Living Areas
- turn off entertainment equipment when not in use most appliances still use energy while on standby. This can save you over £40 per year
- don’t leave chargers plugged in when not in use. This can save you over £15 per year
- completely switch off your computer, unplug laptops and other peripheral devices overnight and when they are not needed . This can save over £10 per year
General Areas
- turn off lights in rooms which are unoccupied. This can save at least £12 per year
- draught proofing for doors and windows, particular attention should be on doors to garages and window seals. This will make heating your easier and more efficient
- close doors to retain heat. If everyone is staying in one room for a long period of time closing the door will retain the heat where everyone is
- top up insulation if possible, around the water tank and pipes are quick and easy. Only do insultation if it is possible and seek professional advice
- reduce the temperate of your home by 1 degree. Most people in your home will not notice the difference and it could save up to £400 per year
Kitchen
- completely fill the dishwasher before turning it on, this makes the dishwasher more efficient and limits the number of times it has to be run
- fully defrost before cooking, it cooks faster and lower the energy needed to cook it
- cook multiple meals at once in the oven and reheat later. A full oven is easier to heat and less cooking is required later in the week
- only use washing machines when the load is full. An emptier load requires more energy to spin and also means more washing will need to be done throughout the week
- switch to an electric airer from a tumble drier. Tumble driers are one of the most expensive and energy intensive appliances in our home. Swapping can save you £1 per hour of use.
- for cooking try using an air fryer rather than the oven. As the air fryer does not need to be pre-heated and costs have the amount of money to run per hour
- swap using your electric hob for a slow cooker. An air fryer costs 8p per hour rather than 58p per hour for the hob and saves you time as well.
Bathroom
- increased insulation for the bathroom to retain shower heat. This may require professional advice and installation
- turn off an extractor when you are not showering if possible
- bathroom radiators and towel racks to not need to be on constantly. In a small room such as a bathroom it can be heated in under an hour
Water
- water usage accounts for 12% of most household bills through energy and water usage
- don’t leave the tap running whilst brushing your teeth, washing your face or cleaning dishes
- use a water butt to collect rain water to water in garden in the summer
- when waiting for the tap to heat up save the cold water in a bucket and use to wash dishes, water plants or bathe the house pets
- have shorter showers, the world health organisation advises showers of 4-5 minutes
- have showers over baths, the flow rate of a shower is much lower and this less water is used
- have short rinse cycles for washing machines and dish washers.