Energy Tips | Page 2 | Best of Britain Travel Guides

25 Energy saving tips

Make your home more efficient this winter

10. Check the pressure of your boiler

Don’t wait for an annual service to check the pressure of your boiler, do this on a regular basis to ensure it’s working efficiently. If the pressure becomes too low, it will have to work harder, ultimately costing you more money to heat your home.

11. Invest in an efficient shower head

If you find that your shower head isn’t producing a strong flow of water, it’s worth splashing out on a new one. As well as benefitting the environment, it will also reduce the amount of the water you use and save money on your heating bill.

12. Circulate the air in your home to avoid damp

Because of the cold and wet weather, you won’t want to open the windows in your house in winter, so another way to prevent damp occurring is by making use of any extractor fans you already have. Alternatively, you can buy an energy-efficient fan that will help to move the air around the house.

13. Invest in an air fryer

Air fryers are a great way to cook food faster than in an oven as they use hot air to cook food quickly and they take less time to heat up. Because cooking times are reduced, you’ll save both energy and money.

14. Switch to LED light bulbs

LED light bulbs use approximately half the amount of energy of standard or halogen light bulbs. Although LED bulbs cost more to buy initially, by switching over and buying the lowest wattage bulbs, you’ll save money in the long run.

15. Use thermal lined curtains

Purchasing thermal lined curtains is a good investment and they do a great job of insulating your home. If you don’t want to pay for new curtains, you can always buy some fleece (fire retardant) blankets and have a go at lining them yourself.

16. Install reflective panels behind your radiators

By putting reflective panels at the back of your radiators, you will prevent any heat from escaping through external walls. This means that more of the heat stays in your home, and you will use less energy, saving you on your heating bill.

17. Keep your furniture away from your walls

By moving your furniture away from your radiators, the heat will circulate better, and you will need less energy to warm up your home. Check that you don’t have any bulky furniture such as beds, drawers, wardrobes or sofas blocking the radiators.

18. Set the temperature of your fridge to 5°C

Make sure your fridge is set to 5°C as this is the perfect temperature to keep your food cold. A higher temperature won’t affect your food, but it will use more energy and your bills will be higher.

19. Set the temperature of your freezer to -18°C

The best temperature for your freezer is -18°C and is the most efficient. Check your freezer to see if it has a temperature gauge that you can control yourself.

20. Keep a lid on boiling water in pans

When boiling water in a pan, always keep the lid on as this will retain the heat and the water will boil quicker, saving you energy and money.

21. Match the size of the hob ring to the pan

Don’t let the heat escape unnecessarily by using a large hob ring for a small sized pan as this will only use more energy than needed and end up costing you more.

22. Deep clean your oven

It might come as a surprise, but when you keep your oven clean on the inside, it helps it to heat up faster and work more efficiently. There are plenty of great cleaning products on the market that you can use yourself to get your oven sparkling and running more efficiently.

23. Avoid cooking food from frozen

Whenever possible, thoroughly defrost your food in the fridge before cooking as this will not only save you money on your microwave bills, but it will also take less time to cook in the oven.

24. Use energy-saving tumble dryer balls

If it’s absolutely necessary to use your tumble dryer, try using a couple of these small spiky balls to help reduce drying times and circulate your clothes as they spin around the drum. They’re relatively cheap to buy and could save you pounds on your annual energy bill.

25. Descale your kettle

If you don’t want to splash out on a new kettle, keep the limescale at bay by regularly descaling it. The more limescale there is in your kettle, the more energy is needed to heat the water, and this will increase your bill over time, especially if you make several hot drinks a day. Alternatively, you could purchase a good thermal flask that will keep the water hot, so you won’t need to keep boiling the kettle.

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