With the weather getting warmer and the light lingering longer, spring\u2019s the perfect time to spruce things up around the house and give everything a good clean. These simple cleaning tips won’t just freshen up your abode, they\u2019ll also help to reduce your energy usage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before the heat kicks in, make time to have your air-conditioner<\/a> serviced and give your filters a good clean. Not only will this ensure dust and particles aren\u2019t being recycled within your house, it also means your air-conditioner<\/a> will work more efficiently \u2013 and if there are any issues with your coils or the unit itself, you\u2019ve got plenty of time to arrange repairs before those balmy nights make an appearance. Cleaning the fridge can be a dreaded task. Odd smelling\nleftovers, mysterious milk spills and what on earth is in that brown jar?\nDitching the trash and scrubbing the shelves won\u2019t only up the aesthetic appeal\nof your fridge, it also gives you a chance to check that everything\u2019s working\nas it should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check the temperature setting inside your fridge, the ideal temperature is between 4-5 degrees Celsius<\/a>. On the outside, make sure the coils at the back of the fridge are clean and dust free, and that the condenser is at least 5 cm from the wall \u2013 this will ensure your fridge doesn\u2019t overheat. Most modern freezers are now frost-free but if you\u2019ve got an older model and there are icicles greeting you when you open the door, it\u2019s time to give it some TLC. If your freezer\u2019s got an Antarctic layer of ice \u2013 it\u2019s working way too hard to cool down your frozen veg and cheeky tub of ice-cream. Always make sure you turn your freezer off at the wall before defrosting and pop all your groceries in an esky or spare freezer\/fridge. Handy tip:<\/strong><\/em> Want to hit fast forward? To speed things up, pop a couple of trays of hot water in the freezer and shut the door. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sliding glass doors are perfect for soaking in all that extra afternoon light, but how long has it been since you\u2019ve given the tracks a good clean? If your sliding doors have grit and dust in the runners, it could be damaging the seals, which means cool air could be escaping. Give them a good vacuum and wipe out to make sure your seals stay in good nick and your AC isn\u2019t working overtime to cool down your living space. To fight the chill in winter<\/a> we often have super hot showers to warm ourselves up, but the increased temperature can mean added costs when it comes to heating the water<\/a> and with summer<\/a> on the way, you\u2019ll likely be wanting to cool off. It’s a good idea to check the thermostat on your water heater and make sure it\u2019s set to the most energy efficient<\/a> temperature. If you have a hot water tank it doesn\u2019t need to be any higher than just over 60 degrees Celsius. Continuous flow hot water systems should be set no higher than 50 degrees Celsius<\/a> \u2013 anything over is simply wasting energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Handy tip:<\/em> <\/strong>Going away for a while? Turn off your hot water heater to save it from heating up whilst you\u2019re not home. Just remember, if you have a hot water tank, you\u2019ll need to let it heat back up at 60 degrees for at least 35 minutes when you get home to make sure any harmful bacteria are killed Got solar panels<\/a>? It\u2019s a great idea to have your panels cleaned<\/a> once a year by a professional. Not only will they check the condition of your panels, they\u2019ll make sure they\u2019re squeaky clean so you can really reap the rewards of all that summer sunshine! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Handy tip:<\/em> <\/strong>Don’t need a service but want a clean (or vice versa)? We\u2019ve got a range of different packages<\/a> to choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that your house is feeling fresh, it’s time to make sure you’re on the ‘freshest’ energy plan<\/a>. Plan’s can change from time to time, so it’s a good idea to check in every once in a while and make sure you’re on the right one for your household. Best of all? It only takes a few minutes to compare our offers<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Handy tip:<\/em> <\/strong>Does your system have a ‘dry out’ setting? If it does run this each time you use it. This function evaporates the moisture<\/a> that’s condensed on the heat exchanger, which will help prevent foul odours and mould.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDitch the old leftovers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Handy tip:<\/strong><\/em> If your fridge is looking a bit bare after all that cleaning, why not fill up some water bottles? A full fridge typically uses less energy than an empty one and as a bonus you\u2019ll be super hydrated when the warm weather sneaks up! <\/p>\n\n\n\nThaw it out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Once your freezer\u2019s sparkling clean, make sure you\u2019ve got the temperature set to -15 degrees Celsius<\/a> \u2013 every degree colder uses 5% more energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSeal in the cool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Handy tip:<\/em> <\/strong>Vacuumed the tracks but still have dirt and grime that won\u2019t budge? Try sprinkling a little bi-carb soda in the tracks, along with a drizzle of vinegar. This will help lift the grime so you can simply wipe it out with a cloth. A toothbrush is also handy for any extra stubborn spots! <\/p>\n\n\n\nTurn down the heat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nTake advantage of the sunshine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Freshen up your energy plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n