As energy companies continue to increase their prices it is becoming more and more important to keep costs down. For those tenants that are not on a bills included package we have put together some handy tips to ensure you are not paying over the odds.
Top 5 Energy Saving Tips
- Electrical goods: Did you know that when you leave mobile phones, laptops and iPod chargers plugged in, they are still using energy? Unplug them once charged. Wait until dishwashers and washing machines are fully loaded before starting them, and remember that – if you run them overnight – they will be using energy until you switch them off in the morning. It's similar with TV's, unplug them at night instead of leaving them plugged in on stand-by.
- Lights: This one is a no-brainer! If you leave a room turn out the light. Trust me, your teddy will be fine with the lights off and as a household you could save up to £100.00 a year just by remembering to do this. And invest in new, energy-efficient light bulbs which use much less electricity than an old-fashioned bulbs. You could be saving up to £50.00 each time over the lifetime of the bulb. (Source: Energy Savings Trust, October 2013)
- Appliance Settings: You know that 'Half-Load' setting on your clothes dryer? It's there for your benefit. If you only have a few sports socks to dry by using this setting you'll be using much less energy. With modern washing powders, you can usually choose a lower 30˚C temperature on your washing machine too. The clothes will come out just as clean as with a high temperature setting. The same with dishwashers, the economy setting should be more than enough if you rinse your dishes first.
- Heating: Turn down your general thermostat settings: 21°c should be plenty. Every degree that you turn it down could save you around £65.00 a year on your heating bill. But don't turn it off completely as it will use a lot more energy to get the house back up to a comfortable temperature than setting it to come on intermittently (Source: Energy Saving Trust, October 2013).
- Boiler Settings: Check the thermostat settings on your boiler too (for both heating and hot-water) and make sure they are not turned up to full. Most will have an economy setting which is approximately two thirds the way around the dial. This will make a difference to the amount of gas you’re using whilst still keeping you toasty.
What Else Could I be Doing?
- Closed curtains prevent warm air escaping from the windows at night, keeping your house warmer for longer.
- Take showers rather than baths.
- Turn down radiators in the rooms you’re not using regularly and keep internal doors shut.
- Make sure your radiators aren’t blocked by curtains or furniture. And never dry your clothes on radiators. It’s good to make the best of the heat you’re paying for!
- If the sun warms some rooms but not others, leave internal doors open to let the warm air circulate throughout your home.
- Draught-excluders are great for keeping out the chilly draughts that sneak in around your windows and doors.
- Only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need.
- Choose the right size pan when cooking and keep the lid on. Don’t waste energy by allowing the flames or heat to lick up the side of the pan.
- Defrost your freezer regularly.
- On dry days use your washing line instead of a tumble dryer.
Don’t dread the colder months. See how these tips could help you make your home warmer this winter. You could soon be sitting comfortably all year round.