Energy saving tips

Quick tips to save energy

Here are some quick changes you can make which can bring many benefits.

You can:

Tackle rising bills: investing some time and energy now could pay off and help you save hundreds of pounds off rising bills.
Get fit for the future: with £1 in £4 spent on heating going to waste, investing in your home's efficiency is better for your wallet and may even increase the value of your home.
Have a more comfortable home: living in a well-insulated, cosy home is also more comfortable, quieter and better for your health and wellbeing.
Get self-sufficient: reducing your energy demand means you are less likely to be affected by volatile prices and even installing renewables where possible means you are less reliant on the grid or impacted by power cuts.
Reduce your environmental impact: reducing your home energy use is one of the biggest things you can do to tackle climate change.

When it comes to being savvy with energy, you should:

reduce your energy by turning things off, using timers and settings to be in control of your home energy use
get energy efficient by keeping the heat in with better insulation, and using more efficient appliances and lighting

Nine top tips to reduce your demand and your bills

1. Use your heating settings

Heating and hot water makes up over half your bill which is a big part of your carbon footprint. So:

if you have them, using your thermostat and heating timers to heat only when you need it could cut your carbon emissions by 300 kilograms, equivalent to 200 deep baths
turning radiators off in any rooms that are not needed can also help save

2. Dial down one degree

18 degrees is the recommended temperature for corridors, and 21 degrees for rooms you are sitting in. So:

if your thermostat is set higher than that, try turning it down by one degree, which will also reduce your carbon footprint by 300 kilograms

3. Be a bright spark

Lightbulbs can use up to 15 per cent of your home energy bill. So it is common sense to:

switch lights off when you do not need them
increase your energy saving by switching to LED bulbs

4. Keep your hot water toasty

If you have a hot water cylinder in your home fit it with an insulating jacket which will help lock in the warmth and save money.

5. Flick the switch

turn off plug sockets to stop electricity flowing into chargers and appliances when they are not in use
smart plugs can turn off hard-to-reach plugs using your smartphone and tell you which of your appliances use the most energy

6. Tackle draughty spots

use foam or brush strips to block up gaps in windows
if you have an open chimney you do not use, a chimney draught excluder stops heat escaping

7. Use eco settings

Dishwasher and washing machines can use up to 14 per cent of household energy bills, so:

washing only when full and at 30 degrees uses 57 per cent less energy
cutting just one cycle per week helps save
stack your dishwasher as efficiently as possible or use a washing up bowl if doing dishes by hand

8. Sing in the shower

Could you swap baths for showers?

Spending one less minute in the shower could save money off your water bill if you are on a meter. The optimal time to spend in the shower is four minutes, so try cutting down a minute at a time or pick your favourite four-minute song.

9. Get savvy with your brew

Only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need by using the cup indicator in your kettle or filling a cup you are using with the water you need, then pour it into the kettle.

Find ways to save energy in your home on the government website.