How to save energy at home

One of the simplest energy saving tips is turning your heating down a single degree. You might not think such a small amount would make a difference – but according to the Energy Saving Trust, going from 20C to 19C (for example) can cut your heating bill by 10%. For the average 3-bed house, that could be up to £145 every year.

Got a combi boiler? The default boiler flow temperature is normally set at 70 degrees. Reduce it to 55-60 degrees to save up to 6% on your energy use. Your boiler will work much more efficiently, and you won’t even notice the difference. Sound complicated? It really isn’t!

You may have heard that it’s cheaper to leave the heating on all day. That’s a myth. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the best way is to only have the heating on when you need it.

When you use your boiler timer and room thermostat along with radiator temperature controls (TRVs), you’ll have the most energy-efficient approach to heating your home.

3: Move your furniture away from radiators

Big items of furniture can stop the heat from a radiator reaching the rest of the room. Got a bed or sofa right next to a radiator? Move it at least an inch or two away. This will improve the air circulation and you’ll notice the room gets warm and cosy much faster.

4: Wash your clothes at a lower temperature to save energy

Most of us wash at 40C out of habit, but modern washing powders work well at temperatures as low as 20C. Why not try making 30C your standard wash? The lower the temperature, the more energy you’ll save. Although it’s probably best to wash bedding, towels and underwear at a higher temperature – at least 40C.

5: Keep the heat in by closing the curtains at night

Warmth starts to escape from your home when the sun goes down and temperatures start to drop. Closing all the curtains or blinds in your home is a simple but effective way of stopping heat loss – especially if you have older windows.

6: Switch off the lights

Little things can really add up to save energy at home over the long term. Leaving a light on in an empty room won’t cost you much, but always remembering to switch them off when you leave a room can help bring your annual electricity bill down.

7: Keep the oven closed while cooking

We all do it sometimes. But when you open the oven door, some of the heat escapes – and then your oven needs to use more energy to reach the right temperature again. Getting into the habit of using the oven’s window can help save money over time.

8: Use the microwave more to save electricity

They’re not great for everything, but you can’t argue with the energy-efficiency of a microwave. Cooking accounts for around 14% of electricity demand in UK homes, so using the microwave more is a simple way of saving energy in the kitchen. Air fryers and slow cookers also use far less energy than your hob or oven too.

9: Dry your clothes more efficiently

Tumble dryers are handy but energy hungry. So, dry your laundry outside when you can to save on energy bills. And if you dry on a radiator, hang clothes nearby rather than directly on the radiator. Wet clothes cool the radiator, which makes your boiler work harder to keep things cosy.

If you do need to use the tumble dryer, using the auto-dry setting is better than using a timed cycle.

10: Defrost your fridge and freezer

The fridge and freezer are some of the biggest energy users in your kitchen. And they’re also working 24 hours a day, unlike other appliances. Regularly defrosting them keeps ice under control and means everything can work efficiently.

11: Bleed your radiators

This sounds a bit technical, but it’s surprisingly simple and can make your heating system more efficient. If you have cold spots on your radiator, bleeding them can really help. Here’s our engineer to show you how.

12: Use eco mode whenever you can

Lots of household appliances have eco modes which are designed to use less energy – usually by running at different speeds or lower temperatures. Try using these as your standard option and you should see real savings over time.

13: Try to always wash a full load

Get in the habit of only using your dishwasher or washing machine when it’s full to save on electric. In fact, a full dishwasher can be more efficient with water and energy than washing by hand. So, there’s some good news!

14: Keep your appliances clean for efficiency

Clean the lint filter of your tumble dryer as often as possible. This will save energy by making sure it runs properly. Similarly, if you can access the back of your fridge, give the coils a quick hoover every now and then to keep it working efficiently.

15: Pick the right hob for the pot

Choose the ring that’s closest in size to the saucepan to minimise energy waste. And consider using a steamer to cook different things on the same ring. If you’re looking to replace your old hob, research induction hobs – they’re the most energy-efficient type on the market today.

16: Switch off preheat on your combi boiler

Got a combi boiler? The preheat option means you get hot water quicker. But that convenience does use extra energy. So if you want to get your bills down a bit, check your boiler’s manual for instructions on how to turn it off.

If you’ve got a bit of money to spend, you’ll be able to save even more energy and make a big difference to your energy bills. From inexpensive fixes to next-level investments, here are our favourites.

Today’s homes are full of gadgets. If you want to save on your energy bills, a good starting point is to understand exactly how much energy all these different appliances use.

If you’ve got a smart meter, your display unit will often have a handy ‘energy consumption now’ feature hidden in the options. This is a useful way of getting a live snapshot of how much electricity is being used at any one time.

You can switch off anything optional like TVs or ovens to see how much energy your “always-on” devices use. And then switching on different appliances one at a time will give you a good idea of which are biggest energy-guzzlers in your home.