Home Energy Reduction Client Support
Welcome to our support page where we offer you help and information with:
Information will be focused primarily towards our home energy reduction clients. Additional information can be found on our GUIDES page and on our BLOG, where we encourage you to leave your comments.
Home Electricity Audit Support
 What Do You Know About Your Home's Standby Electricity Use?
Do You Assume That 24/7 Standby Electricity Costs Are Costing You Little?
All homes we visit, are shocked when we point out the true costs of 24/7 electrical standby. Remember this, every 100 watts of 24/7 electrical standby over a three month period, equates to the equivalent of ONE of the following scenarios:
- A small pool pump operating for TWO DAYS every week in the summer!
- A TWO hour roast in the electric oven FOUR times a week, every week!
- A 51 cm CRT television being left on 24/7, plus a 25 watt standing light!
YES unfortunately you are not alone in being shocked! We will educate you and make sure there is no standby electricity used in your home, ever again.
Imagine a scenario where an LCD television is on 24/7 electrical standby. Costing more over the quarter to remain on standby, than compared to the hours it is watched! Does this sound ridiculous?
Read our guide on STANDBY ELECTRICITY. A guide compiled to help you increase the chances of taking control, of your electricity bill. See our blog posting STANDBY ELECTRICITY IN AUSTRALIA 50 WATTS 24/7 to see what this small amount of power can alternatively be used for. You will be amazed!
Home Sustainability Assessment Support
Green Loan Lenders
 Independent financial institutions offering 'Green Loans' with variable and fixed loan rates. These loans can be used to purchase:
- Solar hot water systems.
- Energy efficient white goods and appliances.
- Insulation.
- Rainwater tanks.
- Double glazing.
- Photovoltaic (PV) panels and systems.
- Grey water treatment system.
- BENDIGO BANK - Generation Green Personal Loan : Loan from 1-7 years with fixed rate.
- COMMUNITY CPS AUSTRALIA - Enviro Loan : Loan up to 7 years with fixed rate.
- MECU - goGreen® Home Improvement Loan : Loan from 3 years with variable rate.
- SAVINGS & LOANS - Green Personal Loan : Loan up to 7 years with fixed rate.
NSW Solar Bonus Scheme
 SOLAR BONUS SCHEME FOR NSW - The NSW Government's scheme commenced on 1 January 2010. This scheme ended June 2011 for new applicants.
The Solar Bonus Scheme credits customers with a "gross" feed-in tariff rate per kilowatt hour [kWh] for all the electricity generated by their solar photovoltaic (PV) system or wind turbine system. Systems connected before the 27/10/2010 or to be installed before the 18/11/2010 have / will receive a tariff of 0.60 cents per kW. Due to the NSW state reaching a 50 MW cap, the rate for all others is 0.20 cents per kW. The scheme will operate until end 2016, with a review during 2012. The new state cap is 300 MW, for the total number of installed customers.
To maximise the investment of any solar system, electricity usage under the roof must first be reduced. Important on all types of grid feed systems!
Energy Efficient Washing Machines
With NO Hot Water Connection!
 When your thinking of installing either Solar Hot Water or a NEW washing machine you need to READ THIS! Client's are being caught out!
Some of the latest front loading washing machines, ONLY have a cold water input. The manufacturers state it is more efficient to heat the small amount of water in a front loader, using the heating element of the washing machine! This may be so if you have a large or inefficient / gas or electric HW Heater. And the same may apply when compared to the larger amount of water, a top loader uses! We doubt the claim though as often the washer is operated during on-peak in the day, whereas the HW is heated using off-peak electricity.
What is not taken into account also, is the fact more households are using and installing Solar Hot Water to be more efficient.
A NEW trendy front loader with only a cold water connection, will simply leave your Solar heated HW on the roof! It cannot access it, as there is no plumbing! If you wash on cold water all the time then these front loaders are a great solution! But when you use a hot water program, you will in fact be using more energy and not the Solar HW already on your roof!
Our suggestion is too install a washing machine with ONLY cold water input when:
- You have an inefficient HW system. [Check your bill for the HW cost]
- You have NO SOLAR HW.
- You are not intending to install Solar HW.
- You only wash frequently with the COLD WASH program.
If you are going to be using hot water and it is already on the roof, then you need to make sure your washing machine choice will use that water!
Connecting Hot / Cold Water To The Dishwasher
 With some of the latest models it is an option to connect to either hot or cold water. If you intend to maximise the use of your Solar HW and keep electricity costs at a minimum, advise your plumber of this fact.
Note not all dishwashers can be connected to hot water! It is further recommended to have the temperature of your hot water tested, during a HOME SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT to make sure the water is not hotter than 60 degrees. The reason for this is hotter temperatures can damage the seals overtime in the dishwasher.
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