Energy Saving Tips
With energy prices skyrocketing, lowering your energy use is a key way to lower your outgoings during the current Cost-of-Living Crisis.
Martin Lewis issued nine essential energy saving tips to help UK households avoid blackouts this winter. Speaking on The Martin Lewis Money Show, he said:
“Make your house as energy efficient as you possibly can. It’s good for your pocket. Good for the environment and good for energy security which is at risk this winter. We do not want power cuts so this is a social responsibility.’
Find out more about the simple changes that you can make below.
- Turn down the heating by 1°C
Changes do not have to be major, but they can make a huge difference to your annual energy bill. If you are currently heating your home to 21°C, reducing the temperature to 20°C would save you 10% on your heating bill.
If you have a combi boiler—turning down your flow temperature could save you an average of £112 off your annual bill! You can find out more about this through our Let’s Optimise your Heating scheme.
Why not try it out? If you’re worried your home feels much colder, you can switch the temperature back to what it was before!
2. Cut down on your tumble dryer use
Tumble drying can cost around £1 for each cycle, by reducing how often you use it, you could make worthwhile savings on your overall energy bill.
Try hanging your clothes on a washing line in the midday sun or on a clothes horse! And as a top tip, avoid hanging clothes on radiators – no matter how tempting it is – it can hinder air circulation which means it will take longer for the radiators to heat your home.
3. Place foil behind your radiators
This is one change that may seem silly at first, but by placing foil behind your radiator you can reflect heat back into your room, pushing it away from the wall and into the space where you will feel it the most. It is a quick and easy energy saving tip that you can try at home!
4. Double check the temperature of your fridge and freezer
Your fridge and freezer run all the time, so they eat up a lot of energy. Your fridge shouldn’t be at a lower temperature than 5°C and your freezer shouldn’t be lower than -18 °C.
When the temperature of your fridge and freezer dips too low, it will run less efficiently and use more energy by trying to maintain the correct temperature. It can also cause frost to build up. If you are familiar with this, you’ll know that defrosting your freezer can feel like a mammoth task. However, it is worth getting around to defrosting it as this could significantly reduce your electricity bill!
5. Turn your appliances to eco or standby… or switch them off at the wall!
When you’re not using your TV, especially when you’re out and about, it is worth switching it to standby or turning it off at the wall. It’s a little change across each day that can make a big difference.
6. Open your curtains to the sun and close them at dusk
During winter, there is lots of talk of drawing the curtains to keep your heat in and to shut the cold out. But it is worth making the most of the winter sun in the day (where possible!) Opening your curtains when it is bright outside will act to draw that valuable heat inside. Drawing your curtains as it turns to dusk then acts to lock that heat inside.
7. Track where those draughts are coming from
If you feel a draught coming in, it’s worth detecting where it is coming from. Draught excluders placed along windows and doorways can help to stop your heat escaping from gaps between doors and windows.
Why not try and make your own? Using an old pair of tights and a few pairs of worn socks, you can stuff your own sausage dog excluder. It’s a good way of upcycling your old belongings to create a sustainable and low-cost fix to keep that warmth inside. To have a go click here.
8. Turn your radiators down using the thermostatic valves
If there are rooms that you use less regularly – you can try turning down the radiator valve to a lower setting to save energy. The valve contains a sensor so that when that temperature is reached, the sensor expands, preventing an excess of hot water from flowing into the radiator.
9. Claim a free water-saving showerhead
The average UK household uses 3330 litres of water per day. That’s a lot of water and a lot of energy being used to heat that water. Showering accounts for a quarter of household water use and 25% of the average energy bill goes on heating water.
A water-saving showerhead can make a big difference in reducing how much water you are using. Why not visit SaveWaterSaveMoney.co.uk? This handy website collates all the free goods you could receive from water companies across the UK, such as water-saving shower heads worth £30! You can maintain the quality of your showers whilst receiving a free energy-saving, cost-cutting measure.
Home insulation and energy saving tips that NEP can help with
It is important to check that your home is insulated so the costs of your energy bills are not wasted. We currently offer advice through our Healthy Housing Service, offering support with the cost-of-living, boiler health checks and a range of additional heating support, such as advice with home insulation. To find out more, click here.
Reducing the flow temperature on your condensing combi boiler to 60˚C can save an average of £178 up to £267 on your gas bill. You can cut your energy use by simply adjusting the settings – making a worthwhile change without reducing the warmth of your home. To find out how to make the change, click here.
To view our Additional Services checklist, click here or on the image below. Feel free to download it to your device to work through it in your spare time.
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To find out more about the services above, call us on 0115 985 3009 and we can give you a helping hand
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