You don’t need us to tell you that gas and electricity prices are going through the roof at the moment. Ofgem raised the price cap for utilities from £1,277 per year to £1,971 (a massive increase of 54%) which started in April 2022 with more rises predicted for later this year in October. This is why it is more important than ever to ensure that our homes are as energy efficient as they can be to keep our bills to a minimum and to try and offset the hike in prices. In this article we will look at some top tips everyone can use in order to save energy.
Turn it down
One of the most effective ways to save energy is to turn down your thermostat. Just a 1 degree lower can save up to 4% on bills. The World Health Organisation says that most healthy adults can cope with room temperatures of 18 degrees but most UK home owners think that the optimum temperature is from 20 – 22C. Just think, if this is the case then you could be saving up to 16% on your bills. That is not to be sneezed at.
Switch your lighting
LED bulbs only consume around 10W each on average. Compare this to the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs which will run up to 60W or even the earlier energy saving bulbs which ran at around 14W and you can see how you can save energy and money. A typical incandescent bulb would cost, per bulb over £23 per year to run and a modern LED bulb costs £3.60 per bulb so a saving of around £20 per bulb per year. Multiply this across all the bulbs in your home and you can see the savings pouring in.
Draughts are the enemy
Draughty windows and doors leak heat out of your home. Installing draught excluders at the bottom of doors or around wonky window frames, or even just hanging thick curtains will help to reduce heat loss. You can also get specific draught excluders for chimneys. Based on pre-hike costs, these measures could save you up to £65 per year. Alternatively, for a more robust fix, replace your windows and doors with modern, energy efficient ones, especially if you currently have single paned glass.
Insulation
The vast majority of heat loss from properties comes from poor insulation, be that in the loft, in the cavity wall or even hot water pipes and tanks. Installing proper insulation in lofts (250 – 270mm of insulation), cavity wall insulation and ensuring all your hot water tanks and pipes are insulated will save a lot of energy. Wall losses can be as much as 33% of your heat and lofts can lose around 25%.
Washing and Drying
Be it clothes or your dinner plates, using a dishwasher, a washing machine and a tumble dryer all consume large amounts of electricity. Turn your washing machine down to as low a temperature as you can, modern detergents will work just as well at 30C and only use it for full loads to reduce how often it runs. The same for dishwashers. Only use them when the machine is full and run them at the lowest temperature possible. If at all possible, line dry your clothes rather than using a tumble dryer.
Kitchen Equipment
Make sure that you use your kitchen equipment effectively. Only boil the water you need in your kettle; you’d be amazed how much extra electricity is used boiling water you don’t need. Use the microwave rather than your oven where possible. It uses less energy and only heats the food rather than the oven and air as well.
Turn it off
Most of us leave large numbers of appliances such as TVs, Games Consoles, DVD players, Freeview and Satellite boxes on standby overnight. These are all still drawing electricity. When your mobile, tablet and laptops are all charged, unplug them, this will save your battery life as well as energy.
With energy prices as high as they are it makes more sense than ever to make your home more energy efficient. Taking a few simple steps will really reap the rewards in terms of lowering energy usage, so why not take those first steps now and see the savings roll in.
