How to save energy and money in your home
With householders already facing spikes in energy bills due to the increase in wholesale gas prices, it has never been more important to implement energy-saving habits to minimise energy spends as much as possible. Already, gas prices have increased by a huge 50% since August, and electricity prices have been reported as high as 27p per kilo watt hour. With increases predicted to continue, every penny counts… PLUS, cutting energy usage will also reduce your carbon footprint – so its double win. Read on for our top 5 energy saving tips.
1. Replace home lighting with LED bulbs
Replacing traditional incandescent and halogen light bulbs with LED bulbs is a simple energy-saving solution for 2 main reasons.
LEDs require significantly less electricity to power – an LED bulb that uses 5 watts of power will perform the same as a traditional bulb that uses 40 watts.
LED bulbs have a much longer life span than incandescent, halogen and CFL equivalents, making the slightly higher price to purchase an LED worth the investment. You could have purchased 5 cheap bulbs during the life span of a good quality LED.
It is also important to ensure lights are turned off when leaving the room and daylight is utilised in order to minimise electricity costs overall.
2. Control your heating
Heating and cooling in the home accounts for up to 48% of a home’s energy consumption (Source: Department of Energy). If you are still using outdated storage heaters or traditional boilers, it may be time to replace with an energy efficient solution to save on bills while benefitting from more comfortable heating.
Click here to find out the best solution for your home
If your homes heating system is not needing replaced, you can turn down your main thermostat just one degree and cut your energy bills instantly, and you may not even feel a difference in temperature! This simple action can reduce bills by £80 a year on average, with savings expected to be even higher during the current energy crisis. If you don’t already have a smart thermostat, you should consider installing one to take control of your heating and increase energy efficiency.
3. Stop leaving appliances on standby
According to research by the Energy Saving Trust, between 9-16% of electricity consumed in homes is wasted on powering appliances in standby mode. Did you know that your chargers will still be using energy if left plugged in after finished charging devices? You could be paying around £35-£86 every year for devices that you aren’t even using! The main culprits draining are usually TV’s, gaming consoles, sky boxes, microwaves etc.
4. Insulate your home
Insulating your home ensures you maximise your heating system and prevents wasted energy because of escaping heat and draughts. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that an average three-bedroom semi-detached house can save up to £310 on energy bills by installing loft and cavity wall insulation. Properties will also lose a significant amount of heat through windows, and so insulating them will save energy and as a result, save money. This can be with double or triple glazing, secondary glazing or if on a budget, heavier curtains or blinds will help.
5. Invest in Solar Panels
There is a reason why solar panels are so popular, as they are one of the most effective and convenient form of renewable energy on the market, allowing savings on energy up to 70%. Installing solar panels to your property allows you to utilise the suns power to generate free electricity and as a result avoid the increasing energy grid prices and make financial returns. Solar technology is one of the fastest evolving forms of renewable energy, and new battery advances allow you to further increase the effectiveness of solar systems by storing energy for use when the sun goes down or when you are not at home to use the power. With energy prices predicated to continue rising, the demand for solar panels will also keep increasing, and subsequently so will the price to install them to your home. There is no better time to take action and generate your own electricity to minimise reliance on the unpredictable electricity market.
While these simple tips may seem insignificant to some, we must stress that if everyone in a household can implement these small changes every day, you could see a significant difference in your energy bills. If you are looking to make greater change and are considering replacing an old boiler or investing in renewables before the prices increase further, click here to learn more about the products that would be best suited to your home.
