Small changes can mean big savings on your electricity bill

Here is a list of ways you can reduce the severity of your next electricity bill.

Behaviour

Change the way you use electricity in your home: turn appliances off at the wall, limit the use of heaters and air conditioners, don't leave the television on in the background, turn it off when it is not being watched.

Purchase appliances with high energy efficiency, the more stars, the more energy you'll save.

Take advantage of programs such as ClimateSmart Home Service and Queensland Mines and Energy's EnergyWise calculator which identify where you can save electricity in your home.

Shop around for cheaper electricity, use the independent Qld Competition Authority price comparator to make sure you're getting the best deal.

Saving money when buying and using appliances

Washing machines

Buy a washing machine with at least 3.5 stars. Every extra energy star can cut 27 per cent off the lifetime running costs of a washing machines. A difference of a single star can mean a saving of up to 40 litres of water per wash.

Front-loading machines use about half the water of many top loaders.

Switch to a cold wash every time and cut 90 per cent off your running costs

Try to use a full load each time.

Clothes dryers

Buy a clothes dryer with at least 2 stars. Every extra energy star can save 15 per cent off the lifetime running costs of dryers.

Look for a dryer with built-in moisture sensors that automatically shuts off the dryer when clothes are dry.

Install a venting kit to expel moist air directly outside, use the ``warm'' instead of ``hot'' setting.

Clean the filter before each use and ventilate the area around the dryer.

Airconditioners

Buy airconditioners with at least 4.5 stars.  Every extra star can save you hundreds of dollars over the life of the unit. Every extra star can reduce running costs by up to 10 per cent.

Using thermostat-controlled heating and cooling can save you 15 per cent a year on running costs for every 1C you turn the airconditioner up or the heater down.

Get professional advice on the right output capacity for your home.

Chose units with inverters that respond to the changing cooling/heating needs of your room.

Look for an easily adjustable thermostat.

Set winter heating temperatures at 18-20C and summer cooling at 24-28C.

Keep heat out by drawing curtains and blinds, and closing doors and windows.

Bulk insulation can reduce the energy consumption of airconditioners by around 30 per cent.

Seal gaps around doors and windows and shut internal doors.

Fridges and freezers

Buy a fridge with at least 4 stars, a chest freezer with at least 3 stars and an upright freezer with at least 4.5 stars.

Opt for models with door alarms, inverter technology which adjusts to match the refrigeration load, and an adjustable auto-defrost.

Look for thermostat controls which are easy to read and use.

Consider a chest freezer as they are more efficient than upright models.

Choose the right size fridge  one that is usually less than two thirds full is probably too big for your needs

Ensure door seals are clean and the door closes properly

Leave enough room behind the unit to allow air to flow freely

Fridges work best at about 4C.

To ensure your freezer is working at its optimum level, it should be kept between -15 and -18C.

Dishwashers

Buy a dishwasher with at least 3.5 energy stars and 3.5 water stars. Every extra energy star can reduce running costs by up to 30 per cent a year and an extra water star uses 15% less water so you also save on your water bills.

Choose a unit with a range of wash options, including half loads and economy wash.

If you have a solar hot water system, dual hot and cold water connections will save you even more.

Maximise efficiency -  Choose the right size for your needs,  only use when full,  select the economy option,  clean the filter regularly

Replace halogens

ENERGY auditor Ian Gittus says one of the quickest returns on investment for homeowners could be achieved by changing banks of halogen lights over to new technology LED bulbs.

A bank of four to six 50W halogen lights each with 15W transformers running five to six hours a night could cost around $186.50 a year to run.

The cost of changing them over to LED lights could be paid back in energy savings in eight to 12 months, depending on use.

However, Mr Gittus warned consumers to be aware that as an emerging technology, some LED lighting products were better than others.

``There are some cheap and nasty ones on the market. As it is a new technology, it really is a case of buyer beware,'' he said.

Mr Gittus said to ensure that LED bulbs had method of dissipating heat at the back of the bulb and to opt for quality products.

``The problem with LED bulbs is that they pinpoint direct light and produce a lot of heat so you must ensure you choose lights that have some form of heat dissipation at the back of light.

``The newer varieties have that the feature while some of the older lights didn't and the heat tended to blow out the bulb.''