How can I make my home more energy efficient?
Whether you watched the latest series of Blue Planet or have been keeping up to date with climate activists like Greta Thunberg, you’re probably aware of the impact we all have on the environment. Cutting down on meat consumption or shopping locally can help to reduce our carbon footprint, but there are also simple changes we can make inside the home.
One of the best things you can do to be greener and save you money at the same time is to improve the energy efficiency in your home. Harry Clarke from our finance team, who is also very passionate about sustainability, talks through some easy everyday hacks.
Turn down your heating
Sometimes, even small changes can make big differences. If you turn down your thermostat by just one degree Celsius you can save around £10 in a year. You’ll barely notice the difference, other than in your bills, and you’ll be helping to protect the planet at the same time.
Programme your heating efficiently
Modern boilers tend to have smart control panels so you can programme exactly when heating and hot water will come on and turn off again. If you know there are days in the week where you don’t tend to use as much hot water, you can programme your heating and save both energy and money.
Draw your curtains in the evening
You may already be in the habit of drawing curtains at night time, for privacy as much as anything else. But what about in rooms you’re not using? Heat escapes less easily from windows when the curtains are closed. So, to keep heat within the home, go around the house at dusk and draw all your curtains and blinds – in every room and not just the living room or kitchen!
Swap a soak for a shower
They may be relaxing, but baths use 40% more water than the average shower. Showers are quicker, more energy efficient, and therefore cheaper than taking a leisurely soak. You don’t have to cut out taking a bath completely to notice the difference. If you shower more regularly than you bath, you will see a drop in how much water and energy you use and pay for.
Double check your taps
A quick double check of the taps after using them will also save water and money. Dripping taps might not seem like they waste much, but it all adds up over time. Over the course of one day a single dripping tap can use as much water as takes to fill an average bath.
Lower the temperature of your washing cycle
Modern detergents and fabric conditioners typically work just as well at lower temperatures as they do for hotter cycles. According to the Energy Saving Trust, washing clothes at 30 degrees uses around 40% less electricity over the course of a year compared to higher temperatures.
Use energy saving light bulbs
Energy-saving light bulbs used to be costly and take a while to reach maximum brightness. Fortunately, though, most modern versions are affordable and much quicker to fully brighten. They use less energy and last a lot longer that standard bulbs - up to 12 times longer - so they’re certainly worth considering.
Wash full loads of both clothes and dirty dishes
In order to save on both water and electricity, you should look to wait until you have full loads before using either a washing machine or dishwasher. If you find yourself having to put a wash on with only a few pieces of clothing, for instance, then be sure to make use of the ‘economy’ setting that most modern washing machines will have as standard. Dishwashers usually have a similar setting, as well.
As part of our approach to environmental sustainability, we’re working towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We want to reduce our carbon footprint by 10 percent every year and to reduce and recycle as much as we possibly can. We’re also working on increase the efficiency of our homes.
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