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South Australia
QueenslandA Different Way of Working…
The past few years have challenged how many of us work and proved to both businesses and individuals that working from home can be a viable option. But what most of us didn’t expect was a considerable increase in our average monthly bill.
For those of us who now work from home, the cost of small behaviors such as leaving the TV on in the background a little more or leaving the kitchen lights on throughout the day, adds up quickly.
So, it’s never too late to consider some of these knock-on effects and see if you and your family could be saving energy and money.
We reviewed research gathered by Canstar Blue which assessed pre-pandemic and during pandemic energy usage statistics to determine whether Australians were paying more and if so, how much?
The Findings.
The results were pretty surprising and reinforced any inkling you may have had about reducing your energy consumption. The researchers found that before the pandemic hit, and when most of us worked at the office, our average monthly bill cost us around $125. What was the average monthly bill during the pandemic cost you ask? It was found that the average monthly bill was as much as $180! That’s a 44% increase – nearly $660 per year!
(Source: Canstar Blue)
So, How Is Energy Consumed in our Households?
According to the South Australian Government, the average Australian household consumes energy in the following ways:
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- heating / cooling (40%)
- water heating (23%)
- washing machine, dryer, tv etc. (14%)
- fridges /freezers (8%)
- lighting (7%)
- cooking (5%)
- standby power (3%)
However, these figures can change quickly when we’re working from home. Put simply, the energy costs that your company once incurred while you worked at the office now fall into your hands.
So What Can You Do To Reduce Your Energy Usage?
It’s a simple question with a fairly simple answer. The key is to maintain the following practices over a long period of time so you can benefit from considerable savings. For more seasonal advice click here.
Here are some of our Easy Energy-Saving Tips:
During the warmer months,
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- Try to reduce dryer usage
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- Instead, hang up your clothes to dry and take advantage of the sunshine!
- Monitor your air conditioner usage
- Close windows and doors when using it
- Close off sections of the house that are not used or do not need to be cooled
- Take advantage of the breeze – open your windows to allow airflow
- Try to time your electricity usage during off-peak periods
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During the cooler months,
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- Use curtains to reduce heat loss
- Rug up and layer up before turning on the heater
- When you do use the heater, set the temperature to between 18°C and 20°C.
- Every degree over this range can add up to 10% on your energy use.
- Turn off heaters when you are out or asleep
- Maximise the amount of sunshine
- Don’t use the shower to warm up – layer up instead!
- Turn off appliances and avoid overcharging
