When it comes to using electricity in New Zealand, there are a few household appliances that use the most energy. These appliances can account for up to 50% of your total energy usage, so it pays to be aware of how much power they are consuming.
The three main culprits for high energy consumption are: refrigerators, washing machines and dryers. Refrigerators consume around 8-12% of total household electricity use and washing machines can take up to 15%. Dryers can also be a significant source of energy consumption due to the amount of heat required during the drying cycle.
It is important to make sure these appliances are in good working order by having them serviced regularly and by replacing aging parts with more efficient ones when necessary. Also bear in mind that older models tend to be less efficient than newer models - so if you have an old fridge or washing machine it may be worth considering upgrading them with newer models with higher efficiency ratings.
Furthermore, running multiple appliances at once will also increase your overall energy consumption - so try not to use more than one appliance at once where possible. If you need multiple appliances running at the same time then it may be best practice to stagger their operation times - such as running the washing machine during off-peak times when electricity rates are cheaper.
Finally, there are some other small but useful steps you can take towards reducing energy consumption from these major appliances such as defrosting your refrigerator regularly and cleaning out lint filters on dryers after each use - both of which will help maintain efficiency levels over time. In addition, selecting eco settings on your washing machine or dryer will help reduce water and electricity usage respectively while still maintaining effective cleaning performance levels too!