Electricity prices are soaring and money’s getting tighter. It hardly seems fair does it?
Thankfully, there are many ways which you can cut down on your electricity use at home. Follow this simple checklist to save yourself those vital pennies. Below is a simple checklist for saving money on your home electricity bill:
Lights
Get into the habit of turning all the lights when you leave a room. It won’t take long until it’s something you do without thinking.
If you’re turning on lights during the day, take a moment to ask yourself why. Do you need the light on at all? Could you sit by the window, or do it outside?
Turn on one large light, rather than many small ones. A single 100 watt bulb uses less electricity and will light your room better than two 60 watt bulbs.
Buy energy-saving bulbs. They do exactly what you think they will.
Install timer switches or motion detectors for your outside lights. It can be easy to forget to turn outdoor lights off before going to bed and you may not notice in the daylight.
The Fridge
Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut, as much as possible. Thinking about what you want is one thing; leaving the door open while you go and pour the milk onto your cereal is another. Try not to chill your entire kitchen.
Clean the coils inside your fridge every 3-4 months. It’ll feel odd, but the appliance will work much more efficiently this way.
If possible, cool hot food before placing it in the fridge. This will save electricity and prevent unwanted condensation, too.
Laundry
Make sure your washing-machine/tumble-dryer/dishwasher is full, before you use it. If that muddy pair of jeans can wait until the next load, just let it be.
When drying clothes, do several loads in one go. This transfers the heat generated in the first place and helps save energy.
Clean the filter on your tumble-dryer after every load.
Other Appliances
Try to cut down on your time spent in the shower. Chances are see the shower as a place where you’re free from interruptions. Relax, by all means, but don’t do it when your electric’s heating unnecessary water.
When you leave the house for longer than a day, turn everything off at the switch. Appliances can often use electricity, even when you think they’re turned off.
So don’t forget to turn off all your appliances, and stand-by should be avoided at all costs.
Image courtesy of energyufo.com
Thom Barley Hunt is an advisor for www.electricityprices.org.uk the UK’s leading specialist comparison site for home energy, see what you could do today!
