There is nothing better than a warm comfortable home...
It’s curtains
On sunny days, open curtains and windows to let fresh air in and damp and condensation out. Conserve heat by closing curtains around 30 minutes before sundown.
Warm fuzzies
Love warm, dry towels? It’s all in the timing. By installing a timer on your heated towel rail, you can set it to heat up for a few hours when you need it, rather than leaving it on 24/7.
Slow the flow
Place a 10-litre bucket under your showerhead, turn the tap on full and wait one minute. If the bucket overflows, your shower is wasting water. To save money and conserve water, replace your showerhead with one with a flow rate of nine litres, or install a restrictor valve.
Stay out of hot water
Wait until you’ve got a full load before washing and wash clothes in cold water using a laundry detergent (like ecostore) that works well in cold water for best results.
Switch off
Switch TVs, stereos and chargers off at the wall when not in use. One isn’t much on its own, but if your home has two to three chargers plugged in all day, these energy vampires can suck up as much as 10% of your energy bill. Switch off your computer completely overnight – the monitor uses more than half the system’s energy.
Keep it cool
Check your fridge is set to the right temperature: freezers should be -15°C to -18°C and refrigerators should be 2°C to 4°C. Cool cooked leftovers before putting them in the fridge and try to avoid opening the door too often, or for too long. If the back of your fridge has coils, give them a good dust.
ECOSTORE, 1 Scotland Street, T: 09 360 8477, www.ecostore.co.nz