Tag: energy efficient

4 easy ways to cut down on your energy bills

4 easy ways to cut down on your energy billscredit

Do you know that energy consumption accounts for a large chunk of your monthly household expenses? According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average monthly electricity bill is $115-$1380 per year. Of course, your energy bills might be higher or lower depending on where you live, size of your home and the number of appliances and devices that you use.

Illustration of a person switching off an air conditioner

Turn off your HVAC unit

There’s no need to leave your heating or air conditioning unit on when you’re not at home or no one is in specific rooms. For example, if you live in a 2-bed flat, only turn on the cooling or heating in areas of the home that are occupied.

It’s wasteful to turn it on in rooms that no one’s in just because you want to keep the room warm or cool. Most HVAC units are so efficient they’ll cool or warm a room within 3-5 minutes of turning them on, so the space will be comfortable within minutes.

Illustration of a thermostat

Use your thermostat optimally

Did you know that you can save up to 10 percent of your heating and cooling costs if you optimised your thermostat?

The Department of Energy states that setting your thermostat at 78ºF in the summer and 68ºF in the winter will provide the highest energy efficiency, and reduce your energy costs. Therefore, even if you or your housemates aren’t accustomed to this temperature, consider trying this in your home.

Community solar energy

Switch to community solar

If you choose solar energy as an alternative means of energy for your home, you could save a lot of money in the future. However, most people struggle with the initial upfront costs associated with solar panel installations.

This is where community solar providers come in. These providers offer a way for consumers to enjoy the same electricity without any downtime for a guaranteed 10% savings. Community solar works in the same manner as your energy provider.

The only difference is instead of other sources of energy, the utility company gets its power from solar farms and then transmits the power to you. All you have to do is fill out a form and you’ll automatically get a 10 percent discount on your average monthly bill.

Joining a community solar initiative not only saves you money, but also helps the country and county cut down on carbon emissions so climate change can be stalled and, hopefully, reversed.

Illustration of an unplugedg lightbulb

Unplug devices and appliances

It doesn’t matter if your appliances or devices are turned off. As long as they’re plugged into the power socket, they’ll still consume electricity. This is why you should consider actually unplugging all your devices when they’re not in use.

This way, they won’t keep consuming electricity when they’re not actually in use. Most people aren’t aware that their devices still consume power. These ‘leakages’ contribute to your energy consumption, resulting in higher energy bills.

[disclosure*]

Becoming more energy efficient this winter

Becoming more energy efficient this winter | H is for Home

The average UK home is spending almost £1,254 a year on energy bills, according to recent Ofcom figures. With this in mind, it is more important than ever to learn how to become more energy efficient.

As the world becomes increasingly conscious about the effects we have on the environment, learning how to use your home energy more efficiently is a great way to reduce CO2 emissions. For those keen to drive down the price of their energy bills and cut carbon this winter, adopting a few easy-to-follow steps could result in significant savings. LPG provider, Flogas, offer some practical advice on how to become more energy efficient this winter.

Open window

Draughts: how to deal with them

Energy wastage can be caused by many things, including draughty floors, windows and doors. Although they might seem small, gaps and cracks have the potential to let out a large amount of heat, while allowing cold air in – impacting on your bills unnecessarily. One way to tackle this is by installing draught excluders on your doors and windows. Even keyholes and cat flaps can make a huge difference, so try to keep them covered where you can. Alternatively, sealants, insulating strips and even rolled up newspaper can go a long way to ensuring heat stays in your home. Finally, double-glazing is extremely effective at keeping your home well insulated. Whilst installation can be costly, it’s a definite way to save on heating bills.

Thermostatcredit

Be smart with your heating

Luckily, new technological advancements are helping us meet our target of reducing our energy bills. Devices such as smart thermostats can go a long way to reducing heating bills by allowing greater control. As well as giving you the option to heat specific rooms, smart thermostats have the capabilities to learn your home heating habits – allowing you to consistently maintain the right temperature at the right time of day. Latest innovations, such as handy apps, have been designed to make smart technology even more convenient. If used correctly, it’s estimated that they could save households around £150 a year.[1]

Energy efficient fridge

Efficient appliance worth investing in

When you go to replace your household appliances, be sure to look for the long-term most energy efficient appliances . Whilst it may cost more initially, the long-term pay-off will help reduce your bills. Look out for products that score an A+ and above. An A+++ fridge for example, could save you around £190 over ten tears when compared to an A+ model. [2]

