Top Tips

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Top tips

  1. Turn off the light when you leave a room
    Lighting accounts for at least 10-15% of the electricity bill.1
  2. Don't leave your TV, hi-fi or computer on when you don't need to
    Remembering to always switch them off when you go out or leave the room will save a lot of energy in the long run.
  3. Take a shower not a bath
    An ordinary shower uses 40% of the hot water needed for a bath.1
  4. Only boil the amount of water you need in your kettle
    If everyone boiled only the water they needed to make a cup of tea instead of filling the kettle every time, we could save enough electricity to run practically all the street lighting in the country.2
  5. Close curtains and blinds at dusk
    This helps to insulate the windows and keep the heat in your house.
  6. Insulate
    Insulation stops heat escaping from your house: block up gaps around doors, windows and skirting boards; cavity wall insulation and loft insulation stop some of the biggest heat losses.
  7. Check your room temperature and only use the central heating when you need it
    Reducing temperature by just 1°C could cut 10% off your heating bill.
  8. Only use the washing machine/dishwasher when it's full
    Dry your clothes outside and only use tumble dryers if really necessary. These machines produce five million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year1. If you're not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme.
  9. Use lids on saucepans and match ring size to pot
    Use pots and pans just big enough for the amount you are cooking, and use a cooker ring that's just big enough for the pot - otherwise you'll waste energy
  10. If you have one, use a microwave for cooking small items
    Microwaves use less electricity than electric or gas ovens, and don't require pre-heating. For example, an electric oven typically costs about £16 per year to run, whilst a microwave costs £6.40
  11. Avoid setting your washing machine to high temperature settings
    A 40°C wash uses a third less electricity than a 60°C wash1. Go one step further, washing clothes at 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees reduces electricity consumption on average by 41%3.
  12. Allow food to cool before placing in fridge or freezer
    Hot food will raise the temperature in the fridge or freezer, so it has to work harder to keep everything cool.
  13. Check water temperature
    The recommended temperature for hot water is 60°C (140°F).1
  14. Use energy saving light bulbs
    Just one can save you £100 over the lifetime of the bulb - and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs. Most supermarkets and DIY stores sell them now.

1Source: EST
2Source: DEFRA
3Source: http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/ news/release?id=178766

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