Do your own home energy audit - sa.gov.au/energy - SA Gov
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Do your own
home energy audit
Are you spending too much on your energy bills?
Find out how you use energy in the home and what you
can do to start saving.
$
sa.gov.au/energy
2 Do your own home energy audit
How to complete your home energy audit
Completing the audit is easy. Read the questions in the ‘What do you do at home?’ column and tick off your answers in the
yes or no arrow boxes. If you answer no, follow the advice in the ‘What you can do to save energy’ column. Saving energy
includes the actions of everyone who lives in your home, so you may want to involve others when you complete your audit.
Most Least
What do you do at home? efficient efficient What you can do to save energy
Ask yourself, is this what I Yes No Follow the advice in this column to help you save energy at
normally do at home? If the home and minimise your energy bills.
answer is yes, you’re already The house icon applies to people who are renting.
doing the energy smart thing. If You should ask your landlord before making the
the answer is no, you could make suggested changes.
savings by following the advice
in the ‘What you can do to save The information icon indicates more information to help
energy’ column. you with the actions is available from page 6 onwards.
Tick off your answers to each question. When you have finished, you’ll have a
handy checklist of energy saving actions for your home.
What uses energy in the home?
The pie chart below shows the average energy use in an Australian home*. When saving energy, start by focusing on the
largest energy users.
Heating
& cooling 40%
Stand-by
power 3%
Cooking 5% Water
heating 23%
Lighting 7%
Fridges Other
& freezers 8% appliances 14%
Swimming pool energy use
The pie chart does not include homes with a swimming pool, as only about 10% of homes in Australia have them.
A pool is likely to be one of the largest single users of energy in a home.
A swimming pool may use around 3000 kWh per year, depending on the type and size of the pump, how long it is run for
each day and if the pool is heated. Running costs could be in excess of $1,000 a year.
*Data sourced from the Residential Energy Baseline Study, 2015.
Do your own home energy audit 3
Heating and cooling 40%
Heating and cooling can account for over a third of your energy use.
What do you do at home? What you can do to save energy
1 Do you only heat and cool rooms Yes No Consider closing doors to unused rooms so you only heat or cool
that are being used? the smallest possible area.
If you have a ducted system, it may already be divided into zones,
e.g. living areas and bedrooms. Make use of zones to only heat or
cool occupied areas.
2 In winter, do you open curtains, blinds Yes No Use the sun as free heating in cooler months, particularly through
and external shades so the sun can north facing windows.
heat your home? Direct sun can generate as much heat as a single bar radiant heater
over each square metre of a surface.
Use a compass, refer to your street directory or online maps to
determine which direction your windows face. North is normally the
top of the page or screen.
3 When heating, do you set the Yes No Most people will find a temperature between 18°C and 21°C
temperature as low as you feel comfortable for heating.
comfortable with? Every 1°C cooler may lower the running cost of your
heating appliance by up to 10%.
4 In summer, do you shade windows to Yes No In summer, close curtains and shade windows (particularly those
keep your home cool? facing north, east and west) to minimise heat entering your home.
Direct sun can generate as much heat as a single bar radiant heater
over each square metre of a surface.
Use a compass, refer to your street directory or online maps to
determine which direction your windows face. North is normally the
top of the page or screen.
5 When cooling, do you set the Yes No Most people will find a temperature between 24°C and 27°C
temperature as high as you comfortable for cooling.
feel comfortable with? Every 1°C warmer may lower the running cost of your
cooling appliance by up to 10%.
6 Does your home have insulation? Yes No Consider having insulation installed in your ceiling and walls if
you don’t have it.
If you already have insulation, ask a licensed installer to check
its effectiveness.
7 Have you sealed up gaps Yes No Use draught excluders, door and window seals or gap filler to
around doors and windows prevent draughts. See page 6 for how to check for draughts.
that let draughts in? Important: when using a gas appliance, you must ensure
you have adequate ventilation to avoid creating a serious
health hazard.
8 Do you use ceiling fans Yes No Ceiling fans create cool breezes in summer and can redirect
to assist your heating and cooling warm air downwards in winter.
appliances?
9 When choosing a heating or cooling Yes No The most appropriate type and size of heating or cooling appliance
appliance, do you think about the: will depend on the number of people you are trying to heat or cool
• most appropriate type of appliance and whether you are heating or cooling a single spot, whole room or
• size of the appliance whole home. Generally, the larger the heating or cooling requirement,
the higher the running cost.
