New Zealand homes wasting millions in electricity costs

New Zealand homes are wasting an estimated $70 million annually in electricity charges by leaving their heated towel rails on all the time, according to statistics released today.

"A lot of people leave their heated towel rails on 24 hours a day, or for much longer than they need to, says Stuart Ross of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

"It costs around $175 a year to run a heated towel rail, if left on all the time and most of that is wasted money," says Mr Ross.

"Using a heated towel rail timer still delivers a warm, dry towel, but operating your towel rail for eight hours a day instead of 24 hours could save you up to $115 a year."

There an estimated 1.25 million heated towel rails in New Zealand and another 94,000 installed during renovations or the construction of new homes every year.

If all those heated towel rails had a timer, households could collectively save around $70 million annually in electricity costs. That's equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 23,000 households or a town the size of New Plymouth.

"A heated towel rail timer is fast and easy for an electrician to install, and we are encouraging people to get one if they're buying a new heated towel rail, or the next time they need an electrician to visit their house," says Mr Ross.

"Making the most of the energy we use every day isn't about sacrifice, it's about doing things in a smarter way. Using a timer means you still get a nice warm, dry towel when you step out of the shower, but without wasting electricity and your hard earned money."

A study on heated towel rail timers by Consumer NZ reinforces these findings.

Sue Chetwin, chief executive of Consumer NZ, says the study shows you can get warm, dry towels while saving money.

"A timer can save you money by switching your towel rail on only when needed. There is a range of timers available and we found the basic models were cheap, easy to use and did an effective job."

There are several models of heated towel rail timers available, retailing from around $30 up to $220.

For more information about heated towel rail timers, including the report by Consumer NZ, and other ways you can make your home more energy efficient, visit www.energywise.govt.nz.

ENDS