When New Zealand's cold winter is upon us, it means it's time to bring out the cosy blankets and quilts, and warm up with hot chocolate.  

We all love to be toasty warm but sometimes this means winter can turn into a costly time for households that aren’t monitoring their electricity usage. Being a little bit more vigilant about your electricity usage this winter can help you save you money.  

Six tips for efficiently staying warm this winter:

1. The right temperature for your heat pump / air conditioning. During the winter months, we recommend to set your heat pump / air conditioner between 19 to 21C.
2. Only heat the rooms you’re using. Warming up every room in your house, including those not in use, can be costly. By closing the doors to the unused areas of your home, like bedrooms, bathrooms, the study, and the laundry, you won’t have to keep your heat pump / air conditioning on for as long, and the heat will stay in the part of the house you are using for longer.
3. Draught proof the gaps. The small gaps under your doors and around your windows, skylights, and cornices let hot air out. By using draught stoppers and weather seals to minimise the amount of air that escapes, you can reduce your energy bill by up to 25 percent. 2
4. Turn on the fan. Some fans also have winter settings to help push the air downwards and improve heating efficiency. If you have ceiling fans turn them on to winter mode and a low setting to help move the hot air around the room and warm it up faster.
5. If you aren’t using it, turn it off. Leaving your heat pump / air conditioning running while you aren’t at home or when you’re asleep is unnecessary. Turning your heat pump / air conditioner, and other appliances, off when they aren’t in use can save you money on your electricity bill. Fujitsu General heat pump / air conditioners have timers and sleep mode features to help manage this, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting. If you have left the home and forgotten to turn your heat pump /  air conditioner off, Fujitsu General also has the anywAiR® technology Wi-Fi device that enables you to turn the heat pump / air conditioner off remotely anytime anywhere using the myanywAiR app. See fujitsugeneral.co.nz/anywair for compatible models.
6. Roll out a rug. For living areas with tiles or floorboards, putting a rug down can help you feel warmer by preventing you from having to walk on a cold surface. A rug can be a better choice than carpet because it’s removable and can be stored in the summer months.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about heat pump / air conditioning options to keep your house warm this winter, contact Fujitsu General Assist on 04 568 8761 to speak to a member of our friendly customer service team.