Top 10 solar energy saving tips for summer 2018-19

Massive savings on electricity

Who doesn’t want to save money? With summer approaching, now’s the time to check out the best solar energy saving tips and more, with Energy Matters.

There’s a bewildering array of energy savings tips and gadgets out there. But which ones will save money and not waste your time in the sun?

So, relax, put your feet up, take a break from whatever you’re doing, and let Energy Matters do the work with our solar energy saving tips, so you don’t have to sweat about those extra dollars.

Save money this summer
Save money on solar this summer

Energy saving tips

Run appliances during daylight hours

Kicking off the solar energy saving tips for summer is putting those washing machines, dryers, and other appliances to work during the day. Keep these energy-guzzling critters fed while the sun’s out, the solar panels are pumping, and it’ll lighten the load at night.

Charge up those phones and slow-cook the meal. If you’re charging your whole family’s gadgets, don’t forget to stagger those appliances. This way, you won’t exceed your energy budget. If you work away from home, make use of timers and delay settings. Peak time is 10 am to 2 pm.

Get smart – use less energy

Talking of settings, smart homes feature internal systems that enable the control of appliances automatically and remotely via the internet using a device such as a cell phone. This means you can monitor production and adjust your use accordingly.

Use your computer or smartphone to monitor energy production in real time. Check out the Energy Matters article here on how to flip that dial and save a few bucks. This can help you work out which appliances to use and how much energy you’re producing. Wink, an Energy Matter’s partnered product, is one of the main devices for this.

Save this summer by telling your thermostat to turn on when you’re there, at the weekends, with the family, or if you’re there on the week, working from home. You can do this online to check how much. Energy Matters has some more advice here as part of our continuing series of solar energy savings tips.

Save on solar this summer
Be smart on your soar and save this summer

Check your surroundings.

Make sure shade isn’t blocking any of your solar panels. Trees, roof ventilators, antennas, etc, will deprive them of sun and waste valuable solar power. Also, check if the panels are clean, but only worry if there is something major blocking the panels. Forking out to pay for a clean up when it’s just a bit of dust up there won’t be worth it.

Light up, don’t heat up

Switch to LED lighting. LED bulbs use less energy to produce light and last longer than fluorescent bulbs — as much as 25 times longer than conventional bulbs. Turn off any lights not in use, and use lamps whenever you don’t need to light an entire room. Use solar lights in your garden, as these gather solar energy during the day for use at night, thus requiring no external power source. These are now very cheap to purchase and are extremely easy to set up as they require no wiring. Each light has an internal battery.

Turn off, cool down

There are other things you can do around the house, like turn off appliances not in use. This means switching off the TV, computer monitor or lights when you leave a room for any length of time. Installing motion sensors to control your lights is one way to take care of this chore. Another things you can do is to air-dry laundry.  Dryers are among your most expensive home electrical appliance to operate. Use a clothesline or portable rack to dry laundry naturally if you can’t use solar energy to do so.

Moderate the air-conditioner temperature

Set temperatures on the air-conditioner between 24 and 25 degrees. Setting an air-conditioner just one degree higher than you normally would can cut cooling costs by 10 per cent. Only cool the areas people are in by using zoned cooling or alternating between separate units.

Get in the shade

Add window coverings such as drapes or roller blinds that fit snugly around windows. This can reduce seasonal heat exchange by almost half. Opening your windows on a warm night invites cool air into your home. Close your bedroom door to trap the cool air in your room.

If you”re feeling adventurous and green-fingered, plant shade trees, wall vines and thick shrubs. Think about shade covering for not only windows but walls and roofs as well. Planting smart for summer can cool a home by up to 12 degrees. Keep the doors shut to rooms that don’t require heating or cooling.

You can also use fans to cool down. Fans are cheaper to run, evaporating moisture from the skin and creating a cooling effect

Check your insulation 

Check the insulation in ceilings and walls, because the better the insulation, the more likely temperatures will remain even. Good insulation prevents heat from escaping in winter, and traps cool air during summer. If your home is freezing in winter and boiling in summer, you have poor insulation.

Sealing cracks along doors and windows also stops warm air from escaping during the winter and keeps cold air in during the summer.

Use less hot water

According to the Department of the Environment and Energy, a fifth of the energy you use goes towards heating water.

When washing dishes, rinse them with cool water, rather than hot. Furthermore, don’t use a dishwasher until you have a full load, and deactivate it before it hits the drying cycle. Allow your dishes to dry naturally to save energy.

As the last of our solar energy savings tips, take showers, rather than baths, and limit that shower time to about four minutes.

Get a quick solar quote, or contact us today toll free on 1800 EMATTERS or email our friendly team for expert, obligation-free advice!

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