Energy saving tips

With energy prices rising, it’s important to be aware of where you can save on energy. Here are some tips and tricks that could help you make savings on your energy bills throughout the year.

Know how much energy your appliances are using

You can use this calculator to help you understand how much money your appliances cost to use and which ones cost the most.

Bear in mind that some appliances are cost-effective to run so there is no need to avoid using any and all energy. You can use the calculator to become more aware of what uses up energy in your home.

Contact Energy Advice London

Contact Energy Advice London on 0808 196 8260 for free advice on saving energy and water, reducing energy bills, accessing financial support, installing renewables and more. All support is impartial and delivered by in-house experts at Energy Saving Trust. You can visit their website to get advice today.

Energy Advice London also have a very handy directory of services to help you access specific support in your local area.

Turn your thermostat down by 1 degree

Cutting your central heating temperature by just 1°C will make a big difference to the amount of energy you use. You could save about £100 a year on average for a typical home.

The Energy Saving Trust recommends heating your home to between 18 – 21°C during winter. It is not safe to go below 18°C if you are elderly, ill, or have small children.

Save money by making simple changes to your boiler settings

Check out our page on saving money using your boilers and radiators for quick and easy steps to optimise your boiler settings. 

Ways to save by installing or re-fitting things around the home

Check out our top tips for installing or re-fitting things around the home. From LED lightbulbs and thermostatic radiator valves to low-cost secondary glazing, there are various energy efficient options out there. 

Optimise your washing machine, dishwasher, kettle and tumble dryer

Doing a full load in your washing machine or dishwasher every other day is more efficient and uses less energy than doing regular half-loads. If you wash up by hand, use a bowl and not a running tap.

If you use a tumble dryer, see if you can cut down on your use as they eat up a lot of energy – air dry your clothes if possible. For kettles, only boil the amount of water you need.

And for all appliances, use eco mode where you can to save energy.

Optimise fridge and freezer use

Defrost fridges and freezers regularly and don’t leave the door open longer than necessary. Avoid putting warm food into a fridge or freezer as it makes them work harder – allow food to cool down first.

Replace regular lightbulbs with LED lightbulbs

Replace old style lightbulbs with LED bulbs. LED lightbulbs use about half the energy of the bigger fluorescent spiral bulbs (even if they are labelled 'energy-saving’ bulbs).

Dodge the draught!

Fit draught excluders on doors, letter boxes, key holes and close curtains at night to keep the heat in.

Don’t leave things on standby

Don’t leave things switched on when they’re not needed such as lights, or any other appliance on standby.

Cut shower time by 1 minute

Cutting just a minute off your shower time could save you £207 a year in energy bills, and a further £105 a year in water bills if you have a meter – that’s a saving of £312 a year for an average four-person household.

Keep lids on saucepans when cooking

Keeping the lids on saucepans will keep the heat in the food, and you’ll be able to turn down the gas or electricity and save money. Also make sure to use the right size ring for the saucepan you are using.

Use the microwave or an air fryer instead of the oven when you can

Microwaves and air fryers use less energy than ovens – e.g. cooking a jacket potato, cooking it in the microwave uses 25  per cent of the energy it takes to cook it in the oven.

Don’t cover radiators with furniture or curtains

Check furniture isn’t too close to radiators or storage heaters – this blocks heat from the rest of the room. Tuck curtains behind the radiator and close internal doors at night to keep heat in.