Being more mindful of energy use allows you to save heating oil costs as well as protect the planet. Thankfully, there are so many great ways to save energy that don’t impact on convenience. We are sharing our best energy saving tips for your home based on each area of your house.
Keep reading for ways to conserve energy at home.
Ways to Save Energy in the House Building
Add Loft Insulation
By adding just 270mm of loft insulation, you could look to save not only £180 a year but also 730kg of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. What’s more, is the fact that it takes as little as two years to pay for itself.
Add Wall Insulation
Cavity wall insulation is one of the best ways to conserve energy at home. Besides saving the build-up of condensation in your home, you can also look to save around 560kg carbon dioxide a year with an annual saving of up to £140.
Upgrade Windows
By replacing all your windows with B-rated double-glazing, you could save yourself around £170 a year on your energy bills. In addition to this, you could also be looking to save around 680kg of carbon dioxide every year.
Insulate Letterbox
An insulated letterbox flap is a great way of stopping draughts through your home. In fact, you can lose up to 27% of hallway heat through a letterbox, so purchasing an eco-friendly letterbox is imperative for keeping your prices down.
Energy Saving Ideas for the Bathroom
Plug the Sink
Saving water in the sink is relatively easy and can be done using common sense. Remembering to stop the tap when you brush your teeth or shave (if you are a man), is one effortless way. In fact, a sink can use up to five gallons of water a minute.
Use a Low-Flow Shower-head
To save water here, you can install a low-flow shower-head. Though they can cost a little more upfront, these shower-heads can save you money down the road. They can save you roughly 2.5 gallons of water per minute.
Use a Low-Flush Toilet
A low flush toilet is pivotal to saving money as they use roughly 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to a conventional toilet that uses approximately five gallons per flush. On average, a household toilet is used five times per day, which means an average of 25 gallons per day being used.
Insulate Your Pipes
By insulating your hot water pipes and hot water cylinder (if you have one), you could look to save around £15 per year. As a side note, you can also buy an extractor fan with added heat recovery capability.
Living Room Energy Efficiency Tips
Change Television Habits
Besides remembering to turn your television off at the plug, and when you leave the room, you can also buy eco televisions that help not only to conserve energy but also reduce your electricity bills.
Switch to LED Lighting
LED lights are becoming more effective in how they work. You can now buy LED lights that work on efficiency levels of around 80%. This is compared to the 20% efficiency levels of an incandescent bulb.
Install Carpet Underlay
Installing the right carpet underlay is essential, as not only does it cushion your carpet, but it also reduces energy costs by up to 15%. Also, a carpet with an underlay can be 2.5 times quieter.
Line Curtains
Thermally lined curtains can help you save the heat and energy that you lose from your windows. If you have blinds, try purchasing heavier materials that will reduce drafts through your window.
Use an Intelligent Mains Controller
An intelligent mains controller will automatically switch your DVD player or games console off when your television is turned off; helping save you both electricity and money without you having to do anything.
Energy Efficiency Tips for Bedrooms
Limit Electrical Charging
Although some people like to charge their phones and laptops throughout the night, after only a few hours most batteries will have reached their charging capacity. If left plugged in however, they will continue to draw power from the socket. Try therefore to charge your electrical goods during other times of the day.
Invest in a Reading Light
Though many of us enjoy reading before bed, there is no need to light the whole room with a main light. If you can, invest in a low energy reading light that will help you save both money and electricity in the long run.
Use Appropriate Bedding for the Season
We often like thick bed covers in the winter, but despite this, there is no point keeping them during the summer. Using seasonal bedding is a great way of regulating your body temperature (and energy bills) for the appropriate weather. You can even buy ‘all seasons’ bedding from the high street.
Check for Air Leaks
If you happen to have old windows, check to see if they are leaking air. If you find that you are losing heat through your bedroom windows, fill the gaps using the appropriate chalks and foams.
Energy Saving Ideas for the Kitchen
Choose an Eco Kettle
Energy-saving kettles are all the rage these days and can help with typical energy savings of around 31%. Some eco kettles also let you gauge what temperature you want your water heated to; allowing you to save more energy than ever before.
Consider a Halogen Oven
Instead of using your conventional oven, invest in a halogen oven that can roast a chicken in 30 minutes. Using 75% less electricity than a conventional oven, you should be looking at significant savings in your bills.
Check Your Fridge
Besides purchasing an energy-efficient fridge, you could also look to reducing the temperature by two degrees. If everybody did this, Britain could look to save around 210,000 tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere every year.
Defrost Your Freezer
Your freezer will run more efficiently when it is defrosted on a regular basis. Once you have dried the interior, use a vacuum cleaner to clean the coils at the back of the freezer. This can raise efficiency by up to 25%.
Review Dishwasher Settings
Whenever possible, use energy-saving cycles, and if your dishwasher has a booster heater, try turning this down. When the cleaning has finished, use the no-heat air-dry function if it has one. Besides this, you may also be interested to know that you can save 37% more water by using a dishwasher than washing by hand.
We hope these energy saving tips for your home inspire you to make some changes to save yourself some money and be kinder to the planet too! To find out more about heating costs, visit our Heating Oil Price Guide page.
