|
|
|
|
|
With the first day of summer just around the corner, Energy Ombudsman Barry Adams warns Queenslanders not to let a high energy bill raise their temperature this summer.
"It's important to keep cool, but keep costs down," Mr Adams said.
"At this time of the year families are not only hit with the added costs of the festive season, but the increase in temperature places a greater demand on electricity usage and, in turn, an increase in energy bills."
Mr Adams said it was important to budget wisely and leave enough to cover the essentials such as electricity and gas.
"Many people contact the Energy Ombudsman Queensland (EOQ) because they're having problems paying a high energy bill, especially after a hot summer or cold winter," he said.
"People tend to under estimate their energy usage and are unaware of the amount of energy their home appliances actually use.
"For example, if you use one family-sized, reverse cycle air conditioner from 6pm to 11pm every night for three-months it will cost approximately $100.
"When you add this on top of your average energy bill, the increase can be quite significant.
"It's also important to set your air conditioner to 24 degrees. For every one degree cooler you set an air conditioner, you will be charged around ten percent more on running costs."
Mr Adams said that when it came to buying big ticket items during the festive season, it was important people chose appliances with high energy efficiency ratings and understood how much energy some new technologies actually consumed.
"Due to changes in technology and increases in screen size, LCD and plasma televisions consume more power than the traditional cathode ray tube televisions," he said.
"Another tip is if you have an older refrigerator that's used as secondary storage during the festive season, you should check that its seals are not damaged.
"Replacing worn fridge seals can help stop cool air escaping and the fridge motor from running extra hard to compensate."
Mr Adams also stressed the importance of turning appliances off at the wall.
"Many people think that energy usage in their home will be minimal if they go on holidays for a few weeks, but this is not always the case," he said.
"Household appliances use significant amounts of electricity in standby mode - when the appliance is not in use but is still turned on at the wall - so if you're not using it, turn it off at the wall where practical."
If people are having trouble paying their energy bill, they should contact their energy supplier immediately to find out if they would offer a payment plan before disconnection.
If consumers and their energy supplier cannot agree on a payment plan they can contact EOQ for assistance on freecall 1800 662 837 or visit www.eoq.com.au.
The Department of Mines and Energy has developed an online energy calculator to help consumers estimate the costs of their household electricity use and to find out ways to save money on energy bills. The energy calculator can be accessed through EOQ's website at www.eoq.com.au.
Distributed 28 November 2008
Media enquiries
Natasha Geritz on (07) 3006 2676 or media@eoq.com.au
