There are various ways to save energy around the home, and every penny counts with the costs of gas and electricity going up as they are. There’s lots of advice online about ways to reduce your energy usage – such as www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home – and below are some ideas.
Heat the body, not the home
Try setting yourself a challenge to delay when you start regularly using your central heating. Most people have a set time of year when they feel it’s acceptable to start reaching for the thermostat, but why not consider delaying that and opting to layer up your clothing/blankets instead to help save money?
Set the timer
When you need to use your central heating more regularly, check if your system has a timer function. The timer can be used to switch your heating on and off so that you use it less. For example, turning your heating on just for the coldest parts of the day, such as a few hours in the evening, and in the morning when you’re waking up, means you won’t forget to turn it off and it will help to save you money.
Heat individual rooms
If you’re able to switch individual radiators off in your home, save money by turning off those in spaces that aren’t often used, only keeping radiators switched on in the rooms you use most.
Turn your thermostat down
This is one of the easiest things to do. For each degree you cut the thermostat, expect to cut bills by around 4% or about £78 a year on average for a typical home. The World Health Organisation says that 18 degrees is enough for healthy adults, with slightly higher temperatures needed for the very old or young – so consider popping on a jumper at home and seeing what temperature your household is comfortable at.
Use ‘eco’ mode on appliances where possible
Many appliances have modes which make them operate at different speeds, temperatures and levels of power. Often, there is an ‘eco’ mode, where the appliance operates at a lower speed and/or heat. It’s frequently an option on washing machines and dishwashers. Using these modes will use less energy, so will save money; however, the ‘eco’ setting isn’t great for really messy dishes or very dirty clothes; it usually also takes a lot longer.