Dusty coils or faulty seals may prevent fridges from effectively regulating temperatures within the appliance. Your fridge will also have to work harder if it’s in a warm place, such as outside or in an uninsulated shed.
Actions
- Replace door seals if they no longer seal properly. Your fridge will use more energy if the seals are faulty
- Does the freezer need de-frosting? If so, do it!
- Check the coils at the back of the fridge for dust and clean them
- Turn off your second fridge and save up to $200 per year
- Set your fridge to run at an optimum temperature between 3°C to 5°C.
When looking for a home to rent, note what type of stovetop and oven it has. Gas cookers are cheaper to run than standard electric cookers, reducing your household emissions.
Ovens also have door seals, which, if faulty, will allow heat to escape, increasing your utility bills and energy use.
Actions
- Use small appliances where possible
- Try to use fitted lids on pots when cooking
- Boil only the amount of water you need
- Thaw frozen food in the fridge and avoid using the microwave
- Keep preheating times to a minimum in electric ovens. In gas ovens, preheating is not necessary
- Test the seals on your oven. If they’re not operating efficiently, let your landlord know that they need to be replaced.
Water is a precious resource and whatever measures we can take to conserve it are both a cost saving and an environmentally positive outcome.
Actions
- Consider fitting flow restrictors or aerators on your taps. Only use your dishwasher when it is full
- Act ASAP on dripping taps. One dripping tap can waste 20,000L per year! Check your lease with respect to whose responsibility this is and make note in your property report
- Ask your landlord to consider fitting taps with aerators or flow restrictors.