Origin Energy Institute

You can save energy, money and the environment - just explore our top 50 efficiency tips below. We've even listed them according to the major appliance type for your ease of reference.

Fridges

• It's best to place food slightly apart on refrigerator shelves for correct air circulation.
• Remove all heavy wrapping paper before storing foods in the refrigerator.
• Turn off, empty, clean and leave the refrigerator door open when you are away for an extended period to save on electricity costs.
• Why not think of exactly what you need before opening the refrigerator door. By removing or replacing several items at a time, you can protect the cold air inside the fridge and save energy. 
• It's important to choose a refrigerator that's right for your family. The biggest refrigerator isn't necessarily the best, particularly if it's above your needs. Refrigerators operate at peak efficiency when full.

Freezers

• Defrost chest-type freezers at least once or twice a year and upright models twice or three times a year. Never allow frost build-up to exceed 6mm.
• Freezers operate most efficiently when filled to the correct capacity. Only one-tenth of a freezer's capacity should be used to store fresh food at any time.
• Try to keep the freezer door open for the least time possible.

Ovens

• Did you know that thawing frozen foods before cooking will save approximately 15 minutes cooking time per 500 grams.
• For the best baking results, place pans or containers so they don't touch each other or the sides of the oven.
• Try to keep the oven door completely closed until food is cooked. We know it's tempting to check on food when cooking, but every time the door is opened, the oven temperature drops by 14° - 20°C. 
• If you're buying an oven, remember: a fan-forced oven uses less energy than a conventional oven and baking time is substantially reduced.

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Cook tops

• Be sure pots and pans completely cover the hotplates.
• For the best and most nutritious results, use only enough water to create steam when cooking vegetables.
• It's best to cook with lids on pots and pans. You'll achieve better cooking results, including less evaporation, as well as reducing steam and cooking smells in the kitchen.
• There's a reason our mums used pressure cookers. Not only will food be tender and delicious, a pressure cooker uses about 25 per cent less energy.
• Clean gas burners regularly to remove food spill caught in the small holes in the burner rings. This ensures a constant and even gas distribution and flame size for more efficient cooking.

Hot water systems

• A short shower is a good shower and a good bath is one you have only occasionally. Encourage short showers in the home since they use less hot water than baths.
• Always turn taps off fully and replace worn tap washers. Just one drop of water per second wastes 1200 litres per month!
• Remember to turn your hot water unit off if you're going away for an extended period.

Dishwashers

• It pays to read the manufacturer's instruction on plates, glasses and cutlery when loading your dishwasher. Correctly placed items increase dishwasher efficiency and ensure the best cleaning results. You should also check that nothing is preventing the wash arms from rotating before you start the dishwasher.
• Be patient and wait until you have enough dirty items to fill the dishwasher before operating. Partial loads waste water and electricity.
• Make the most of all functions on your dishwasher. Small load or half load options, short wash cycles, rinse-only cycles and mid-cycle turn off are features designed for energy efficiency as well as convenience.
• For extra energy savings, make sure you use the cold water cycle when rinsing dishes.

Washing Machines

• Most top loading type washers use the same amount of electricity for a full load as it consumes for a single item. as they do for a full load. So unless you have a self load-adjusting machine, it's best to save dirty clothes until you have enough for a full load.
• Take care not to overload your automatic washing machine as this reduces the cleaning action.
• Take advantages of special features on your machine that can help save you money. Soak cycles remove stubborn stains on one wash cycle and a suds-saver function allows you to recycle rinse water if required.
• Thinking of buying a new washing machine? Consider this: front loading automatic washing machines use considerably less energy and water than top loading machines.

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Clothes dryers

• Be careful not to overload the clothes dryer. The dryer could overheat and stop altogether.
• You can further save on electricity your dryer consumes simply by ensuring you have the correct temperature settings selected.
• Always ensure clothing is wrung well before placing in the dryer. Clothes should never be placed in the dryer while dripping with water.
• It's best to clean the lint filter on the dryer after each use to maintain full air flow, maximise drying efficiency and minimise fire risk.

Irons

• It may test your patience to iron for hours on end, but it's best, energy-wise, to iron large batches of clothing at one time. This way, you won't find yourself wasting energy reheating the iron every time you want to press something.
• Ensure you follow the operation setting marked on your iron. An iron can consume as much energy as twenty-four 100 watt light bulbs and the correct ironing temperature can save a substantial amount of energy.
• Be careful never to overheat your iron.
• Steaming uses more energy, so only use on fabrics that require steam for pressing. You'll be surprised how many fabrics press well with a dry iron.
• Save time and energy by sorting ironing by fabric type and iron lighter fabrics on lower settings first.
• For very delicate items, try turning your iron off and using the heat that remains.

Heaters 

• You can minimise heat loss through poor insulation by repairing faulty door seals, hanging curtains that fit close to the window frames and laying rugs on bare floors.
• Select an appropriately sized heater that will allow the room to be correctly warmed. Allow 35 watts per cubic metre of room volume.
• Oil-filled heaters are well suited for use in bedrooms due to low surface temperatures and enclosed elements.
• Always light gas heaters in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, turning the setting down to a comfortable level after the burners are lit.

Air Conditioning

• When having an air conditioning unit installed, ensure the outdoor section doesn't face the sun (north or west), unless the area will be constantly shaded.
• Air conditioning unit compressors should have access to outside air. They should never be placed in enclosed areas such as garages or carports.
• For maximum efficiency, set the air conditioning unit to re-circulate cool air instead of pulling warmer air in from outside.
• Before you change the temperature, remember: frequent changes in thermostat settings will increase operating costs.
• For cooling situations where you can increase the room temperature by 1°C, you could save up to 10 per cent of operating costs. Manufacturers recommend thermostat temperature settings of 24°C in summer and 20°C in winter.
• Try to keep all doors closed so that the conditioned air is restricted to the area requiring heating or cooling.
• By simply closing curtains over large glass areas, you can prevent up to 16 per cent of heat transfer through glass.
• Ensure ceiling space above all air conditioned areas is insulated. In South East Queensland it is recommended to an R Value of 2.5 (R Value is the standard measure of thermal resistance of any material.) 

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