Reducing the amount of energy in our homes is good for our wallets and our planet. Sometimes, however, it’s easy to forget to switch off an appliance that’s not in use, or overfill a kettle, all little things that add up over time. We’ve made this list of a few ways you can save energy around the house. 

This is one of the benefits of having smart meters and an IHD. By monitoring your usage in real time, you can directly see what is costing you money, and see instant results in any changes you may make to how you use your appliances. In fact, according to the Energy Saving Trust you could find that your energy usage drops by between 5% and 15% in the first year of using an in-home display. 

  • If you don’t already have one, we’d wholeheartedly recommend having a smart meter installed. Installation is free of charge, and the Energy Saving Trust estimates that home energy usage drops by 5%-15% in the first year of using a smart mere in conjunction with an in-home display. Find out more about our smart meter installation service here. 
  • Get into the habit of turning lights off when you leave a room. 
  • Replace your bulbs with energy-saving versions and you’ll find that you spend a lot less over the lifetime of the bulb when compared to less-efficient equivalents. 
  • Draught excluders on your doors and older windows keep cold air out and warm air in, which is good for your heating bills. 
  • Ensure your home is properly insulated against heat loss. 
  • Use your kettle to boil water rather than the hob, and only boil what you need. Also, keep your kettle free of limescale so it operates at maximum efficiency. 
  • When cooking, resist the urge to open the oven door to check on the food where possible. Each time the door is opened means a drop in the oven temperature, meaning more energy being used to get it back up once the door is closed. 
  • Turn your oven off a few minutes before your food is cooked, and let the residual heat finish the cooking process without consuming energy. 
  • Turn everything that’s in standby mode completely off, and you’ll save around £30 a year. You can buy power strips that allow you to do this at the push of a button. 
  • Drop the washing machine from 40 degrees to 30 and you’ll save a bundle on your electricity bills. 
  • On the subject of washing - do your clothes need to be tumble dried every time? Reduce your reliance on the tumble dryer, and you’ll reduce your energy usage considerably. 
  • Perhaps an obvious one, but when your appliances wear out, replace them with energy-efficient models and you’ll save in the long run. 
  • Turn the thermostat down, you’ll save around £50 per degree per year. 
  • Clean the fridge and defrost the freezer. A frosty freezer can quietly add quite a lot to your bills across the year, so make sure you keep on top of it. 
  • Install a water-efficient shower head to keep the water pressure high and the energy consumption low. 

These are a few things to bear in mind to bring your usage down, save money and go greener. For more tips on how to save energy in the home, you may also want to check these great guides from the Energy Saving Trust and Which?