Energy saving at home
Energy saving actions in the kitchen.
- Ovens work by heating up all the air inside them, no matter how much food is being cooked. Putting in half the food doesn’t halve the energy because the oven stays the same size. Adding more things at the same time, though, means the oven isn’t on for as long and the energy isn’t wasted heating empty space in the oven.
- Putting the lid on traps the heat in the pan and uses less energy to cook the food.
- Microwaves save energy by only heating the food directly, not the oven space.
- Boiling water uses a lot of energy - boiling more water, uses more energy and takes longer. By boiling only the amount you need it boils quicker, so you save energy and time.
- A fridge only comes on when it detects the temperature is too high. Set the temperature level of the fridge to provide just the conditions to keep the food 'fresh' rather than unnecessarily too cold. Buy a fridge thermometer to check that the fridge is set to the right temperature.
- Avoid leaving fridge doors open. Each minute the door is open takes three minutes of energy to cool down again.
- Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge. Allow it to cool first means your fridge doesn’t have to work as hard.
- Defrost your fridge regularly to keep it running efficiently and cheaply. If it seems to frost up quickly, check the door seal.
- Washing clothes at 40 degrees C or below needs less energy to heat the water than washing at higher temperatures.
- Waiting for a full load saves energy by reducing the number of loads a week.
- In summer dry your clothes outside and enjoy the fresh smell that only comes from line-dried clothes. Don't dry clothes on a radiator. It stops heat reaching the room, creates damp and encourages mould. If you have to use a tumble dryer, don’t put really wet clothes inside. Wring them out or spin-dry them first.
- Over the life of an appliance, more electricity is used on standby than actual use. The clock on a cooker running 24/7 can use more energy than the occasional use of the oven.
Energy saving actions for heating water and your home.
- Turning down the thermostat by one degree can save 10% of the heating energy and save you around £30 per year.
- Over 25% of UK primary energy production goes towards heating buildings, more than for any other purpose. Controlling your heating more carefully will minimise wastage, save money and maximise your comfort.
- If you're having a bath have the water a bit cooler. It should be hot, but not boiling. For most people, setting the cylinder thermostat at 60°C/140°F should be just fine.
Energy saving actions for lighting your home.
- 10%-15% of your energy consumption is due to lighting. If you use a particular light for an average of four hours or more a day, then consider replacing it with an energy-saving equivalent. They use around a quarter of the electricity and last up to 12 times longer. Energy efficient bulbs only cost around a £5, but you'll end up saving over £7 a year on your bills per bulb you fit. If every UK household installed just one bulb we'd save over £80 million per year!
- It's a bit obvious, but always turn lights off when you leave a room. And adjust your curtains or blinds to let in as much light as possible during the day - that way you won't be tempted to reach for the light switch.
Other energy saving actions at home.
- Close curtains at dusk to reduce the amount of heat that escapes through your windows.
- Closing internal doors can save you a lot of energy if parts of your home are unheated. Warm air will travel towards colder areas of the house.
- The heavier the curtains, the better they insulate against heat loss when you draw them at night.
- This will of course reduce the need for turning on lights during the day. In winter, in the average house, the sun's energy contributes 15% of the heating requirement.