Energy Saving Advice

Energy Saving Tips Let’s assume you have selected the most cost effective energy provider to supply the gas and electricity to your home. It’s now time to think about ways in which you can reduce your own energy consumption as there are many simple ways to save money on the energy used in your home. As well as saving your pennies on your next bill this is a really easy way to help protect the environment by adopting a greener lifestyle. Many of the tips we’re suggesting only require a small change to your daily habits but if everybody takes the same measures we can collectively make a much bigger impact. As both a country and individuals we should be making a conscious effort not to waste our limited natural resources and also be aware of the impact that their consumption has on our planet.

So, how energy efficient is your home?

Kitchen

The kitchen probably has more gas and electrical appliances than any other room so there are many ways to reduce your usage which we’ve listed below :

Fridges & Freezers
Check your fridge and freezer settings to make sure they’re using the least amount of energy in order to chill your food to the desired temperature. Remember that the fridge is one of the only appliances that remain constantly on for 24 hours a day every day, so in terms of energy usage it’s normally one of the biggest consumers of electricity in your home. Modern fridges often come with an energy rating – try and choose the top star rating as this can potentially save an estimated 4.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas over its lifetime. Equally, as fridges get older they tend to consume more energy with inefficiencies in the region of 3 – 4 times more energy use seen in old models.

Obviously, most people aren’t in a financial position to just go out and buy a new fridge to save energy so if you do have an older fridge the easiest way to save energy is to remember to close it and don’t keep opening it unnecessarily! Another quick win is to think about the position of your fridge and try to keep it as cool as possible. An outside laundry room is ideal, next to an oven is not. Something else which many people don’t realise affects the amount of electricity used is whether or not there is sufficient ventilation for the coils located at the back of your fridge. Try not to back it right up against a wall, instead attempt to leave at least an 80mm gap and this will help to save energy. With regards to freezers, one of the simplest things you can do to improve efficiency (and also one of the biggest culprits in energy wastage) is to remember to defrost it. The recommended guidelines are that you should aim to defrost a standard upright freezer around three times a year and the larger chest style freezers 1 – 2 times a year (these tend to be bigger and therefore don’t get frozen quite as quickly.

Dishwashers
As with fridges and freezers, most new dishwasher models have an energy efficient rating so if you can afford it always make this a consideration when looking to buy. If you’ve got an existing dishwasher that is not necessarily energy efficient or has not rating there are some really simple things that you can do to make a difference.

Always fill it to capacity as a half filled load actually uses the same amount of energy as a full load meaning you’re potentially using twice the energy by doing two half loads.
Another tip is to stop the cycle before it gets to the drying stage, open up the dishwasher door and let the air dry the load naturally.
If your dishwasher has more energy efficient settings, try to use these wherever possible such as short wash cycles or rinse only. These tend to use less energy and you should be able to identify them in your instruction manual.

Ovens
As a general rule microwave ovens, pressure and steam cookers tend to use a lot less electricity than standard ovens. Therefore, if you have one of these consider using it as an alternative for meals which can be prepared using it instead of your actual oven. When cooking with frozen food another easy way to use less energy is to make sure that the food is fully defrosted before you start to cook it. This should reduce the overall cooking time required and therefore the amount of energy used up. Becoming conscious of your energy usage habits can also help to have a healthier lifestyle. Nutritionally, vegetables will be better for you if you steam them lightly using the least amount of water possible. This also reduces the amount of power needed to get the water to boiling point therefore saving on your consumption and also of course your bill! Another trick is to turn down the heat to a simmer once your water is boiling and cook your vegetables once the simmering point is reached. This will give you greater control over the cooking and ensure they do not become overcooked whilst also reducing the amount of energy required.