Are you guilty of bad habits that drain your bank account?
From raiding the fridge to forgetting to draw the curtains...
CUTTING our thirst for energy has never felt more important. With the Chancellor having now slashed the length of the Energy Price Guarantee to just six months, it’s vital to start getting your usage down now to avoid an even heftier bill in the spring.
Last month, Lakeland, the homewares retailer, conducted a survey that showed an impressive 89 per cent of us have already begun to take active measures in an attempt to save energy — the most common move being to turn off lights in rooms that aren’t being used. It’s great that one in eight people have got themselves out of that particular bad energy habit, which could save the average household £25 a year.
It might seem like a drop in the ocean. But small measures add up. In fact, by quitting these ten common bad habits, it’s possible to shave more than £1,000 a year off your energy bills.
1. LEAVING APPLIANCES ON STANDBY
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Many appliances use up energy while in standby mode. So one of the simplest changes you can make is to turn devices such as TVs, computers and games consoles off at the plug when you’re not using them.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
£65 If some of your plug sockets are hard to reach, use a standby savers plug — you can buy a set of three for less than £20. You can then block power to the appliance via a remote control.
2. OVERFILLING THE KETTLE
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Instead of filling the kettle for every cup of tea, use the mug to measure how much water you need. Just make sure you reach the minimum-fill amount for your particular brand of kettle, otherwise you could damage the heating element.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: £13 HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
Fitting an aerator onto your existing kitchen tap reduces the amount of water coming out without affecting how it washes or rinses. An aerator is a small gadget with tiny holes — they attach to the spout of taps and are cheap and easy to install — and could save you an additional £30 a year.
3. DISHWASHER BEING RUN ONLY HALF-FULL
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Only switch on your dishwasher when it’s full. Using it when it’s half-full is an expensive way of staying on top of the pots. A wash typically costs 32.5p irrespective of how full the machine is.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING:
Reducing your dishwasher use by just one run per week could save you £17 over the year. But if you’re a persistent half-loader you could turn eight loads a week into four and save an impressive £68 a year.
If you’re due a dishwasher upgrade then the most efficient dishwashers on the market have an A-rating, which the Energy
HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
Saving Trust says cost about £45 less per year to run than the lowest rated dishwashers.
4. USING THE TUMBLE DRYER
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: A 9kg condenser tumble dryer typically costs £1.77 per cycle when you can line dry clothes outdoors for free on a sunny day.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING:
Reducing usage to three loads a week through the winter months only could save you up to £207.
HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
In winter use an indoor heated airer, which typically cost about 8p an
hour to run, drying cottons in around five hours and bulkier clothes in ten hours. This could save up to a further £60 a year.
5. WASHING CLOTHES TOO HOT
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Modern detergents are formulated to get your clothes clean and fresh at low temperatures, meaning that unless you have an exceptionally dirty load, you can cut energy costs by washing on a 30-degree cycle.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: £34 HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
Only wash your clothes when they’re dirty. It sounds obvious, but if you wash your clothes after every wear then not only will it cost you in energy — the repeated agitation of the fibres in your clothes will reduce how long they last. Anything that still looks clean and hasn’t been worn against your skin can simply be aired before going back in the wardrobe.
6. LEAVING LIGHTS ON IN EMPTY ROOMS
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Turn off the lights in empty rooms. POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: £25
HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER: The Energy Saving Trust recommends replacing lights with LED bulbs. For every 100-watt incandescent bulb you replace with an LED, you could save £15 per bulb per year — switch five bulbs and that’s a further annual saving of £75.
7. LUXURIATING IN THE SHOWER WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
Indulging in a long shower will cost you dear. Limit every member of the household to four-minute showers.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: £95 HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
The Energy Saving Trust suggests that fitting a waterefficient shower head could save an average household up to £195 a year. You can buy one for as little as £20, making this a cheap fix.
8. KEEPING HEATING ON LOW CONSTANTLY
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: It’s a myth, says the Energy Saving Trust, but 46 per cent of us believe it’s cheaper to have the heating on low all the time. Instead, use a thermostat to regulate your home’s temperature so the heating comes on only when it’s needed.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: £145 HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
If you are warm enough, try turning down your thermostat by one degree. You might need another layer of clothing, but this could save you up to another £100 a year.
9. NOT CLOSING CURTAINS AT NIGHT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
Draw your curtains at dusk so they can act as a layer of insulation over your windows. POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: £30
HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
Move furniture away from your radiators and make sure curtains aren’t hanging in front of them so nothing blocks the heat they’re throwing out.
10. FRIDGE AND FREEZER GAZING WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
Decide what you want to eat before you open the fridge or freezer door. Leaving the doors open for ages while you raid your fridge- freezer means it needs to spend more energy getting the temperature back down after you finally close it again. Combine that with not defrosting the freezer section properly and you’re making this appliance work far harder than it needs.
POTENTIAL ANNUAL SAVING: £150 HOW TO GO A STEP FURTHER:
Thawing frozen food in your fridge isn’t just safer — it will also help keep the fridge cooler, which means it uses less energy.