Many people have lost their jobs due to covid-19 or are having to cope with 20% less of their usual salary. This makes saving energy at home even more important as the less energy you use the more money you can save.
From changing light bulbs to getting loft insulation – we look at different ways on how you can go about doing this.
1) Manage your Appliances
Believe it or not, there are a number of appliances in your constantly guzzling electricity right under your nose. We’ll talk about few of them below and how you can manage them more efficiently.
Fridge/Freezer: Defrost your fridge & freezer regularly so it can run at maximum efficiency. Reduce the time the doors are kept open, also try and keep them full. Empty space in your fridge or freezer wastes not only space but energy too.
Also Read: Which Is the Best Air Conditioning Unit for Your Home?
Washing machines: Try to buy a washing machine with the highest energy efficiency rating. In general, most the energy is used for heating the water so you should try and wash at lower temperatures and with shorter wash cycles.
Dishwashers: As with washing machines, opt for the lowest temperature you can (making sure your dishes get cleaned properly). Also, only use it when it’s full.
Kettle: Don’t fill up the kettle when you’re only making one cup of tea. Only boil as much as you need.
2) Take control of your heating
Property buying specialists Housebuyers4u have given us their input and said:
“A large portion of your utility bills normally go towards heating. Installing room thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves could help save you money.
When it comes to managing your boiler try to set your heating and hot water to come on and off when you need them, only heat areas of your home that need it and if you can, try to set the temperature for each area of your home”
3) Turn off the lights
Remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room and do not keep light bulbs on rooms that are not used.
Energy efficient fluorescent bulbs reduce energy wastage by up to 75% and they last longer. Halogen lighting is not quite as efficient as fluorescent lighting but is twice as efficient as incandescent lighting.
4) Switch off standby mode
You can save money by remembering to turn off electrical equipment off of stand by mode. In most cases they can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. This includes equipment like televisions, gaming consoles, laptops, stereos etc.
You may consider purchasing a ‘standby saver’ which lets you turn off all your appliances off stand by mode in one go.
5) Spend less time in the shower
Firstly, you want to consider turning down the pressure on your shower as keeping it high means you’re using a lot of extra water & in some cases this can amount to almost as much as taking a bath.
Spending less time in the shower – even if it’s just a few minutes can also save you money.
6) Get cavity wall insulation
Getting cavity wall insulation could potentially save you around 15% on your fuel bills so this is well worth getting.
There are also government schemes/grants which may allow you to get this done for free so it is definitely something you would want to look into.
7) Get loft insulation
Remember that heat rises and if you do not have any loft insulation all the heat in your home is getting lost when it gets to that point.
Also Read: Things You Need To Know About Epoxy Resins
As with cavity wall insulation there are government schemes/grants which may allow you to get this done for free so it is definitely something you would want to research.
8) Get Double glazing windows
Double glazed windows are already pretty common but there are still many homes without them. These windows are a great source of insulation and help your home retain heat which in turn will save you money.
If you are not in a position to change your windows you should consider draught proofing them. DIY draught-proofing of windows, doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can cost around £200, but can save up to £25 to £35 a year on energy bills.
We hope our article has been useful. Start saving money now by taking action and implementing some of the techniques we’ve mentioned above!
