Our Top Tips to Reduce Energy Usage in Your Home

As we’re all aware, the cost of living is rising far in excess of wages, with energy bills being the worst affected. Many households report bills doubling, tripling or, in the worst cases, almost quadrupling, adding strain to budgets that are already stretched. 

However, there are changes you can make around your home that can help you to save both energy and money. While some of them may seem very small indeed, when added up they will make a difference to your energy bill.

So, here is our list of top tips to save energy around your home:

1.Wrap it up

Insulate, insulate, insulate. One of the best ways to maximise the amount of heat that remains in your home, adding insulation in your loft, on both solid and cavity walls, and beneath suspended floors reduces the work your heating needs to do, expending less energy. Additionally, simply adding an insulating blanket to your water heater, as well as wrapping pipes so they stay warmer for longer, will make a difference to your energy bill, upwards of £35 per year.  

2.Let It Shine

While the initial outlay can be expensive, installing solar panels on your roof allows you to directly harness the power of the sun to heat your home and, as battery storage capacity increases, so too does the energy capture, meaning your energy company could soon be paying you to buy back your excess energy.

3.Turn it Down

No, not the music, though it might be a nice thing to do if the walls are thin and you have neighbours. Turning down your heating by one degree won’t make too much difference to how your home feels, but will make a difference to your energy bill. Additionally, turning heating down low, or off completely during the night, will also make a difference.

4.Turn It Off

We’re really not talking about the loud music, honest! Leaving tech, appliances etc plugged in and on standby when they’re not being used still uses small amounts of energy, which can add up over the course of a year. When that phone is charged, take it off the charger and turn off the plug!

5.Make It Tight

Windows and doors can shift over time, creating gaps where draughts can get in and heat can get out, neither of which are conducive to saving energy in the home. Check all seals and trims, repair or fill gaps, and use draught excluders inside the home and on external doors – you’ll be amazed by the difference it makes.

6.Lights Out Time

It’s not just when you go to sleep. If you’re not using a room, turn off the lights. And, when the lights are on, consider swapping your bulbs for energy saving LEDs or low watt bulbs. And, if you like your home lit up like the Blackpool Illuminations, you might be interested to know that they now use mostly LED bulbs.

7.The Little Things

Small changes in how you live in your home can add up over the year. Sweeping tiled floors instead of vacuuming and minimising how often you use the dishwasher are both ways to save small amounts of energy. Also, when you make that cup of tea, don’t overfill the kettle, boiling only what you need. It may seem a small thing, but when you consider how often you make a brew, it makes a difference. And finally, now that the weather is getting nicer, try hanging your clothes out to dry (if possible) instead of using the tumble dryer. They’ll smell fresh and it won’t cost the earth to get them dried.

So there you have it. Saving energy and using it efficiently isn’t just worth doing for the sake of the environment, it’s also vitally important as prices continue to rise. Small changes you make now will make a difference when it comes to those all-important bills, so don’t just do it for the planet, do it for your wallet as well.