How to save energy at home

Switch appliances off at the plug:

• Appliances consume small amounts of electricity, even when turned off. Turn them off at the plug to prevent this.

Turn off lights:

• Making sure to turn off lights in empty rooms can go a long way towards reducing your energy bills.
• Replacing old bulbs with new LED bulbs will also greatly reduce energy use.

Make sure to fully load appliances:

• Appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers use the same amount of energy no matter how full it is.
• By only using it on full loads, you’ll reduce the number of times the appliance is used.

Avoid using the tumble dryer:

• Tumble dryers use lots of energy so dry clothes outside where possible.
• Clothes can be dried inside too but make sure the room they’re in is well ventilated to prevent damp and mould. Click here to find out more about preventing damp and mould.

Wash clothes at lower temperatures:

• Modern washing machines can clean clothes effectively at lower temperatures.
• Changing from 40°C to 30°C means you could get 3 cycles instead of 2 using the same amount of energy, depending on your washing machine.

Use Eco mode on appliances:

• Using eco mode on appliances like washing machines and dish washers will use less energy and water.

Replace old appliances:

• Old appliances aren’t as efficient as new ones, replacing old goods such as ovens and washing machines can help reduce your energy bills.
• Click here to see the appliances in your home that use the most energy.
• Click here to find out if you can get free energy efficient replacements for your white goods.

Turn the temperature down on your combi boiler:

• Reducing the temperature on your boiler won’t impact the temperature of your home, although it may take slightly longer to heat.
• Boilers run more efficiently at lower temperatures, reducing the amount of gas you use to heat your home.

Turn down radiator valves in empty rooms:

• Turning radiator valves down to between 2.5 – 3 in empty rooms will help reduce the energy needed to heat your homes.
• Turning off radiators completely in rooms you are not using is less energy efficient as this means your boiler has to work harder to increase the temperature again than if kept at a low setting.

Swap baths for shower:

• Baths use more water than showers and therefore use more hot water. Replacing baths with showers will help lower your heating bill.

Spend less time in the shower:

• Longer showers will use more hot water, save money by taking shorter showers – aim for 4 minutes.

Click here to learn more water saving tips!

Draught-proof your home:

• Uncontrolled ventilation from gaps in your home leads to heat escaping from your home, wasting energy.
• Click here to find out how to draught-proof your home to reduce your heating bills.

Close your curtains or blinds at night:

• Closing curtains and blinds can help reduce warm air escaping through your windows.
• Make sure to open them again during the day as your property will gain heat from the sunlight.

Improve the insulation of your property

• Insulation measures such a cavity wall insulation will help keep heat in your property, saving you money on your bills. Click here to find out what insulation measures you could have installed

You may be eligible for the installation of free insulation measures on your home! Click the tiles below to see if you’re eligible for an energy scheme.

Cooking:

• Ovens use lots of energy – Use an air fryer or slow cooker where possible
• Reheat food in a microwave
• Use the right sized pot – a larger pot on a larger hob will use more energy
• Use lids when cooking – lids on pots and pans will make them boil a lot faster
• Simmer instead of boil – this will use less energy
• Heat water in a kettle instead of on the stove
• Batch cook – Cooking one big meal and reheating will use less energy than cooking every day

Fridge/freezer

• Avoid putting hot food in the fridge or freezer – hot food will heat up the fridge making it use more energy for cooling, let it cool on the kitchen side first
• Close the fridge or freezer door as soon as possible – this will stop cold air escaping

Kettle:

• Only boiling the amount of water you need will use less energy