Energy use in Britain goes up in the colder months and with energy being a lot more expensive than it used to be, many users are focused on what they can do to reduce the amount they use. Every bit of energy saved helps both the climate and bank balances.
Here are Ecotricity's top energy-saving tips to cut bills and stay warm in winter. Many of the big savers are quick and simple and are often free.
Fine-tune heating
- Users can save a considerable amount by turning heating down by just 1°C and they probably won’t even notice the difference.
- Make sure the boiler is serviced regularly, so it’s operating efficiently and reliably. Check boiler flow temperature too, as default settings are often unnecessarily high. If it is a combi boiler, try 50 degrees for heating and 55 degrees for water, or if the user has a hot water tank then try setting that to 60 degrees, and the user boiler flows slightly above that. Plus make sure that tank is wearing an insulating jacket - the water will heat up quicker and stay hot for much longer. Users could also put foam insulating tubes around any exposed hot water pipes users have.
- Make sure the heating is off when the user is not at home. Set a heating timer to turn off an hour before the user leaves in the morning, user home will stay warm until the user leaves and save an hour a day of heating.
- Similarly, set it to turn off an hour before bedtime, that’s another hour saved every day, seven days a week for 30 weeks of the year, that means a user could save 350 hours’ worth of heating energy.
- If users don’t already have them, consider installing modern heating controls to help users increase the efficiency of heating.
radiators
- Turn off radiators in rooms the user doesn’t use. Alternatively, use thermostatic valves to set specific radiators to switch off at lower temperatures than the main thermostat. For example, bedrooms can be set to a much cooler temperature than the living room.
- Bleed radiators to make sure they’re getting the full amount of heat possible. If a radiator is colder at the top than the bottom, there’s air trapped inside which needs bleeding.
- Fit a shelf above a radiator to direct warm air into the room. Place foil behind radiators on exterior walls to reduce heat loss to the outside.
- Keep internal doors closed so radiators are heating individual rooms, rather than the entire home.
Insulation
- Start by insulating, winter is a time for extra layers and there’s nothing like a warm jumper to help users stay cozy.
- Insulate walls – it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy around the home.
- Check that loft is properly insulated. As heat rises, this is a must-have in the insulation toolbox.
- Close curtains just before it gets dark to reduce heat loss through the glass. The heavier and thicker the better, particularly if users don’t have double glazing.
- Fit draught-proofing to windows even the cheap self-adhesive kind will help block out draughts and help keep users warm. For doors, think about an old-fashioned draught excluder (the user could even make one). And don’t forget any bare floorboards and a chimney if the user has them.
Laundry & Bathroom
- Give the tumble dryer a winter break as much as a user can, and air dry clothes. As long as it is not raining, even the windier, cloudier days can be good for drying laundry.
- It’s well known that showers are more energy efficient than baths and if users want to take that further, aim for shorter showers, maybe even set a timer to alert users after 4 minutes.
In the kitchen
- If users cook with gas, small changes can save money. Boil water in a kettle first and use a lid on the pans to retain more heat. The gas can then be turned down to get the same effect.
- Don’t open the oven too soon – they’ll let out hot air and waste energy. If a user can, take a look through the oven door instead and see if the food looks ready.
- A steamer will allow the user to cook a tower of veg using just one ring whilst a slow cooker can save energy compared to using a conventional oven and means the user comes home to the smell of freshly cooked food.
- Save money on energy and ingredients by batch cooking preparing a few meals at the same time and freezing them means need to use the stove or the oven less, and save time too!
- Using a bowl when washing up instead of keeping the hot tap running could make worthwhile savings too.
- Use a microwave to heat small amounts of food instead of the oven or hob.
Lighting and Electronics
- If the user doesn’t have them already, choose LED bulbs the next time user needs to replace one. They use 70-80% less energy than a conventional bulb, and since lighting typically represents around a tenth of a domestic electricity bill, these bulbs alone might shave 7-8% off the bill.
- Turning off lights when users are not in the room is a no-brainer and will take that saving further.
- Make sure users don’t leave appliances like TVs and laptops on in standby mode all the time – this is a constant, invisible ‘energy sponge’ that users don’t need.
- If users do need to buy new appliances at the moment, take a hard look at their energy efficiency ratings. There should be a sticker on display grading them between A (good) to G (bad) based on how much energy they consume during typical use, compared to other appliances of a similar size. Aim for A-graded appliances wherever the user can.
small changes
If users have a smart meter, they will be able to see in real-time the differences these steps are making
All this may sound like hard work, but small changes in habits can quickly become routine, and it can be rewarding to know users are taking tangible steps to save money and live in a greener way.
If users have a smart meter, they will be able to see in real-time the differences these steps are making to user consumption.
What to do if the user's struggling
There are lots of ways Ecotricity can help if users ever have trouble paying energy bills. The best thing to do is to get in touch as early as a user can, Ecotricity is always really happy to help.
Ecotricity’ll discuss options, and will do everything to make paying bills as easy as possible for users.
