Follow our tips and advice for quick and easy ways to save energy, lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Turn off electronics 
    Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. Standby savers allow you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go to save electricity. Check the instructions for any appliances you aren’t sure about. Some satellite and digital TV recorders may need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of any programmes you want to record.

    Find out which appliances use the most energy in your home.
     
  • Draught-proof windows and doors
    Unless your home is new, you’ll lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney. Getting professional help can cost around £250, but DIY draught proofing can be much cheaper.
     
  • Turn off lights and change your lightbulbs
    Turn your lights off when you’re not using them or when you leave a room. Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs could help you save even more.
     
  • Wait to run a full wash load
    You can save money on your energy bill by making small changes in how you use your washing machine. It's smarter to wait to do fewer washes with more items, than waste energy on more half full washes. Reducing the temperature can also save you money.
     
  • Avoid using the tumble dryers
    Tumble dryers use a shocking amount of energy, and can be very expensive to run.  You can easily work out how much it costs to run a tumble dryer yourself based on your specific model if you know the kWh.

    As a more cost-effective alternative consider drying clothes outside on a washing line or investing in heated clothes airers, which usually cost around 6p an hour to run.
     
  • Swap your bath for a shower and spend less time in the shower
    Taking shorter showers and turning the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth isn’t just about conserving water, it can also save energy too. Some of us might enjoy a long soak in the bath. But swapping just one bath a week with a shower could save you money. 
     
  • Be savvy in the kitchen
    Avoid overfilling the kettle as boiling more water than necessary will cost more. Fill your dishwasher completely before running a load. Turning the dishwasher onto energy-saving mode and reducing the temperature, are all also great ways to make savings.
     
  • Top up insulation
    Effective insulation of your hot water cylinder is important. If you have thin spray foam or a loose 25mm jacket, you can benefit from increasing the insulation to a British Standard Jacket (80mm thick). 

    Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to save money on your bills.
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