Winter on the Gold Coast might not be as brutal as down South, but those early mornings and cool evenings still catch people off guard. The good news is you do not need to spend a fortune to stay comfortable.
Here are five practical tips from the SONA Electrical team to keep your home warm and your power bill under control this winter.
1. Get your air conditioning serviced before winter hits
Most people forget that their split system or ducted unit works just as hard in winter as it does in summer. If your system has not been serviced in a while, it is working harder than it needs to, which means higher power bills and less effective heating.
A quick pre-winter service includes cleaning the filters, checking the refrigerant levels and making sure everything is running efficiently. It takes under an hour and can save you hundreds over the season.
2. Switch to reverse cycle if you are still using old heaters
If you are still relying on plug-in fan heaters or oil column heaters, you are paying way more than you need to. Reverse cycle air conditioning is the most energy-efficient way to heat a home in Australia, up to three times more efficient than a standard electric heater.
A quality split system can heat a bedroom or living area for a fraction of the cost. And if you already have one installed, you are halfway there, just switch it to heating mode.
3. Check your switchboard and wiring
Winter means more appliances running at once. Heaters, dryers, electric blankets, heated towel rails. If your switchboard is outdated or your wiring is not up to standard, that extra load can trip breakers or worse, create a fire risk.
If your home was built before 2000 and has not had an electrical inspection, winter is a good time to get one done. A licensed electrician can check your switchboard capacity, test your safety switches and make sure everything is safe for the extra winter load.
4. Upgrade your lighting to LED
The days are shorter in winter, which means your lights are on for longer. If you are still running old halogen downlights, you are paying up to 80% more on lighting than you need to.
Switching to LED is one of the simplest upgrades you can make. They use a fraction of the power, last years longer, and most Gold Coast homes can be fully converted in a single visit.
5. Install a timer on your hot water system
Your hot water system is one of the biggest energy users in your home, and most of them run 24 hours a day whether you need hot water or not.
A simple timer switch can be installed on your hot water unit so it only heats water during off-peak hours (usually overnight when electricity is cheapest). It is a small investment that pays for itself within a few months.
The bottom line
A few small changes now can make a big difference to your comfort and your power bill over winter. And if any of these tips sound like something your home needs, we are happy to help.
SONA Electrical is fully licensed in QLD and NSW and we service the entire Gold Coast, South East Queensland and Northern NSW.
Need a licensed electrician on the Gold Coast?
Get in touch with the SONA Electrical team for a free, no-obligation quote.