• running cost or energy star rating
of the appliance? Contact the Energy Advisory Service on 8204 1888 for advice
specific to your situation. See back page for more contact details.
10 Do you maintain your heating and Yes No Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions and have your
cooling appliances to ensure they appliances serviced regularly.
operate efficiently?
4 Do your own home energy audit
Water heating 23%
Heating water for showers and clothes washing is a major energy user.
What do you do at home? What you can do to save energy
1 Do your showers last for less than four Yes No Taking shorter showers will save water and reduce the energy
minutes? needed to heat the water.
2 Is your shower flow rate nine Yes No If the flow rate is more than nine litres per minute, consider
litres per minute or less? installing a three star rated water saving shower head.
To find out how to check your shower flow rate, see page 6.
3 Is there insulation on external Yes No Insulate pipes with foam tubing, known as lagging, to prevent
water heater pipes? heat loss. See page 6 for how to insulate hot water pipes.
4 Do you have a solar, electric heat Yes No Choose an energy efficient water heater when your current water
pump, or a five star energy rated gas heater needs replacing. Visit sa.gov.au/energy/waterheaters for
water heater? advice on choosing a water heater.
5 Do you ensure taps don’t drip Yes No Have dripping taps fixed as soon as possible.
in your home? Not only do they waste water, leaking hot water taps
waste energy, too.
Other appliances 14%
Running costs for all the appliances in a home can add up.
What do you do at home? What you can do to save energy
1 Do you know how much power Yes No If you know the input power of an appliance (e.g. 1,500 watts or
your appliances use? 1.5 kW), you can calculate how much it costs to run – see page 7.
You can also borrow a power meter from the
Home Energy Toolkit – see page 11.
2 Do you usually run your dishwasher Yes No Washing a full load means fewer washes overall, therefore reducing
and washing machine with a full load? the amount of energy and water being used.
3 Do you usually use the cold or lowest Yes No Generally, most of the energy used by a washing machine or
temperature setting on your washing dishwasher is for heating water. Modern washing powders can
machine and dishwasher? produce good results with cool or cold water, saving you more energy.
4 Do you hang your clothes out to dry? Yes No Dry clothes on a washing line or clothes airer when possible. Outside
is better than inside, as it keeps moisture out of your home. Clothes
dryers can use a lot of energy. If you do use one, make sure you clean
the lint filter often, to ensure it is operating efficiently.
5 Do you use the energy and Yes No Consider the ongoing running costs when choosing an
water rating labels to compare appliance. Energy and water efficient models will cost you less
running costs when you purchase to run over the life of the appliance.
appliances? See page 7 for help to calculate appliance running costs.
Do your own home energy audit 5
Fridges and freezers 8%
Most fridges and freezers are switched on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What do you do at home? What you can do to save energy
1 Do you only run one fridge Yes No Only run additional fridges and freezers when necessary,
and freezer? e.g. a bar fridge could be turned off when not required.
The energy efficiency levels of fridges have improved significantly in
the last decade. If you have an old fridge, consider replacing it or,
if it is used as a second fridge, only run it when necessary.
2 When you purchase a new fridge and Yes No When you replace your old fridge or freezer, choose an energy
freezer, will you choose an energy efficient one.
efficient model that is the right size Choose the right size fridge or freezer first, then select the model
for your needs? with a high star rating on the energy rating label.
3 Is your fridge temperature Yes No Adjust your fridge temperature to between 3°C and 5°C.
between 3°C and 5°C? If colder, more energy is used, while higher temperatures allow
food poisoning bacteria to grow.
See page 6 for how to check the temperature.
4 Is your freezer temperature Yes No Adjust your freezer temperature to between –15°C and –18°C.
between –15°C and –18°C? See page 6 for how to check the temperature.
5 Are your fridges and freezers located Yes No The hotter the location of the fridge, the harder it has to work. If you
in a cool, well ventilated area and have a fridge or freezer outside or in a shed or garage, consider
out of direct sunlight? moving it somewhere cooler.
Move indoor units to a cooler location if possible or shade windows
to stop direct sunlight.
Ensure air can circulate around all sides.
6 Do your fridge and freezer doors Yes No Replace door seals if ineffective.
seal properly? See page 6 for how to check your door seals.
7 Is there less than 5 mm of frost Yes No Defrost your freezer regularly. An auto defrost model should do this
build-up in your freezer? automatically.
