J.C. talks about: Energy Saving

LIFE HACKS WITH J.C. – PART 1: ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Winter is here again, and, as is usual each year, thoughts turn naturally to Christmas with all its attendant fun and razzmatazz. For many this is the long-awaited and enjoyable part of the season. However, for some it can mean debt and the arduous task of scrimping and saving to pay essential household bills.

Before you commit yourself to investing hard-earned cash in more powerful energy saving solutions (and there are some good ones out there), here are a few tips you can implement today that will make an enormous difference to the size of your electricity bills.

Energy Saving Tip 1: Turn off unnecessary appliances

This is a tip we all know, but it’s easy to let good habits slip!

Remember to turn off all lights when you leave a room or don’t need them, as well as all domestic appliances and electronic devices when they’re not in use.

And by turning off we REALLY MEAN TURNING OFF. Avoid using standby mode which actually continues to use energy when you’re not using it.

The easiest way to introduce this into your daily routine is to use multi-socket plugs. That way you can switch them all off at once when going to bed, for example.

This simple measure can save you a significant amount of energy and reduce your electric bills by c. £65 per year.

Energy Saving Tip 2: Amend your approach to cooking

It’s no surprise that a lot of energy consumption takes place in the kitchen. The following tips will help you save precious energy while cooking:-

·       Use lids on pans:  they prevent steam from leaking out, making sure that all the heat stays in the pan. This should ensure that food cooks faster, - and could reduce your energy consumption by up to 90%.

·       Use the microwave: if you only need to heat some food it’s better to use your microwave. The microwave uses less energy.

·       Consider batch cooking:  when you need to use your oven make the most of it by batch cooking. Instead of having to use your oven 3 times for different individual meals, all your meals will only require a single use and can then be rapidly reheated as required.

·       Use only the amount of water you need in the kettle:  the more water you add to your kettle the longer it takes to heat, using useless energy for hot water you  won’t need. You can save around £46 per year with this simple trick.

Energy Saving Tip 3: Air your home regularly

If you’re not fortunate enough to have a mechanised ventilation system it’s vital that you air out your home. A house with no air passing through it can lead to more humid air. Humidity can cause mould, leading to damage to your home as well as health problems. Surprisingly, in cold weather humid air can make you feel colder. This is because water in the air condenses on your skin, making you feel chilly.

A few useful tips:-

·       Use extractors when cooking and a fan in the bathroom. Alternatively, leave windows open to allow humid air to escape.

·       Leave all your windows open for 5 – 10 minutes a day. This is more effective than having a window open on tilt all day, - especially during warm days.

Humidity can also cause heat to stay inside which can lead to higher temperatures in your home during summer months.

To avoid using air conditioning or electric fans:

·       Try to air out your home during the night or in the early hours of the day to release humid air.

·       Reduce air humidity by cooking with pan lids; dry washing outside if possible, and by keeping showers short. This last point not only saves you money on electricity, but can also save you money on water usage, - particularly if you are on a water meter. Utilising an egg timer when having a shower can lead to surprising savings. You can do a lot of washing in 3 – 4 minutes!!

Energy Saving Tip 4: Heat the person, not the space

If you’re feeling the chill but you’re not freezing, then you might not need to put the central heating on or turn up the thermostat. Instead, try investing in some good quality jumpers and/or blankets and hot water bottle. Not only will this create a snug and cosy vibe, it’ll warm you up while saving energy.

On a similar note, turning the heating off in rooms which aren’t used, and keeping the doors closed, will stop cold air seeping into living spaces so you’re not paying to heat empty space.

If you do need to resort to the central heating system, for whatever reason, consider reducing the set temperature on your thermostat by a degree or two. This can make an enormous difference to bills over the course of a year.

Energy Saving Tip 5: Install a programmable thermostat

Programmable thermostats, such as Nest Learning Thermostat or the Hive Smart Thermostat, automatically adjust the temperature of your home based on the time of day and whether anyone is home or not. They can also ensure a consistent temperature throughout the time you’re at home, and manage which rooms should be heated or not.

These devices are a great investment to help reduce energy usage, and save on heating and cooling costs.

Energy Saving Tip 6: Replace your light bulbs

If you’re still not using LED light bulbs, this might be the perfect moment to replace any old style light bulbs you have. LED light bulbs use up to 75% less energy as they heat while still offering the same level of quality lighting. In addition, their lifespan is 25 times longer than that of traditional incandescent bulbs. Therefore, it’s a “win win” situation in terms of saving energy and money!!

If you have a number of multi-bulb fitments in your home, it can be a good idea to remove one or two bulbs from each fitment to save energy and cash. This shouldn’t result in a drastic lowering of lighting levels.

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