Power buttons off and on

Don’t just leave things on stand-by mode

It is a common habit to just leave household appliances on standby mode, however turning them off completely is far better for energy efficiency. TVs, laptops and mobile phone chargers are still switched on even when they’re on standby, which means they’re using energy unnecessarily. According to the Energy Saving Trust, you could save around £30 a year just by switching off appliances properly, whilst households with more gadgets could save between £50 and £80.[3]

Warm family in a house

Be sure to insulate your home

By using the correct insulation, a large sum of money could be saved on heating your home. In fact, it’s estimated that a quarter of all heat from your home could be lost through your roof if proper insulation isn’t in place.[4] Insulation grants are offered as part of the Government’s Energy Company Obligation Scheme, so insulating your home could be easier than you think. Alternatively, smaller ‘quick fixes’ can also help – foam tubes that cover your pipes can keep your water warmer for longer and cost just a few pounds. You can also use a ‘lagging jacket’ which fits over your boiler and helps retain heat. At around £10, they’re a cost-effective way to prevent you from using extra energy to reheat water.

Washing machine

Turn down the temperature slightly

A simple way to save money on bills is to turn down the temperature you wash your clothes at. Simply turning the temperature down from 40 to 30 degrees can be up to a third cheaper. Over the space of the year it could add up to a saving of £52.[5] An occasional ‘hot’ wash is still a good idea though as it helps to ensure the washing machine is kept clean.

Compare rates onlinecredit

Energy cost comparisons

Hundreds of pounds could be saved by switching energy providers, considering utility bills take up a huge sum of household expenditure, this is highly worth looking in to. Remember, it’s not just the ‘Big Six’ that offer competitive deals, switching to a smaller energy supplier could also mean a reduction in bills. It’s estimated that 62% of bill payers didn’t switch last year, so don’t miss out on a cheaper tariff.[6]

Red LPG gass bottle

For those living in rural areas

It’s essential that if you live in a remote area off the mains gas grid, you attempt to keep bills as low as can be. This can be done by switching from more traditional off-grid fuels like oil to a cleaner, greener alternative, such as LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). As well as the LPG price potentially being lower, it also has the lowest carbon footprint of any off-grid fossil fuel, LPG and the is better for the environment and it’s cost-effective.[7] Its abundance of supply also makes it reliable, so you never need to worry about running out.

[1] https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/energy-saving-tips/

[2] https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/energy-saving-tips/

[3] https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/energy-saving-tips/

[4] https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-insulation/roof-and-loft

[5] https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/energy-saving-tips/

[6] https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-insulation/roof-and-loft

[7] https://www.liquidgasuk.org/uploads/DOC5A5F2DC5A7907.pdf

[disclosure*]

Simple solutions for reducing your summer home energy use

Simple solutions for reducing your summer home energy use

The heat of summer is fast approaching, and many people are already preparing for long days in the garden, family trips to the beach, and shopping for new seasonal clothes. Most people look forward to the warmer months of the year – due largely to the increased daylight and more opportunities for outdoor activity.

Summer doesn’t come without its drawbacks, though. Especially if you’re a home-owner, summer can be frustratingly hot, requiring you to use more energy to stay cool. The result: more expensive energy and utility costs. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the reality permanently.

Many home-owners aren’t aware of simple solutions they can take to minimise energy usage around the home during the hottest months of the year. To help our readers out, we’re going to look at a few simple changes anybody can make to reduce how much energy is used – and wasted – during the summer.

Grey buttoned sofa in front of white curtains

Install reflective curtains

One of the biggest ways homes absorb heat during the summer is through the windows. Whether it be due to dark curtains or no curtains at all, heat and light enter, get absorbed, and ultimately increase the ambient temperature. This results in your air conditioning having to run that much more to compensate.

Through the use of made to measure curtains, you can ensure that your windows are properly framed without excessive overhang or exposed areas where light can enter. By purchasing made to measure curtains that are either directly reflective or made with a white lining, you’ll reflect that excess heat back and away from the home.

Some estimates suggest that utilising white plastic-backed curtains can reduce home heat intake during the summer by as much as one-third. That’s a lot of heat that your home can be guarded against with the right curtain selection.

Nest Thermostatcredit

Purchase a smart thermostat

We all love to have control over our heating and cooling preferences, but what if you’re currently wasting tons of energy during the summer because of those preferences? Nobody wants to wake up or come home from work to a hot house, so if you have an air conditioning system installed, it can be tempting to leave it running.

Fortunately, technology has given us affordable options in this regard. There are many unique programmable and/or smart thermostats on the market to help home-owners manage cooling (and heating) schedules in the home during all hours of the day.

