As a follow-up to our blog on using less energy while cooking, we thought we would list some general energy saving tips this time.
🌡️ Turn your thermostat down
Even by turning it down by just 1°C, you can reduce your energy bill.
🏠 Loft insulation
Make sure your loft is insulated. If you rent, speak to your landlord to make sure it is properly insulated and if you own or have a mortgage on your property, here is a very useful link for Government Grants for Free Insulation
🔥 Get your boiler cleaned
When your boiler is next due a service, ask the Gas Safe Engineer who is servicing it to clean it. Ask him/her to clean the dirty heat exchanger of your boiler and, if necessary, acidify the boiler part to improve the heat transfer efficiency and adjust the ideal flame height. It is advisable to set the ideal flow temperature with a specialist and to calibrate the lower throttle valve of the radiators to the size of the room.
🏡 Insulate windows
It is worth insulating our old casement windows.
🙅♀️ Do not cover the radiators
While some people like radiator covers to hide them, create another shelf for items to sit on and to protect young children, covering them up will prevent the heat from radiating into the air and the wider room.
🧦🧣🧥 Layer up
Wear slippers/fluffy socks. Treat yourself to a fluffy blanket to keep you warm. Where possible try to adjust your clothing to the temperature rather than turning the heating on for longer periods.
🌡️ Keep an even temperature
Keep the temperature of the whole house/apartment/flat/living space around 20-21 degrees.
🧺 Laundry
When doing washing only do full laundry loads. Half-load settings save very little energy, do fewer washes that have fuller loads. This is much more efficient.
Turn down the temperature on your washing machine. Most detergents do a very effective wash at 30°C
Use Eco Settings. On items such as dishwashers or boilers, use the Eco Settings. This heats water more slowly which uses less energy. You will get the same results, it just takes a little longer.
📺 Don’t use standby mode
Make sure you turn devices off. Unless switched off at the wall, appliances like your TV continue to use energy, costing the average UK home £35 per year.
💡Use LED light bulbs
Traditional light bulbs are extremely inefficient.
🔌 Unplug it
Unplug all of your chargers. As soon as a device is fully charged, unplug it. Too many people over-charge their devices. Unplugging will not only save energy but also the battery life of your device.
🌌 Close your curtains at night
During the day it’s important to try to use as much natural heat from the sun as possible – and it’s free! But when dusk falls, closing your curtains will help your home retain that heat. This helps keep warmth in the room – but try not to drape them over radiators or the heat won’t radiate into the room properly!
🚀 If possible, update your heating system
This step is expensive in itself, we know, but newer boiler models are more efficient and if you can afford to do so, it will save you money on your energy bills in the long run. Many companies offer flexible payment methods, for example, British Gas gives you the ability to spread the cost as they offer 2-years’ interest-free credit.
✔️Check your meter on the last day of the month
On the last day of each month, take a meter reading to send to your energy company. Do this as late in the day as you can.