Lighting 7%
Make a habit of switching off lights when you leave a room.
What do you do at home? What you can do to save energy
1 Do you turn off lights when you Yes No Leaving lights on in an empty room wastes energy and adds to
leave a room? your bills. Make a habit of turning off lights.
2 Do you have energy efficient lights? Yes No Fluorescent, compact fluorescent and LED lights are much more
energy efficient than traditional incandescent or halogen lights.
Consider replacing inefficient lights with energy efficient lights,
particularly when you have groups of halogen downlights.
3 If you have outdoor lighting, is it Yes No If you regularly leave your outdoor lights on, consider installing sensor
operated by motion sensors? lights so they only come on with movement and turn off after a
short period.
4 Do you use low wattage lights? Yes No Select a light with the lowest wattage for your needs; it costs less
to run.6 Do your own home energy audit
Cooking 5%
Use smaller cooking appliances when you can.
What do you do at home? What you can do to save energy
1 Does your oven door seal properly? Yes No Replace door seals if ineffective.
See below for more information on checking door seals.
2 Do you use small kitchen appliances Yes No Smaller appliances generally use less energy so are often better for
instead of the oven e.g. microwaves, cooking small amounts of food. Try to restrict oven use to when you
electric fry pans? need to cook multiple things.
3 Do you use lids on pans when Yes No Lids help keep the heat in, making cooking more efficient and
cooking? therefore reducing energy use.
Stand-by power 3%
Switch off at the wall to avoid stand-by power costs.
What do you do at home? What you can do to save energy
1 Do you turn your appliances off at the Yes No Turn appliances off to prevent stand-by power use - consider
wall or use a stand-by power controller using stand-by power controllers or Wi-Fi enabled plugs with
rather than leaving them on stand-by, smartphone apps to make this easier.
e.g. televisions, stereos, computers? You can use the power meter in the Home Energy Toolkit to
measure stand-by power use – see page 11.
More information
Check for draughts Insulate hot water pipes
You can check for draughts by: You can purchase foam tubing from hardware and plumbing
• looking for daylight around the edges of doors stores. Look for one that has been cut along its length and
and windows has a self-sealing adhesive strip.
• looking for gaps around skirting boards To install:
• feeling for draughts with a wet finger. • slide the foam tubing onto the external heater pipes
• peel off the adhesive strip and join the sides together.
Shower flow rate
You will need: Check your fridge or freezer temperature
• a bucket and something to measure the volume of water, You will need a thermometer.
such as a measuring jug Place your thermometer below the top shelf and towards
• a stopwatch (available in the Home Energy Toolkit – see the front of the fridge, or anywhere in the freezer.
page 11). Leave the thermometer in the closed fridge or freezer for
about 30 minutes and then observe the temperature. Adjust
Turn the water on full and let it flow into a bucket for
the thermostat if necessary and recheck 24 hours later.
10 seconds.
Measure the amount of water in litres. Multiply by six to Door seals on fridges, freezers and ovens
determine the flow rate in litres. To check if a door seals properly, close the door on a piece
Shower flow rate example: of paper. The door seal should be strong enough to firmly
• Water flow in 10 seconds = 2 litres grip it. Check in several places around the edge of the door.
If the paper slides out easily, consider replacing the seal.
• 2 litres x 6 = 12 litres in 60 seconds
Look for sections that are cracked and brittle or pressed out
• Flow rate is 12 litres per minute.
of shape. If the seal is damaged, it may need replacing.Do your own home energy audit 7
How to calculate running costs
Knowing the running cost of an appliance will help you keep Example: Portable electric heater
track of how much you are spending on energy.
The most accurate way to find an appliance’s running cost is
to use an appliance power meter. A power meter is included
in the Home Energy Toolkit, which you can borrow for free
from most public libraries in South Australia – see page 11.
For a list of average running costs of household
appliances and an online calculator, visit
sa.gov.au/energy/runningcosts
Follow the steps in the tables below to calculate the
running costs of electric or gas appliances.
1 Find the appliance’s input power in watts or
megajoules.
The watts or megajoules will usually be on a label on the
appliance or in the owner’s manual.
Small electrical appliances may indicate amps and volts.
Multiply the amps by the volts to get watts.
1 Label shows 2,000 W
2 Convert input power to kilowatts (kW) or megajoules
2 Divide 2,000W by 1,000 = 2 kW
(MJ) if necessary.
