13 tips for saving energy and money around the house
Some great ideas
With heating bills so high right now, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at easy ways to save energy and therefore money around the house.
Whether it's using a slow cooker instead of an oven, or only boiling the water you need when you're making a brew, try making some of these changes around the house.
13 tips for saving energy around the house:
Use a slow cooker
Use a slow cooker as it's cheaper to run all day, compared to the average oven.
Mum of six, Lorraine Martin, who shares her hacks to keep energy costs down throughout winter, explained: "I use a slow cooker more throughout winter because it's cheaper to run. On average, a slow cooker will cost you 5 pence per hour, whereas an oven can cost you 68p per hour (you could use a slow cooker for 13.5 hours for that price)."
Don’t tuck your curtains behind radiators
Many modern radiators use the back panels as part of their heat output, so don't obstruct this by tucking your curtains behind them, as this would restrict the flow of warm air into the room.
Ideally, curtains should be 2cm-4cm over a radiator, if you have longer or floor-length curtains, keep them open while your heating is on.
Also make sure that any radiators in rooms that aren't being used are switched off. Alternatively, you could consider installing thermostatic radiator valves. Using them with your thermostat could save £75 per year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Check your radiators
Bleed your radiators and make sure there's no air caught in your heating system. Air can enter the system and form bubbles at the top of your radiators, this stops them working efficiently. If you notice cold spots at the top of your radiators, try bleeding them. If you switch them off and let them cool, use a radiator key in the valve at the top to let the air out.
Also, try putting a reflective sheet behind your radiator to help reflect the heat away from the walls. Cover a thin sheet of card with tinfoil and place it behind your radiators, or you can buy ready-made foil insulation. Households can expect to save around £25 a year doing this depending on the insulation in your home, according to Joanna Flowers, a British Gas service and repair engineer.
Use energy-efficient bulbs
Swap out traditional bulbs for energy-efficient LED bulbs. Using LED bulbs will save money in the long run as they are relatively inexpensive and last much longer.
Use a smart meter
If you don't have a smart meter then consider getting one installed. If you do have a smart meter they can help you understand your energy usage. Take a look at the display and you'll see when you're using the most energy, so you can identify ways to reduce it and save money.
Andy Kerr, founder at BOXT comments: "Smart meters can help to eliminate inaccurate bills, as they feedback directly to your energy supplier, therefore you shouldn't get an unexpectedly high bill."
Turn off plug sockets at the wall
If you're not using an appliance then make sure you switch it off at the wall. Keeping your TV on standby is adding significant costs to your energy bill.
Use your washing machine efficiently
It is necessary to wash your clothes, but does it have to be at 40 or 60 degrees? Washing your clothes at a lower temperature, such as 30 degrees can save you up to £5 off your monthly energy bill.
Also try to use your washing machine early in the morning, before 7am, or late at night, if possible, to avoid the surge in price. Electricity demand is highest between 7am and 9am when most people are waking up and after school or work between 3pm and 6pm. Avoiding these peak times will save money on each wash.
Another tip for your washing machine is to make sure that it is full, but not overloaded. Running a washing machine which is half empty is means it is using excess energy.
Switch off lights
If you aren't going to be in a room for a while then switch off the lights, and especially at this time of year, Christmas lights.
Clean behind your fridge
Cleaning behind the fridge can help reduce the amount of energy you use. As dust gathers behind the fridge it could mean the fridge is working harder and using more energy. Give it a clean every six months or so.
Dry clothes the energy efficient way
One load in an electrical tumble dryer costs around 49p, while an A-rated heat-pump dryer costs around 14p per load. If you use a tumble dryer then also make sure you clean the lint filters every time you use the machine as this can help save money.
Drying your clothes naturally will save the most money, try using a clothes horse or outside on a washing line, if you can. Don't put your clothes on a radiator because it will cause condensation and make your radiators run inefficiently.
Only boil what you need
Don't overfill your kettle. Overfilling a kettle will cost you money and energy. Try and only boil the amount of water that you need, as long as it is above the minimum fill line.
You could also try boiling a full kettle in the morning and filling a thermos flask with the water you don't use, and use that throughout the rest of the day, meaning you don't need to boil it again!
Turn down the flow temperature of your boiler
The flow temperature of your boiler is the temperature of the water that your boiler sends to your radiators. Turning this down even slightly could save you both energy and money. Never reduce the temperature to below 65 degrees. If you decide to change this make sure you take a pic beforehand so you have something to refer back to, if you don't get the settings quite right the first time.
Draught excluder
If you've got a gap below a door or window letting in cold air, you can buy a draught excluder, or you don't have to buy anything fancy, just roll a towel and use it instead. You can also get strips to put around draughty doors and windows which will help to reduce your energy bill.
Thank you to the following for providing information for this article: Stone Superstore Joanna Flowers, a British Gas service and repair engineer, Oliver Creevy business-solar.com BOXT Raakhee Stratton, www.easypeasygreeny.co.uk Liz Hunter, Director at Money Expert and Jon Bonnar, Managing Director at Cotswold Energy.
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