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5 Steps to saving energy and money in your home
Vacate - Common sense I know, but the less time you spend in your home the less you spend on bills!! Visit community centers, volunteer, visit Family and friends. Lots of community centres have warm spaces during the winter months.
Insulate - Fabric Heat loss occurs when heat moves from the inside to the outside of a home through the buildings fabric. typical values include:
25% through a roof
35% through walls
10% through windows
15% through floors
15% through drafts.
Combat these issues as much as possible to lock in heat and lower those bills.
Ventilate - Without proper ventilation, an otherwise insulated and airtight house will seal in harmful pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, and moisture that can damage a house. Proper ventilation helps keep a home energy-efficient, safe, and healthy.
Operate - Understand how to operate your appliances in the most efficient way. Charge storage heaters at night if your on a cheaper night time tariff, turn appliances off when not in use rather than keep them on standby and turn down heating by 1C to save money.
Educate - Understanding how energy works, your consumer rights and how to obtain a better deal.
Switch off standby
You can save around £40 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode. Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. You may want to think about getting a standby saver or smart plug which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go. 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.
Draught-proof windows and doors
Unless your home is very new, you will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney. Professional draught-proofing of windows, doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can cost around £200, but can save around £30 a year on energy bills. DIY draught proofing can be much cheaper. Find out more about reducing home heat loss. Door curtains, draft excluders, Window film, Wall blankets and thick rugs are just some of the ways you can keep in the heat on a budget.
Turn off lights
Turn your lights off when you’re not using them or when you leave a room. This will save you around £14 a year on your annual energy bills. Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs could help you save even more.
Careful with your washing
You can save around £20 a year from your energy bill just by using your washing machine more carefully: Use your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures and save £10 a year on energy. Only wash your clothes in your washing machine when you have a full load. Reducing your washing machine use by one run per week for a year could save you an extra £10.
Avoid the tumble dryer
Avoid using a tumble dryer for your clothes: dry clothes on racks inside where possible or outside in warmer weather to save £40 a year. Avoid drying clothes on radiators as this restricts the heat benefit. There are also less energy intensive alternatives than tumble dryers such as heating racks and other clothes drying devices.
Spend less time in the shower
Keeping your shower time to just 4 minutes could save a typical household £45 a year on their energy bills.
Swap your bath for a shower
Some of us might enjoy a long soak in the bath, but swapping just one bath a week with a 4-minute shower could save you £7 a year on your energy bills. Find out how saving water at home can help your wallet and the environment.
Be savvy in the kitchen
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. Avoid overfilling the kettle and save yourself £8 a year on your electricity bill. You could also consider fitting an aerator onto your existing kitchen tap to reduce the amount of water coming out without affecting how it washes or rinses. An aerator is a small gadget with tiny holes – they attach to the spout of taps and are cheap and easy to install – and could save you £14 a year.
Fill your dishwasher
Only run your dishwasher when it is full to reduce the amount of water you use. Reducing your dishwasher by one run per week for a year could save you £10.
Top up the insulation
Effective insulation of 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 £20 a year in the process. Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to save money on your bills.
See if you qualify for a grant to upgrade your home.
There are many government grants available to insulate your home - check the grants section here.
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