Divide watts by 1,000 to get kilowatts, 3 Check your bill for your energy tariff – if you are unsure
e.g. 2,000 watts = 2 kW. you can use 42 cents per kWh for electricity
Divide joules by 1,000,000 to get megajoules,
e.g. 3,200,000 joules = 3.2 MJ. 4 Multiply the input power by the energy tariff
2 x 42 = 84 cents per hour
3 Check your bill for your energy tariff – the amount you
5 If the heater is on full power for 10 hours per day*:
pay per unit of electricity or gas. 10 x 84 cents = $8.40 a day
For electric appliances, use the peak rate, as most
appliances will be charged at this rate. See page 8 for
advice on understanding your energy bill.
Example: Gas space heater
If you are unsure, you can use an average tariff of 42 cents
per kilowatt-hour for electricity and 4 cents per megajoule
for gas.
4 Work out maximum hourly running costs in
cents per hour.
Multiply the input power by the energy tariff
e.g. 2 kW x 42 cents = 84 cents per hour, or
3.2 MJ x 4 cents = 12.8 cents per hour.
5 Work out a daily running cost.
Multiply the hourly running cost by the number of hours
per day you run the appliance to get a daily running cost,
e.g. 10 hours x 84 cents = 840 cents or $8.40 per day.
6 Adjust results for appliances with thermostats or high
to low settings.
The maximum running costs reflect the appliance running 1 Label shows 26 MJ per hour on full power
at full power for the specified time. However, not all
appliances operate constantly at full power. Appliances 2 Convert joules to megajoules (MJ) by dividing by
with high and low settings or thermostats can use 1,000,000. In this case no conversion required
less energy.
3 Check your bill for your energy tariff – if you are unsure
Use the power meter in the Home Energy Toolkit to use 4 cents per MJ for gas
measure the actual usage of plug-in appliances. For large
hardwired appliances, e.g. air-conditioners, track usage 4 Multiply the input power by the energy tariff
with a meter diary – see page 11. For water heaters, more 26 x 4 = 104 cents per hour
information is available at sa.gov.au/energy/waterheaters
5 If the appliance is on full power for 10 hours per day*:
10 x 104 cents = $10.40 a day
*Note that if the heater is controlled by a thermostat its energy use will be
lower than if it is constantly on full power.8 Do your own home energy audit
Understanding your electricity bills
Your bills contain a lot of information to help you understand how much electricity you use in your home. Look carefully at the
average usage per day, the graph that shows the pattern of your electricity use and changes in consumption between
billing periods and seasons, and the prices you are paying per kWh.
1 Average usage per day Your overall use 2
1 Usage kWh Tonnes Gre
Measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) over the last billing 25 2.0
period. Average usage per day Tot
14.70 kWh 20 1.6 0.9
2 Usage graph from
Same time last year 15 1.2
The pattern of electricity used at the property 12.00 kWh
compared to previous billing periods, allowing 10 0.8
Average cost per day
comparison across billing periods and seasons.
$6.21 5 0.4
3 NMI – national meter identifier
0 0.0
The unique meter serial number for the property’s Jan 17 Apr 17 Jul 17 Oct 17 Jan 18
address.
Compare with other homes in your area
4 Billing period 2 people 3 people Your home 4 people
This area shows the billing period for the current bill.
5 Read type
Retailers can estimate how much electricity has been 827 kWh 1205 kWh 1338 kWh 1747 kWh
used and bill accordingly. This may be noted by ‘e’ or Average usage data supplied by the Australian Energy Regulator based on homes with no
‘estimate’. By law, retailers must do an actual read no gas and no pool during summer. Visit www.energymadeeasy.gov.au for more information.
