Energy is one of the biggest annual costs for UK families and spiralling prices currently have everyone thinking about how they can make savings on their bills
Follow our tips and advice for straightforward ways to save energy, lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint. It is a topic at the forefront of everyone’s mind right now and we at the Horizon Lets office have already started following these tips in our own homes:
Reducing Your Energy Bills
Switch Off Standby
Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming and doing just this will save money on electricity bills. You could look at getting a standby saver or smart plug which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go
Reduce Draughts
Unless your home is very new, you will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney
Fit draught excluders around external doors. These are easily applied as they are usually a black rubber strip that’s stuck onto the door or the door frame to seal in an air gap
“The old-fashioned stuffed sausage dog or snake draught excluders are inexpensive and will also work a treat snuggled at the foot of internal and external doors”
Look at gaps between the floor and skirting board and get these filled with flexible silicone. Check also for any other cracks and gaps that can be blocked or sealed up
Change Your Light Bulbs
Turning your lights off when you’re not using them, or when you leave a room is just a good habit to get into and will save you money in the long run. We have found that replacing every light bulb with energy saving LED ones has had a real impact on our energy consumption, and saved money on bills
Wash at 30°C
You can save some money on your energy bills by doing the following:
- Use your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of a higher temperature
- Reduce your washing machine use by one run per week for a year
- Use a faster wash cycle
- Save money by line drying instead of using a tumble dryer
Most laundry detergents don’t need a high temperature or long cycle to clean clothes effectively. In our office we have come to the conclusion that our clothes are never dirty enough to warrant a 2-hour wash cycle so tend to use the ‘quick wash’ options on our machines as much as we can
Swap Your Bath for a Shower
Saving water at home can help both your wallet and the environment
Who doesn’t love a long soak in a hot bubble bath? We certainly do, but consider swapping just one bath a week with a 4-minute shower to save money on energy bills
Spend Less Time in the Shower
Did you know you can save on your energy bill just by spending one minute less in the shower each day. Everyone in our office has taken up the challenge, with one team member timing even himself with a stopwatch! You don’t need to go to those extremes, just be mindful
Keep an Eye on the Kettle
Many of us tend to boil the kettle with more water than we’re actually going to use. Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need and save money on your electricity bill. We can also recommend purchasing a kettle with marked out fill levels or a clear window so you can see how much water is in there easily
Fill Your Dishwasher
Only run your dishwasher when it is full to reduce the amount of water you use – it’s worth really playing around with this and totally optimising the space in your dishwasher too. You can usually fir a few more items in there before pressing go! Please note that reducing your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year will add up and save you money
Washing Up
Even better – forget the dishwasher and do the dishes by hand. Or get another member of the household to do them for you! Save even more water and energy by using a bowl to wash up rather than a running tap
Turn the Heat Down
Keep an eye on all your thermostats and your boiler and use these tried & tested tips;
- Turn your heating down by just 1°C to make a significant saving over the year
- Keep unused rooms on low
- Use your timer more efficiently
Install a Smart Meter
This is such a good way to keep track of your energy spending in real time. If you can see where and how you are using energy in the home, you can also see where savings can be made.
At Horizon Lets, we are total converts to smart meters and have been able to target energy wastefulness in our own homes to great effect. We suggest you contact your provider today to ask about getting one fitted in your property.
If you would like any further advice please just call our tenant team and we will be more than happy to help.
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