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For many, it’s our favorite time of year: the fall. For others, it’s the time of year where you plan for your energy bill to go through the roof. No matter what you do, it seems like you can’t control your bills quite as much as you did in the summer. Here are some energy saving tips that can help make those cold winter months a bit more bearable.

1. Open your curtains during the day.

The windows that allow the most sunshine into your home should be left open during daytime. Leaving these windows open for just a few hours every day can help reduce how much you need to heat your home in the winter.

2. Lower the thermostat inside your home.

By layering up, your home can stand to have the temperature 5 degrees lower. A small decrease in your home’s overall temperature can mean big savings on your next bill. You can try this during the day when everyone is gone and see if your family can stand the difference at night while everyone is sleeping.

3. Avoid blocking heat vents.

Furniture has a tendency to get moved around during the year without us even realizing that it could be blocking a vent. Do a quick sweep of your home and make sure no vents are being blocked by large pieces of furniture.

4. Get an energy audit for your home.

This is the easiest way to find ways to save money around your home. A home professional can come to your home and examine how efficient your home is. They can then provide you with a list of ways to become more efficient (even better than this list).

5. Maintain your HVAC system.

Like your car, your HVAC system needs yearly maintenance. We recommend getting your system professionally looked at every fall before the cold winter temperatures set in. A dirty system can cost you a breakdown or a total system failure if not diagnosed and treated properly.

6. Examine your fireplace closely.

Like your HVAC system, your fireplace needs maintenance as well. Make sure it’s properly fitted with additions to ensure efficiency. If you are looking for the fireplace to warm your entire home, speak to a contractor about an exchange system installation.

7. Switch to LED lights for an efficiency win.

Your old holiday lights take up so much energy they can do some real damage your bill. Replacing them with LEDs, which take up much less energy and are ultimately more energy efficient. Keeping your lights on a timer will also help keep your costs under control.

8. Install a programmable thermostat for ultimate efficiency.

If you are stuck manually adjusting your thermostat, there is a good chance you are losing more money than you even realize. A programmable thermostat remedies that problem by letting you set the temperature in your home at all hours of the day. The initial investment is small and can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Christmas is a great time to introduce energy saving habits into a household as many easy and simple changes in the way we live can end up putting extra money into your pocket.  Higher electricity prices in South Africa have become an increasing strain on consumers’ monthly expenses and Eskom recently announced that it had applied to the state regulator Nersa to further increase the price of electricity by 16% every year.  This means that South Africans could on average pay just over double the current electricity price by 2018.

“As consumers we have a lot of decision making power when it comes to how we use and save energy,” says Claire Volkwyn, who is the programme director of the annual African Utility Weekconference and expo in Cape Town.

“There are a variety of ways we can use a lot less electricity this holiday season such as using LED* Christmas lights which use 90% less electricity than regular Christmas lights.  Also invest in solar powered outdoor lights which can also be used on the Christmas tree and only come on at night.”

Volkwyn continues:  “get everyone in the family involved this December and challenge them to think of creative ways to save energy and make it a competition – and then reward the family by taking them out to dinner with the money you have saved!  This way everyone starts to think about living greener and it becomes a way of life.  African Utility Week is also a partner in Eskom’s 49M campaign, and we embrace the energy efficient use of power, not just in our company, but in our homes and personal lives too.”

More tips to be more energy friendly this holiday season:
1)  Buy gifts that don’t use electricity or batteries.  Up to 40% of all batteries are purchased during the holiday season.  Buy environmentally friendly gifts such as solar chargers for laptops, cell phones and solar-powered torches.

2)  Don’t use the tumble dryer unnecessarily – it’s summer, so take advantage of solar powered drying.

3)  Turn off the room lights when the Christmas tree lights are on.

4)  Set a timer to Christmas and outdoor lights to limit the time they are on.

5)  Create a romantic or devout atmosphere by using candles instead of lights.

6)  Enjoy the weather and celebrate the holidays outside with a braai instead of cooking on a stove!  Or enjoy cold meats and salads during this summer season – it’s healthier  and saves on power

7)  If you’re going away, turn off/down the empty refrigerator.

More advice for creating a more energy efficient home during the year:
–  Invest in a geyser blanket.  Unless the geyser is properly insulated, switching it off does not save electricity.

–  Insulate the roof to make the house cooler in summer and warmer in winter and thereby saving on using heating and cooling devices.

–  Switch off appliances at the source when not in use.

–  Replace bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps).

–  Limit the use of down-lighters in your home.  All the heat they generate is lost power

–  Use cold water to do laundry, it saves electricity and is better for the clothes.

For the past 12 years, the African Utility Week conference and exhibition has helped to reduce the energy consumption of commercial and industrial large power users and has assisted in African utilities providing electricity and water to all of Africa.  The event brings together thousands of utility professionals from across the globe to learn, share knowledge and debate the key topics that will secure the future development of Africa’s power industry.  These include energy efficiency, improved service delivery, renewable energy, collaboration across the continent and investment in new power projects.  Stakeholders across the industry attend the event, from Energy ministers, utilities such as Eskom, municipalities and regulators to investors and technology and service providers.  Attending theAfrican Utility Week exhibition is free when registering in advance and it showcases energy saving technologies and services for the industry from more than 250 providers and features hands-on demonstrations and workshops on the exhibition floor.

*LED=light-emitting diodes

What is 49M?

Eskom’s 49M campaign encourages all South Africans to take the 49M pledge to save at least 10% electricity.

When looking for an air conditioning technician, Stockbridge homeowners will usually check the internet and call a few companies. While there are many great HVAC companies, finding them can be a challenge. These three questions should be asked of each prospective company to separate the good from the great.

What is Wrong with My A/C in English?

Before having any work done on the system, the homeowner should understand completely the problem and how the technician will fix it. Homeowners should ask the technician to go through their diagnostic process and how they determined what the problem is. The tech should not use technical speak, instead use plain terms that the homeowner can understand. A good technician should be able to explain the problem and the fix in plain English without confusing the homeowner. Homeowners should pay attention for things that don’t seem to make sense or if a lot of other costly repairs suddenly manifest during the diagnosis. The best example is low refrigerant without a leak. The refrigerant loop is a closed system, so the only way the refrigerant can be low is if there is a leak.

What Warranties Do They Offer?

Most of the A/C manufacturers will offer warranties on their units, but homeowners need to get the details of these warranties. They should also find out if the repair company offers any warranties or guarantees on their work. The best system with the best warranty will still cost money if it is not installed properly. Homeowners should look for A/C companies that offer a guarantee on their work because that means they stand behind the job they have done.

How Much Will It Cost?

While the overall cost is important, it should not be the deciding factor between companies. Many of the less than honest HVAC companies will offer a very simple estimate with a low price. Then, after they begin working on the unit, they will add to the estimate raising the overall price past the other companies. The estimate should be detailed, listing all the parts that will be needed and an accurate gauge of the amount of labor hours needed to do the repairs.

When working with an air conditioning technician, Stockbridge homeowners should feel comfortable and trust they are not being taken advantage of. The partnership should be a good relationship that can be revisited several times for different problems.