less than once every 12 months, which may be noted Your energy use in detail
by ‘a’ or ‘actual’. 3
Supply address 1 Green Street, Greenvale SA 5555
6 Meter readings 4 NMI 12345678910
Many homes have more than one electricity meter, Supply period 25 Oct 2017 to 23 Jan 2018
5
Reading type Actual read on 23 Jan 2018 Pay
for example one for peak and the other for off-peak. If yo
Tariff description Domestic light and power
Refer to the meter number when checking the related call
Meter no. Days billed Previous reading Current reading Usage kWh plan
reading. A digital meter can record peak and off-peak 6
con
so may show on the bill as the same meter number
1039011 91 01945 02975 8 1030
7 1160235 91 02436 02744 308
twice. Cor
GP
7 Billing days Usage and supply charges Charge or e
Peak 25 Oct 2017 to 23 Jan 2018 91 days
The number of days this bill covers. For households First 997 kWh @ $0.3675 $366.40
Ple
9 12 1
that are billed quarterly, this will be around 91 days. Next 33 kWh @ $0.3923 $12.95 info
8 Consumption (usage) Supply charge @ $0.8295 $75.16
Controlled Load rate 25 Oct 2017 to 23 Jan 2018 91 days
The total number of electricity units (kWh) used per Usage 308 kWh @ $0.1925 $59.29
meter. GST $51.38
9 Tariff Total usage and supply charges 10 $565.18
The prices (per kWh) paid for electricity. Tariffs vary Your next meter read is due between 23 Apr 2018 and 30 Apr 2018.
by retailer and energy plan, and can reflect peak or Please ensure easy access to your meter on these days.
off-peak prices, stepped charges (as in this example),
time of use or demand pricing. Payment options If you choose to pay using the credit card option, a 1%
10 Total due
Save time by having your account paid Biller Code: 123456
Amount of money owed for electricity supply and usage automatically on the due date. Ref: 1234 5678 9012 3456 78
charges for the billing period and any other charges Apply online at www.acme.com.au or BPAY® – Make this payment via internet or phon
e.g. unpaid amounts from a previous bill. phone 1300 111 333 for an application form. banking.
BPAY View® – Receive, view and pay this bill us
Billpay Code: 1234 internet banking.
This bill is an example of what to look for. Your bill may look Ref: 1234 5678 9012 3456 78 BPAY View® Registration No – Please use you
Pay in person at any post office, 8 digit account number located on the front of yo
different and contain different information e.g. if your home phone 13 18 16 or go to remittance slip.
has a solar PV system, there will also be information about www.postbillpay.com.au BPAY View® Name – The name on your ACME
account must match the name on your bank acc
the kWh exported.
For an example gas bill, visit sa.gov.au/energy/billsDo your own home energy audit 9
Managing your energy bills
If you are having trouble managing your energy bills, help
is available. Working out the cause of a
Are you eligible for any concessions? higher than normal energy bill
Make sure you are not missing out on any concessions • Is the meter reading recorded on your bill similar to
you may be eligible for – call the Concessions Hotline on what is shown on your meter, and is it an actual or
1800 307 758 or go to sa.gov.au/concessions. estimated reading? See ‘Read type’ on page 8 for
more information.
Ask your retailer for assistance
• Have any additional fees or charges been included,
If your energy bills are getting on top of you, don’t ignore e.g. a late payment fee, or an unpaid amount from
them. Contact your energy retailer to see how they can a previous bill? If you believe there is a billing error,
help. It is important to tell your retailer if you are having contact your retailer to discuss.
trouble paying because, by law, they are required to assist
you. This could include offering you a payment plan, joining • Have any concessions you are eligible for been
their hardship program, suggesting energy saving activities applied? If you have recently changed retailers or
or directing you to other services that can help. moved house, you must notify the Concessions
Hotline on 1800 307 758 to ensure you keep
Spread your bill payments receiving your concessions.
If you find paying a quarterly bill difficult to budget for, ask • Did you start using a new appliance? Some
your energy retailer if you can pay monthly, fortnightly or appliances use a lot more energy than expected.
even weekly to help manage your cash flow. Most energy
retailers in South Australia offer payment options. • Are there more people living in your home?
If additional people have stayed with you or you have
Get the best energy deal a new family member, the power they use will add to
your energy bill.
Use the Australian Government’s free energy price
comparison website, energymadeeasy.gov.au, or call • Have you moved house? Different houses use
1300 585 165 to check you are getting the best deal for different amounts of energy. Building quality can
energy. To get the best results, use information from your make a big difference. Big energy users, like heating
last four energy bills to make sure all seasons are included. and cooling appliances and water heaters, may be
more or less efficient in different homes.
If you need help to understand the cause of your high
bill, call the Energy Advisory Service on 8204 1888.
Building, renovating or
needing energy saving
information?
There are websites to help you make your home more
energy efficient, and help you understand and manage
your energy use and costs.
