Top tricks to save money on power this winter!
Apr 11, 2024
We all know that with the kiwi winter often comes a bigger power bill and who needs that?!
Our RoomMate Cabins are proudly made in New Zealand to our conditions. Our portable cabins are fully insulated, with carpet, curtains and in most cases double glazing to keep you warm and cozy this winter. But there are also some great simple hacks that can make a big difference to your power bill that take little or no effort, no matter your space, whether you’re in a portable rental cabin or a house.
1. Let the warmth in and cold out
Use the natural heat of the day, keeping curtains open in your rental cabin during or house during day and close them just before the sun disappears. Our RoomMate Cabins curtains cover the windows completely, so you should be able to keep some of the day’s heat inside.
2. Manage your heating during the day
Heating is where a lot of that extra cost goes. We want to stay warm and healthy in Winter but staying warm doesn’t necessarily mean having all heaters on, all the time!
Set your heaters to a timer and with a healthy room temperature (18 – 21 degrees is a good starting place – but hey, we all feel the cold differently!). Heating up your portable rental cabin before you head in for the night is okay, but this rarely needs longer than 5- 10 minutes before you go in – anything beyond this is likely wasting power (and money!).
The bonus of your RoomMate Cabin is that it doesn’t take long to heat at all and you’ve got great joinery, door seals and curtains so there are no draughts. Once you’ve heated your portable cabin, you can have period with the heater switched off. This saves power, and you still enjoy a warm environment.
3. Ventilate your space
Your RoomMate Cabin loves fresh air and so does the human body! So, during the day, don’t be afraid to open up the windows to ventilate your rental cabin and get rid of any condensation.
4. Dress for the occasion
The good old saying of “put another layer on” before adding a heater to the mix can make all the difference! But as soon as it’s simply too cold, the heater does the trick to keeping the temperature at a comfortable, healthy level.
The idea is to put on warm layers to heat your body, and use your heater to heat the air. Thermals are a great layer to put on as they are lightweight and very effective at retaining body heat. When it’s time for bed, dress in full pyjamas and if it’s extra chilly throw on some socks. If you’ve got an electric blanket, this is cheaper than running a heater to heat you up! Just make sure it’s on a timer or switched off before heading to sleep to stay safe!
5. Stay dry, heat easier, save money
It’s a fact that your dry RoomMate Cabin is fast – and cheap – to heat. Tips like leaving a gap between your bed and the wall stops condensation from your body heat through your sheets and mattress that can lead to mould – which you don’t want where you sleep at night!
If your windows are covered in condensation and it’s too cold or wet to open windows, wipe them down.
Our portable RoomMate rental cabins are built to Healthy Home Standards so are built to NZ’s conditions.
6. Take short showers
We get it – sometimes jumping into a nice hot shower to warm up on a cold Winter night is tempting. And every so often is well worth it. But making this a daily habit is a fast way to rack up an expensive power bill.
Aim for a 5-minute shower and set a timer if you need to.
7. Get your washing done at the start of the day
In Winter, you don’t have as many warm daylight hours to work with. When it comes to doing the washing, aim to get a load through first thing in the morning of a sunny day and get it out on the line. This gives you a full day of free outdoor drying time without needing the power of a dryer!
8. Efficient lighting
Lucky for you, with your portable RoomMate rental cabin you’re all sorted with efficient LED lighting already. These lights not only work better to illuminate the space, but they’re up to 85% more efficient than regular lightbulbs!
9. Take an active role in monitoring your power usage
To become a master of power savings you need to keep a close eye on the impact of your power-saving habits. If your power company doesn’t give you a view of your usage, then you may want to switch to one that does so that, over time, you can start to see which changes you’re making have the biggest impact – easy!
At the end of the day, you can rest easy knowing that your RoomMate Cabin has been built right here in New Zealand for our environment and NZ seasons. Built to Healthy Home Standards, your portable rental cabin is fully insulated and ready to help keep you warm and healthy for the winter ahead.
Need some extra space at your place? Contact your local RoomMate Cabins team here to find out about a RoomMate rental cabin today!