Energy Saving Ideas
With energy costs spiralling, even small savings in your home or business energy costs helps, these are cumulative, so build up over time and not wasting energy helps the planet too.
Here are a series of energy saving ideas for home and the workplace. Some will surprise you and most are obvious but now this is the best time to get in the habit to do the following.
Keep an eye on the news section for any future government grants to insulate your home / solar power etc.
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Switch Stuff Off.
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You may have 'power save mode', but this often saves little energy.
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Ensure photocopiers, computers, printers and other equipment are switched off at night, weekends and during holidays.
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Lighting.
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Do you have more lighting than you actually need? If you do, switch off what you don't.
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Use low-energy lights, especially in areas where the lights are on over long periods.
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LEDs can help save you as much as 80% on electricity.
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Consider investing in timers, movement detectors and light level sensors.
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Keep The Cold Out.
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Rather than relying on a heater, make sure rooms are properly insulated.
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Seal gaps around windows and draught-proof wall cavities.
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Window blinds and curtains can help improve thermal insulation and prevent heat loss.
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Check loft spaces to ensure:
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Insulation is adequate, and;
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Pipes and hot water tanks are properly lagged.
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As much as 40% of heat is lost through the roof of buildings that are not insulated.
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IT Equipment.
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Screensavers do not save energy.
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Swap your PCs for laptops, which can consume less than half the energy of a PC.
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Opt for a smaller screen, which will use less energy.
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Set all monitors to automatically turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity.
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Washing Machines.
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Washing your clothes at 30 degrees compared to a higher setting uses around 40% less energy.
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Use a shorter washing cycle.
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Full loads and;
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Dry your clothes outside.
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Heating.
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Turning the thermostat down by just 1°C can save 8% in heating costs.
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Where practicable, heating should be turned down or off in unoccupied rooms or areas;
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With heating reduced to ‘frost protection’ levels when unoccupied, e.g., Christmas.
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Ensure doors and windows are not left open after ceasing work to save on heating costs and improve security.
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Move furniture away from radiators to allow heat to circulate and;
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Consider sheets with sticky back aluminium foil behind radiators to reflect heat back into the room (£7.59 from Screwfix).
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Kettles.
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Don't overfill your kettle.
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Baths & Showers.
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Swapping a long bath for a four-minute shower just once a week could save you £12 a year.
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Swapping your shower head for a more energy-efficient one to save around £55 on your gas bill and £45 on your water bill (for a family of four) and/or;
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Spend less time in the shower.
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Cooking.
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A microwave is probably the most efficient way of cooking but;
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If using saucepans, use a lid
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Fridges.
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Defrost food in your fridge instead of using your microwave.
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Dishwasher.
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Use an eco-setting and a full load.
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Freezers.
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A build-up of ice makes your freezer’s motor work harder, so defrost your freezer regularly to avoid wasting energy.
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Curtains.
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Keeping your curtains shut can reduce heat loss by up to 17%.
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TVs and Other Equipment.
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Do not leave equipment, such as TVs on standby;
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Or charge phones overnight.
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Get A Smart Meter.
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By having your monthly meter readings, you can make sure your bills are more accurate and help you manage your energy usage
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