Energy saving Tips
Here are some tips and advice for simple and efficient methods to conserve energy, decrease your expenses, and minimize your environmental impact.
We all bear responsibility for the energy consumption in our households. Regardless of whether you own your home, rent privately or socially, are a student, or reside with your parents, there are numerous actions you can take.
The following energy saving tips provide you with tools and tactics to help conserve gas and electricity usage in your home. Estimated figures from the Energy Saving Trust are included to demonstrate potential energy savings:
Switch off standby
By simply switching off your appliances from standby mode, you can save approximately £50 annually.
Most electrical appliances can be safely turned off at the plug without affecting their programming. Consider investing in a standby saver or smart plug, which enables you to switch off all your appliances from standby mode at once.
For appliances you’re uncertain about, refer to the instructions. Some satellite and digital TV recorders may require continuous power to maintain programmed recordings.
Switch off lights
Switch off your lights when they’re not in use or when you exit a room. This simple habit can trim approximately £25 off your yearly energy expenses.
Consider upgrading all the lights in your household to LED bulbs for even greater savings.
Mindful Laundry/Washing Practices
By employing more cautious washing machine practices, you can potentially save approximately £30 annually on your energy bill:
- Opt for a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures when using your washing machine.
- Decrease your washing machine usage by one cycle per week over the course of a year.
Shorten Your Shower Sessions
Limiting your shower duration to only 4 minutes has the potential to save an average household approximately £75-£100 annually on their energy expenses.
Transition to Showering from Bathing
While many of us relish a leisurely bath, substituting just one bath per week with a 4-minute shower could result in savings of £10 – £15 annually on your energy expenditures.
Enhance Your Home’s Insulation
Ensuring proper insulation of your hot water cylinder is crucial. Even if you currently have thin spray foam or a loose 25mm jacket, upgrading to a British Standard Jacket that is 80mm thick can lead to savings of approx. £60 – £70 annually.
Insulating your water tank, pipes, and radiators represents a simple and efficient method to reduce your utility bills.
Draught proof doors and windows
Unless your residence is exceptionally modern, heat loss through draughts around doors and windows, gaps in flooring, or via the chimney is expected.
Engaging professional services for draught-proofing windows, doors, and sealing cracks in floors and skirting boards may entail an expense of approximately £200. However, this investment could yield savings of around £100 annually on energy costs. Alternatively, DIY draught-proofing methods can be significantly more economical.
Opt for Air Drying & aviod tumble dryer
Opt for air-drying your clothes instead of using a tumble dryer: hang garments on indoor racks whenever feasible or outdoors during warmer seasons. This practice can potentially save you £50 annually.
Opt Smart Cooking
Kettles rank among the most frequently used kitchen appliances. However, it’s common for many of us to occasionally fill the kettle with more water than necessary.
To save £10-£15 annually on your electricity bill, refrain from overfilling the kettle.
Additionally, you might contemplate installing an aerator onto your current kitchen tap. This can help decrease the water flow without compromising its washing or rinsing effectiveness.
Aviod Dishwasher or use less
Operate your dishwasher solely when it’s fully loaded to minimize water consumption. Cutting down on dishwasher usage by one cycle per week for a year could result in savings of £15 – £20. It totally depends how many times you use dishwasher therefore you could save much.
Here are some very quick energy saving tips
- Turn off standby appliances: By switching off appliances at the plug, you could save approximately £40 – £50 annually. Smart plugs or timer plugs can automate this process, ensuring electricity isn’t wasted on unused devices.
- Lower your thermostat: A simple adjustment, such as lowering your thermostat by one degree, can significantly reduce heating costs, potentially saving up to £90-£100 annually. Considering that heating and hot water make up nearly half of energy bills, this small change can yield significant savings.
- Install a smart thermostat: Smart thermostats enhance heating efficiency by only warming occupied rooms. They can also be remotely controlled via your phone, allowing temperature adjustments from anywhere. Installing room thermostats and controls could save around £100 per year.
- Wash clothes at lower temperatures: Washing clothes at 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees can reduce energy consumption. Additionally, cutting down on one wash cycle per week could save around £5-£10 per year.
- Opt for efficient appliances: When replacing old appliances, prioritize those with high energy-efficiency ratings. For example, choosing an A+++ rated washing machine can result in long-term savings compared to less efficient models.
- Draught-proof your property: Draught-proofing your home is a cost-effective method to conserve heat and money, potentially reducing heating bills. Simple measures such as sealing cracks and using plastic linings for windows can have a substantial impact.
- Upgrade to a new boiler: Upgrading from an old boiler to a new A-rated condensing boiler, complete with a programmer, room thermostat, and thermostatic radiator controls, can lead to energy savings. For a detached house, transitioning from a G-rated to an A-rated boiler could save approximately £300 annually.
- Water usage optimization: Using a washing-up bowl instead of letting the tap run can save about £30 – £35 annually. Efficient shower heads and a shower timer can also contribute to significant energy bill savings.
- Invest in double glazing: A-rated double glazing installation in a semi-detached home can save up to £100 yearly, in addition to reducing outside noise.
- Roof insulation: Insulating your loft, while requiring an initial investment, can result in approximately £140 – £150 in annual energy bill savings for a typical semi-detached house.
- Monitor energy usage: Being mindful of energy consumption is crucial for making informed changes. Installing a Smart Meter provides accurate, real-time information to track consumption. Learn more about Smart Meters with our comprehensive guide.
