at Bank Windhoek.
According to the national utility supplier, NamPower, peak times are between 06:00 and 09:00 in the mornings and 18:00 to 21:00 in the evenings. By assessing when you use electricity, you will be able to plan not to use electrical devices, or minimising usage during this period.
Replacing fluorescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), or installing energy-efficient downlights or light-emitting diode (LED) lights, could save you up to 80% of your lighting costs.
Other tips that will help you save on electricity bills are the following:
- Take shorter showers. Hot water is expensive. If two people in your home cut their shower time by a minute each, you could make remarkable savings.
- Adjust your hot water heater. Turning down your water heater thermostat can pay off.
- Unplug unused electronics. Standby power can account for 10% of an average household's annual electricity use.
- Cut one load of washing per week, even if you're already using cold water only. Hang dry your laundry.
- Be efficient with refrigeration. Keep your fridge and freezer at their ideal temperature.
- Use the microwave or toaster oven. A microwave takes 15 minutes to do the same job as one hour in an oven.
“These are just some easy ways you can save on your daily living expenses and savings in turn can be utilized to contribute towards your nest egg,” Pack said.