Energy Advice Tips
Don’t stand by
You can save around £40 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode.
Make sure you check the instructions for any appliances you aren’t sure about. Some satellite and digital TV recorders may need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of any programmes you want to record.
Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming.
Check how much energy your appliances are using with our appliance calculator .
Draught-proofing
Unless your home is very new, most houses will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney.
Getting professional draught-proofing of windows, doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can cost around £250, but can save around £70 a year on energy bills.
Lights off, saving on
If you turn your lights off when you aren’t using them - even if it’s for a few minutes - you will save more energy than keeping the light on for longer periods of time, regardless of the type of light. This will save you around £20 a year on your energy bills.
Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs could help you save even more.
Clean up your washing cycle
Save around £22 a year from your energy bill just by using your washing machine more carefully. Try washing your clothes on a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures - detergents these days are made to work well at lower temperatures. If possible try to also reduce the amount of laundry you’re doing by one wash cycle a week.
Don’t be hung out to dry with tumble dryer costs
Try to avoid using a tumble dryer for your clothes: dry clothes on racks inside where possible, or outside in warmer weather, to save £45 a year.
Shower Smarter
If everyone in a four-person household reduced their 8 minute shower to a 4 minute shower, it would lead to a total saving of £50 a year.
Soak in the savings
You may enjoy a long soak in the bath, but did you know swapping just one bath a week with a 4-minute shower could save you £8 a year on your energy bills?
Find out how saving water at home can help your wallet and the environment.
Brew up and save
Kettles are one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. But many of us will admit that we at least occasionally boil the kettle with more water than we’re going to use.
Only fill the kettle with the amount of water that you need and save around £26 a year.
Dish washing wonders
Only run your dishwasher when it is full to reduce the amount of water you use. Reducing your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year could save you £11.
Put a Jacket on
Insulating your hot water cylinder is important, even if you have thin spray foam or a loose 25mm jacket, you can benefit from increasing the insulation to a British Standard Jacket 80mm thick, saving £45 a year in the process.
Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to save money on your bills.
Get Smart
Using a smart meter can help you to keep track of how much your energy use is costing; this helps many people to budget more effectively for their bills and can help some people to save money if they can identify areas where usage could be reduced. If you’re on a pre-payment meter, they can also be a great way of topping up your meter without needing to leave the house and make it easier for your supplier to help you with emergency credit if you ever need it. You can find out more about smart meters here, and if you want to check your appliance costs but you don’t have a meter, you can do so on the Citizens Advice website.
*Figures are based on statistics from Energy Saving Trust. https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/hub/quick-tips-to-save-energy/