With the UK government publishing plans to advise households to reduce their energy bills, I thought we could take a look at some top energy-saving tips that can save you money and prevent these threats of blackouts. Most people can follow these ten simple tips and they really can make a big difference...
1. Turn appliances off of standby
Leaving your television and radio on standby overnight might sound like a good idea but it actually uses low-grade electricity continuously. So turn them off until you next need them and use no electricity at all.
2. Energy-saving lightbulbs
Swap all your super bright 100-watt light bulbs for energy-saving versions. You can even now get low-energy LED spotlights to replace your halogen bulbs.
3. Use rechargeable batteries
Families can go through batteries like water. Almost every toy needs them. Avoid adding to the landfill of over 650 million batteries a year and use rechargeable batteries. They save energy and the higher cost of the batteries themselves is actually recouped in the first five charges.
4. Use the washing line
Tumble driers use up a huge amount of heat energy and electricity. Reduce your bills and your carbon footprint by hanging your wet washing on the line or on a drying rack.
5. Lower your thermostat
Just by lowering your thermostat by a degree or two, you will save a considerable amount of heat energy.
6. Put a brick in the cistern
When you flush your toilet, the tank has to refill by pumping the water back round again. This uses a huge amount of energy and water. If you place a brick in the cistern, this displaces the space and reduces the amount of water that is needed to fill it.
7. Lower the temperature of your wash
Today's washing powders work at even lower temperatures so try and use the cooler cycles when you can. And try and wait until you have a full load before you put the machine on, since it works out more economical.
8. Don't overfill your kettle
Boiling a full kettle takes a considerable amount of energy, so try to remember only to boil the amount of water that you need for however many cups you're actually making at that time. One cup's worth of water is considerably less than you think.
9. Draw the curtains to keep in heat
You will often find that radiators are placed underneath windows. When you have your heating on the heat rises and disappears out through the windows, not matter how good your insulation. So when it gets dark, draw your curtains and minimize the heat escape.
10. Turn your heating off when going out
An obvious way to cut usage, and bills, is to make sure you're not heating a house when no one is in, by making switching off the heating part of your leaving-the-house routine, like grabbing your keys and wallet or bag.
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