Dispute with your energy retailer? yourhome.gov.au
If your retailer does not give you the help you need or you The Australian Government’s Your Home website is
have a dispute you can’t resolve, contact Energy and Water comprehensive guide to building, buying or renovating
Ombudsman South Australia (EWOSA) on 1800 665 565 or a home.
visit their website at ewosa.com.au. EWOSA can investigate
and resolve disputes between customers and retailers. Find out how you can create a comfortable home
that has a lower impact on the environment, and is
Staying connected to energy, water and economical to run, healthier to live in and adaptable to
communications your changing needs.
The ConnectEd program offers community education and sa.gov.au/energy
financial counselling assistance. Home energy assessments The Government of South Australia’s website contains
are also available for eligible clients. See the back cover of information to help you understand and reduce your
this book for further information and contact details. home’s energy use. There are sections on saving
Get help from a financial counsellor energy at home, choosing energy efficient appliances,
solar power for your home, concessions, and electrical,
You can get free advice from a financial counsellor by calling gas and plumbing safety advice.
1800 007 007.10 Do your own home energy audit
Reading electricity and gas meters
Electricity and gas meters are used by your energy provider Digital gas meters
to measure the energy you use. Knowing how to read a
Digital gas meters, like the one
meter allows you to:
pictured on the right, are also
• keep track of your home energy use as required known as metric meters. They
• check the meter reading on your bill is close to the record the amount of gas used
actual reading. in cubic metres (m 3).
Read the numbers from left
Digital electricity meters to right. The black and white
• Read the number from left to right. numbers are the numbers that
• If necessary, scroll through other provide the reading. The red
screens (like date and time) to get numbers are for testing.
Time
to the reading. Look for numbers Dial or clock face gas meters
starting with:
• These meters record the amount of gas used in cubic
–– 03 or 003 for the peak
feet (f t 3).
electricity meter reading
–– 07 or 007 for the off-peak
Date • Read the first four dials from left to right.
electricity meter reading • Each dial revolves in the opposite direction to the next
• Homes with solar panels will have one, e.g. anti-clockwise, clockwise etc.
an import/export meter. Refer to • Note the number the pointer has just passed, e.g. it if is
Peak usage
the manufacturer’s instruction between 7 and 8, write down 7.
manual or contact SA Power
Networks to find out how to read The below example provides a reading of 1,394 f t 3.
this type of meter.
Off-peak usage
• Some homes may have an 1 Million 100 Thousand 10 Thousand 1 Thousand
advanced digital meter or ‘smart 1 0 9 9 0 1 1 0 9 9 0 1
meter’ installed. The readings and descriptions for these 2 8 8 2 2 8 8 2
meters may be different to this guide. Contact your 3 7 7 3 3 7 7 3
energy retailer for help reading this type of meter and 4 5 6 6 5 4 4 5 6 6 5 4
tracking your energy use.
Dial or clock face electricity meters
Below is an explanation of how to convert cubic metres and
• Read the dials from left to right, ignoring the dial marked
or cubic feet into megajoules. Use the result to understand
1/10 as it is only for testing.
the energy use shown on your bill.
• Each dial revolves in a different direction from the one
next to it e.g. anti-clockwise, then clockwise.
Convert cubic meters (m 3) to megajoules (MJ)
• Always note the number the pointer has just passed e.g.
if it is between 7 and 8, write down 7. Subtract previous reading 0800 – 0786 = 14 m 3
• If the pointer is directly over a number, underline that from current reading
number when writing it down. Convert to MJ by 14 m 3 x 1.0139 x 38.61 MJ/m 3
• If any of the underlined numbers are followed by an 8 or multiplying the difference = 548.05 MJ of gas used
9, reduce the underlined number by one. by the pressure factor
and heating value on
The below example provides a reading of 73,958 kWh. the bill
10,000 1,000 100 10 1
kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh Convert cubic feet ( f t 3) to megajoules (MJ)
1 0 9 Subtract previous 1394 – 1074 = 320 f t 3
2 8
9 0 1 3 7 9 0 1 reading from current
8 2 4 5 6 8 2 reading
7 3 7 3
1 0 9 6 5 4 6 5 4 1 0 9 Convert to MJ by 320 f t 3 x 1.0139 x 1.09 MJ/f t 3
2 8 2 8
3 7 3 7
multiplying the difference = 353.65 MJ of gas used
4 5 6 4 5 6 by the pressure factor
and heating value on
Pointer Pointer the bill
Pointer is directly Pointer Pointer is directly
is past 7 over 4 is past 9 is past 5 over 8Do your own home energy audit 11
Using meter readings to monitor energy use
Electricity and gas meters record the total amount of the most obvious difference to your average daily energy
electricity and gas consumed over the life of the meter. consumption. Changes to smaller energy consuming
To find out how much electricity or gas you have used over appliances, such as washing clothes on a cold cycle and
a period of time, you can subtract an earlier reading from hanging them on the line instead of using a clothes dryer,
the current reading. will take longer to show a difference.
