Free ways to save energy
- Only use the heat and light appliances you really need - don't leave TVs or videos on standby. Also switch off this PC screen when it's not being used!
- Try turning your heating thermostat down by 1°C. You will probably hardly notice the difference and it will save about £10 a year. And keep furniture away from radiators, if possible: the foam in an upholstered chair is a very effective heat insulator!
- When cooking choose the right pan size for the food and the cooker, cut food into smaller pieces and put lids on pans as the food will then cook a lot quicker. If you are defrosting food, or just warming things up, then microwave ovens are ideal as they use much less electricity than conventional ovens.
- Regularly defrost your freezer and try to keep it packed full, even if this is with scrunched up paper to avoid wasting energy. You should also check the seals on your fridge/freezer to ensure no warm air is getting in - the seals should be tight enough to hold a piece of paper securely when closed.
- Try to have full loads when using the washing machine and use the lower 40°C wash. With today's washing powders this temperature is more than adequate to clean clothes and will save you up to three quarters of the cost of the hottest cycle. On some washing machines, only cold water is used to fill the machine when it is set to a low temperature, which means that there is no need to heat up the central heating boiler: look at your washing machine instruction manual to see if this applies.
- You also don't need to have your domestic water heated to a scalding temperature either, for most people setting the thermostat to 60°C/140°F is quite adequate.
- The sun is the most readily available source of heat there is - and the cheapest! So make the most of it by opening internal doors of any rooms which get more sun than others and let the warm air travel through your home. Avoid using tumble driers and radiators to dry your clothes; on nice sunny days clothes can be dried outside.
If you have an energy saving tip or a question about energy efficiency please contact our team.