Smart thermostats can be used to access the thermostat from anywhere using a mobile device. Some even can detect when you’re nearing the house and will automatically kick on in advance of your arrival. Programmable thermostats are a much more budget-friendly option (many are available for as little as £25) that accomplish most of what a smart thermostat does but doesn’t allow for remote interaction.

Black metal oscillating fan on a vintage sideboard

Increase in-home ventilation

Especially during the summer, the air in our homes can become stagnant and humid, making even relatively mild temperatures feel miserable. Without a great ventilation system – as well as auxiliary ventilation options – the home can feel like a nightmare both day and night.

One easy and cheap way to improve ventilation in the home during the summer is to add a variety of fans to the home. Whether they be traditional box fans, ceiling fans or desk fans is entirely up to you, but most options are easy to set up and inexpensive for a seasonal solution.

The reason more ventilation is a great idea for saving energy is that proper ventilation via fans can allow you to raise the thermostat by 2ºC without any reduction in comfort.

Smoking screw-in light bulb

Remove unnecessary heat sources

There are many sources of heat around the home that can add to energy costs during the summer months. While not every source of heat can be eliminated, you can improve the situation and minimise how much heat is being generated from inside the home.

Traditional light bulbs, for instance, give off quite a bit of heat. By investing in LED variants, you’ll use a fraction of the energy and emit virtually no heat whatsoever. Many people love to cook during the summer months, but energy-savvy home-owners know that using the stove (instead of the oven) is a better choice, as it emits far less heat when preparing meals.

Even the heat from your water heater can add up over time. Many people turn down the thermostats on water heaters to reduce overall energy consumption, but a secondary effect is that it will also emit less ambient heat into the air.

With summer fast approaching, you want to be ready to deal with the heat. However, you shouldn’t have to spend tons of money on cooling costs to maintain a comfortable climate. With these tips, you can drastically reduce the cost of cooling your home with relatively little work or investment – and these investments will continue to produce results year after year!

[disclosure*]

How to reduce your utility bills

How to reduce your utility bills

When it comes to keeping your home warm, particularly during the colder months, your utility bills can become a real drain on your finances. It can be tricky to keep a budget in place, and save money on your bills without compromising on the quality of your home life.

With the blustery weather outside, we thought we’d pull together this post on how to save money on your utility bills. Our top tips can help you orchestrate a happy home that’s not just cosy and welcoming, but energy efficient too.

Red standby button off

Change-up your routine

We all know how easy it is to lose track of how much energy we may be wasting, but one quick-fix is to make energy efficiency a part of your daily routine. For example, get into the habit of switching the lights off in a room as you leave and always avoid leaving devices on standby. As well as this, make sure your dishwasher is stacked and full before turning it on, and set your washing machine to a shorter, cooler cycle. Habits like this may seem small, but the savings soon add up.

White radiator

Bleed your radiators

When pockets of air get trapped in your radiators, heating up your home can become much more difficult. Trapped air means you need to keep your heating on for much longer to feel the same results. When you bleed your radiator, you release the air that’s trapped inside and heat can travel through the radiators with ease, thus keeping your home warmer. Bleed your radiators to benefit from lower energy bills.

LED bulb on a black background

Make the switch to LED bulbs

Traditional halogen bulbs have long been the go-to bulb for home-owners. However, increasingly, people are growing wise to their inefficiency. LED light bulbs use 90% less energy than halogen alternatives, and come in a range of colour temperatures and designs. Investing in LED bulbs for your home can see you reduce your utility bills significantly.

Grey radiator on a yellow wall

Add foil to the back of your radiators

The heat from radiators often escapes through the back, only to get absorbed by the walls. To avoid this, and make the most of the heat, add foil to the back of your radiators. This will reflect the heat back into the room, giving you more warmth for your money!

Blankets and cushions on a sofa

Layer up

An old energy saving hack, but still as effective as ever. Instead of turning up your heating at the drop of a hat, add on an extra layer or two or get cuddled up under a blanket. Regularly getting into this habit, as well as encouraging the rest of the household do so too, can help to keep your energy bills under control.

Running an energy efficient home can be a real challenge, particularly when you’ve had a long day out in the cold! However, having to sacrifice luxuries to save on your bills is a long-standing misconception. Small compromises and healthy habits are all you need to keep your utility bills under control.

We hope you’ve found our post useful, and you are keeping warm during the cold weather. What are your energy efficiency hacks? Get in touch and let us know!

The information above was provided by the team at online electrical wholesalers, The Electrical Guys

[disclosure*]