Boilin' on a budget: Need to bust the winter electricity bill?

BY SIMON PALFREY

We’ve all read the usual rhetoric on reducing our winter electricity bill but year after year we find ourselves discontent with cold, short showers and dinners by candle light.

If you are sick of seeing red when your winter power bills begin to sky-rocket then the following news might be something to console you on those cold nights.

One of the key reasons for rapid growth in electricity expenditure is how showering patterns change between the seasons. People try to limit shower times, try to shower together or even shower less but it is natural to have warmth desires when there are icicles on your windows.

Many Kiwi households are still using hot-water cylinders, which is the hot drum in one of your cupboards that is so warm that it is often used to dry clothes over night. They seem like such a blessing but they also make the cost of your power bill tick over as steadily as Big Ben.

EnergyWise New Zealand says that water heating account for 30% of an average household’s energy bill. The easiest way to get out of this trap is installing a gas hot water unit. There are gas water heating units available on the market that will shrink the power bill and also supply you continuous hot water year round.

The key difference is that a hot-water cylinder stores water and continues to heat the water to the temperature the thermostat is set to. This can be altered, however anything below 60 degrees celsius can make it the perfect breeding ground for Legionella bacteria, which can be fatal.

Using gas hot water means that water is heated instantly using natural gas or LPG, which prevents water being stored at all and therefore not constantly having to be reheated - creating power bills that send shivers down your spine.

Because gas hot water is heated instantly, it also means that new products on the market are capable of producing continuous hot water for a fraction of the price of hot-water cylinders. They also prevent creating any environment for the chest-rattling Legionella Bacteria.

To see how the savings can flow, search various continuous hot water products online to see what could save your household bucket loads.

Continuous Hot Water

Bruce Trenwith & Carolyn Monk

0800 668 669