After
a challenging year for many people, summer represents an ideal time to
use less energy with the warmer climate meaning we can (hopefully) turn
off our heating and reduce electricity and water use.
Things you can do at home to cut Energy Costs:
Turn appliances of the socket.
Electrical appliances such as computers, televisions, smart devices and
video games consoles are dubbed ‘vampire devices’ because they draw
power continuously unless unplugged. Turning off the power switch at the
socket or unplugging the appliances when they’re not in use, could save
you up to £70 a year.
Rethink Showering. Installing
an energy-efficient showerhead could save you up to £55 a year as it
reduces the amount of water used by either regulating the flow or
aerating the water. If you have an electric shower some have an ‘eco’
mode. Also reducing showering times to four minutes will save water and
money on energy bills – up to £90 a year. If the water is metered, it
will also save money on the water bill.
Switch to LED bulbs.
Switching to energy saving lightbulbs could save you up to £55 a year.
Standard or incandescent lightbulbs are very energy inefficient. LED
lightbulbs last longer than traditional bulbs saving on maintenance
costs. The amount of light, or colour of the light (white to yellow), is
not linked to a bulb’s energy usage, so you can get the same light at a
much lower energy cost.
Avoid using the tumble dryer Using
your tumble dryer less could save you £70 a year, as tumble dryers are
one of the most energy intensive devices in the home. Use your tumble
dryer less frequently by ensuring you have a full load (around 3/4 of
the drum) or use a clothes airer to dry clothes outside or inside with
the window open for ventilation. You should also avoid overfilling your
dryer as this could lengthen the drying time.
Reduce the boiler flu temperature. If
you own a combi boiler its flow can be reduced to around 60C (65C if
you are a pensioner a have pre-existing health conditions). Flow
temperature is the temperature of the water that your boiler sends to
radiators. Reducing it isn’t the same as lowering your thermostat and
won’t noticeably reduce the temperature of your home, but it may
increase the time it takes to reach the target temperature on your
thermostat.
Have the heating system serviced.
Summer is a quieter period and therefore it’s easier to find a
professional engineer. Having it serviced now means that your heating is
primed and ready for a cold snap.
Wash clothes at 30° C. Washing
clothes at a lower temperature could save you up to £40 a year.
Changing from 40C to 30C means you can get three cycles instead of two
using the same amount of energy depending on the washing machine.
More energy saving tips can be found at gov.uk/helpforhouseholds