With living expenses hitting the roof, you need to do all you can to save money. Electricity is one area where a few carefully considered measures combined with disciplined usage on a regular basis can help you cut down your bill.
Here are the best ways to save money on your electricity bill:
Fortify your home against heat loss
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Your rooms can lose heat through your windows in winter, causing your room heater to work harder. Similarly, in summer, heat from outside can creep in through the windows so that it takes more energy to cool your home. Double or triple glazing your windows can protect against heat loss and help preserve room temperature.
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Avoid heat loss through the walls by insulating them and through the roof by insulating the loft. Depending on the type of wall (solid or cavity) and the type of house, you can save anywhere from £100-500 a year by insulating your walls. Again, depending on the type of house, you can save up to £250 a year by insulating your loft. Also, make sure your loft has the recommended thickness of 270mm.
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Draught-proof your home to save nearly £25-50 a year on energy bills. The most common sources of draught are windows, chimneys, letter boxes and key holes. Sealing such openings can prevent entry of cold air and help to maintain room temperature.
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Insulate your hot water tanks and pipes to save energy spent on heating water. Use British Standard Approved jackets to prevent heat loss from hot water tanks and cut down your bill by £25-35.
Use electricity wisely
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Replace old electrical appliances, including boilers, with modern, energy efficient ones. Replacing appliances might seem to be a costly deal but will pay back in terms of savings and within a few years, you would have saved more money than you spent on the appliances. Take advantage of schemes that provide grants on the purchase of a new boiler.
- Make sure your thermostat is set at an optimal temperature. Adjust the temperature to what is comfortable and doesn’t make you feel cold or very warm. Reducing the temperature by 1ºC can reduce your electricity bill by 10%.
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Use energy efficient shower heads that optimize the hot water flow.
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Take care to load your dishwasher and washing machine to full capacity. A full load consumes less energy than two half loads.
- Use your washing machine at 30ºC and avoid the dryer if possible. If you prefer a tumble dryer, use one that has good energy rating and a sensor to tell you when your clothes are dry.
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Use energy saving light bulbs that last more and consume less energy.
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Use microwave instead of an oven whenever possible as microwaves consume less energy to cook the same amount of food.
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Unplug or switch off devices when not in use like chargers, modems and computers to save up to £30 a year.
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Don’t leave the fridge door open for long. Remove dust on the condenser coils to avoid higher energy consumption.
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Choose LED TVs over Plasma and LCD TVs and laptops over PCs as they are more energy-efficient.
You can also save money on electricity bills by simply switching providers. Home Saving Guide brings you price comparisons along with well-researched deals and an accurate analysis of services from different providers so that you can make an educated choice. Contact us to take advantage of cheap gas and electricity deals in the market today.
* Energy saving statistics taken from Energy Saving Trust.