You can use regular readings to keep track of how much If you have a gas heater, or gas water heater, use a gas
energy you are using and see how the energy saving meter diary to see if changes like keeping doors closed
changes you have made are affecting your energy use. You when running your heater, using you heater for less time, or
can record your results in a simple meter diary and note any taking shorter showers, have on your gas use.
changes you make. You could take readings weekly, or even Remember, gas meters record in cubic feet or cubic meters,
daily, to see the impact of the changes you are making. however you are billed in megajoules (see page 10 for how
Changing the way you use high energy consuming to convert the measurements).
appliances, like reverse cycle air conditioners, will make
Example of an electricity meter diary
Meter Electricity Date Days Average Notes about appliances used and changes made
reading used since between daily use
last reading readings
24318 kWh – 19/1 – – Start
24443 kWh 125 kWh 24/1 5 25 kWh School holidays – kids home most days using TV, computer, lots of
washing and clothes drying. Used ducted refrigerated air con for
approx 7 hours daily at 21oC.
24545 kWh 102 kWh 30/1 6 17 kWh Kids back to school so fewer appliances used during the day.
Hot weather – ran air con for approx 3 hours in evening each day.
Adjusted thermostat to 24oC.
24578 kWh 33 kWh 2/2 3 11 kWh Cooler weather so no air con needed. Big drop in use!
24618 kWh 40 kWh 6/2 4 10 kWh Still no air con. Hung washing outside instead of using dryer. No TV
on school nights.
24654 kWh 36 kWh 8/2 2 18 kWh Warm nights – ran ducted refrigerated air con for approx 4 hours in
evening at 24oC.
To calculate the average daily energy use, divide the amount
of energy used since the last reading by the number of days
between readings.
In this example: 125 ÷ 5 = 25 kWh/day
Would you like to do a more detailed audit?
Borrow a Home Energy Toolkit
Home Energy Toolkits can be borrowed for free from most
South Australian public libraries.
The kit comes with a comprehensive home energy auditing manual,
which lets you explore your home energy use in much more detail.
Each toolkit contains a thermometer, compass, stopwatch and a power
meter that can measure appliance energy use, running costs and
greenhouse gas emissions.
Call your library to check if they have a Home Energy Toolkit available.
Go to sa.gov.au/energy/toolkit or call the Energy Advisory Service on
8204 1888 for a list of participating libraries.More energy information
Energy Saving Advice Are you eligible for a concession?
The Energy Advisory Service offers free Call the Concessions Hotline on 1800 307 758 or
independent information about saving energy in visit sa.gov.au/concessions to find out if you can
your home. get financial help with your energy bills.
See below for contact details.
Help to resolve a dispute with your energy
Staying connected to energy, water and retailer
communications Energy and Water Ombudsman South Australia
The ConnectEd program offers community offers a free independent service to all South
education and financial counselling assistance. Australian domestic and business customers, and
Home energy assessments are also available can help resolve disputes with gas and electricity
for eligible clients. ConnectEd is funded by retailers.
SA Government and delivered by community Call 1800 665 565 or visit ewosa.com.au
organisations. To gain assistance call the phone
number for your local service.
Get your organisation involved to help
• Adelaide Metro (inner north, west, and inner others save energy
south) – 08 8245 7100
The Energy Partners Program works with
• Adelaide CBD, outer north, outer south and organisations across the state to help South
southern country SA – 1800 615 677 Australians manage their energy use and costs,
• Northern country SA – 1300 067 777 and improve energy efficiency.
Visit connected.org.au for more information. Visit the website at sa.gov.au/energypartners
Environmentally sustainable building,
buying or renovating homes
Your Home offers guidance for building, buying
or renovating a home. It shows how to create
a comfortable home with low impact on the
environment – economical to run, healthier to live
in and adaptable to your changing needs.
Visit the website at yourhome.gov.au
Contact the Energy Advisory Service for free energy saving advice.
Online: sa.gov.au/energy
Email: energyadvice@sa.gov.au
Phone: 8204 1888 or 1800 671 907* (*free call from fixed lines)
June 2018You can also read
