The cost of energy in our homes is always on the rise, so we’re here with some simple hacks to help you save energy and therefore money! From smaller adjustments through to more significant home improvements, you’ll be cutting down your bills whilst also helping the environment. So, let’s get into it!
Reduce Your Appliance Cycle Times
The first thing you can do to save money and energy is to reduce your appliance cycle times. For things like your washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher, which make up for 14% of a typical energy bill, you should look at the different cycle options and see if you can reduce them. Look for short cycles and energy saving cycles, which can significantly reduce your energy bills. Also, with your washing machine, reduce the temperature down to 30 degrees to help the environment and also cut the cost of running your cycles, without impacting the results of your washing. You should also air-dry your washing wherever you can, as tumble dryers are extremely energy consumptive. These are small changes that will save money and help the environment!
Bleed Your Radiators and Defrost Freezer!
Next up, you should bleed your radiators and defrost your freezer. Firstly, bleeding radiators helps to remove air pockets within the radiator that helps to reduce the pressure, so you don’t need as much energy to heat them. As a result, you save money! You should bleed your radiators once a year in the autumn, to make sure they’re working as efficiently as possible moving into the coldest months. If you’re having to bleed your radiators more than once a year, give the plumber a call.
Another good thing to do is to defrost your freezer. Make an effort to eat all of the food and plan a day to fully turn off your fridge/freezer. This helps the freezer in particular to run more efficiently, as over time ice will build up which makes it more difficult for the temperature to be regulated, which makes it work harder and therefore uses more energy. So, again around once a year, defrost your freezer fully!
Pre-Plan and Bulk Cook Your Meal
Another great way to save money and energy in your home is to pre-plan and bulk cook your meals. Firstly, sitting down and planning the meals you’ll eat for the week will help to prevent any food waste. Then, when you’re cooking in bulk, it’s much more energy efficient. Rather than switching on the oven or having the hob on just to make one or two portions, when you make 4-10 portions at a time instead, you’re making much better use of the energy. Then, when you freeze them, you’ve got healthy meals ready to go. Simply defrost and reheat, which again uses barely any electricity.
Some examples of good foods to bulk cook are tray bakes (you could fit 2 big trays in the oven at the same time and get lots of portions out of it), curries, slow cooker stews, soups, pasta dishes, sauces, chilli con carne, lasagne and so much more. One of the most energy efficient methods of cooking that also tastes great and allows you to bulk cook is slow cooker. Plus, you can buy cheaper cuts of meat and slow cook them, so they become so tender, again saving money without having to make big sacrifices or changes to how you live. You might even find some of your favourite recipes!
Look Into More Significant Home Energy Improvements
If you have more budget available and you want to make longer term home improvements, then you should look into some of these options.
Solar panels are a fantastic renewable energy source that could help you to cut down the energy you need to purchase to barely anything, or even 0. Your solar panels can collect energy that you’ve not used at the time for later use, or it can also be sold back to the grid so you can make money. You should also try to use energy when it’s sunny outside to help maximise the use of your solar panels, for example, running your washing machine when it’s sunny.
Another good option if you have a conservatory is to look into conservatory roof insulation. So much heat is lost through the roof of a conservatory as often they’re barely insulated. You can get insulation fitted that can make your space much warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, making it an extra livable space all year round, as well as reducing potential damp and unusual smells. Insulating your loft and walls are further options to help you reduce the energy entering or leaving your home at different times of the year. Whilst these are more costly, they certainly have the most impact.