What’s a powerhack, you ask? Think of it as a life hack that helps you save on your power bills. With energy prices at a high, these powerhacks can help you reduce your energy and save money.  

Welcome back to our third powerhacks edition. Last time we looked at home entertainment. In this edition, we explore powerhacks that keep you warm hile keeping your energy costs low. 

Change how you heat

Temperature Matters 

Every degree warmer bumps up your heating-related energy use by up to 10%. Check your heater’s thermostat. Can you save a degree or two? Do you really need it on? Maybe ditch the heater and don some warm clothes or get under the blankets to save money on your power bill.   

Tick tock 

Ever thought about how long you leave the heater on for? Heaters are money-hungry appliances. Cutting down the amount of time you run your heater will help you save big on your energy bills. 

Clock off

Does your heater have a timer? Using the timer to reduce the overall time your heater runs can save on energy consumption, which means less money spent on bills. If you can’t work out how to use the timer, simply look up your heater model on the internet to find instructions.  

Switch it up 

Did you know your ceiling fan can make your room warmer in winter? Yep. There’s a little switch that makes the blades rotate clockwise, drawing the cooler air up and pushing the warm air down. Genius. 

Heater health 

Just like your aircon, your heater may need a little health check to make it work more efficiently. Clean the filter to avoid a build-up of dirt and dust and save some coin on its running costs. 

Turn up the heat without the heater

Mind the gap

Brrrr! When it’s cold outside, it’s time to plug all the gaps in your house. Close the doors and grab a door snake or an inexpensive door brush strip to keep all that warm fuzzy heat inside. You can even get seals for your windows too! 

Hello sunshine!

Here’s a simple, energy free way to heat your home on chilly winter days. Open your blinds first thing in the morning and let the sunshine in. When the sun sets, close your curtains and blinds again and use door snakes to trap all that toasty warmth in. Easy peasy.  

Rug up

Blanket buddy

What better way is there to beat the winter blues than to find a blanket or rug to snuggle under with a buddy. Get under the covers before you reach for the heater to save big on your energy bill.  

Toasty toes

Did you know you can use rugs and carpets on slab and wooden floors to help your home retain heat? Trapping the heat inside reduces the amount of energy your heater needs to heat the room.  

Sweet dreams

Grab yourself a hot water bottle for some good ol’ traditional warmth. Electric blankets will cost you a packet but this lil guy is worth his weight in gold. Try adding a mattress underlay and donning some flannelette PJs or a onesie to amp up the warmth.  

Extreme accessories

Your body loses heat faster through your extremities, so ditch the heater and grab a beanie and some woolly socks to keep your body’s heat close to home.

Singlet surrender 

It’s time to lay down your singlets Queenslanders. When winter comes, it’s time to grab a jumper and layer up to keep warm. Scarves – they’re not just for the south! Don’t worry, winter doesn’t last long and you’ll be able to embrace your singlets again in no time!

That’s it for our winter powerhack edition – let us know on our socials what hacks you’d like to try or even share one of your own powerhacks that has helped you keep warm in winter and lower your energy bill.