Easy ways to save energy

Making sure you’re not paying more than you need to starts with understanding your energy bill and checking whether it’s the cheapest option available for your energy use. Our guide to how to get the best deal for your energy has information on: 

• how to understand your bill
• how to find your energy supplier
• the difference between the different energy tariffs available; and 
• information on whether you could be eligible for support to pay your energy bills. 

You can save energy and money by turning off appliances such as TVs and games consoles at the plug instead of leaving them on standby. You can switch off most appliances without disrupting their programming, but if you're not sure, check the manual.

You could save around £45 just by  remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode.

If you wash your laundry at eco or 30 degrees when you can, you'll save money and carbon dioxide because less energy is used to heat the water. Always make up a full load to reduce the number of loads and the energy you use.

You could save £26 a year by washing at 30 degrees and reducing your washing machine use by one load a week.

Tumble dryers are one of the most energy-consuming home appliances. If you can, dry your clothes outside. If you can't, dry clothes on racks inside a well-ventilated room. For example, line drying your clothes for three months in the summer could save you around £50 a year.

Using a dehumidifier is a great way to dry clothes indoors much more cheaply than a tumble dryer, and it will help combat condensation and damp too.

Using a lamp? Turn off the big light to save electricity. Remember to switch off lights when you leave a room to help cut your bill; this could help you save around £7 a year.

You could save even more by using low-energy light bulbs in each fixture too.

Spending less time in the shower saves money. If you keep your shower time to just four minutes, you could save £45 a year. Using a shower timer can help you do this. 

Switching off the water when you're conditioning your hair or shaving can help cut the time too. If everyone in your home does this, the savings can add up, especially if you have an electric shower.
 

If you love baths, try swapping one bath a week to a four-minute shower instead. If you do this, you could save £10 a year.

When boiling a kettle, make sure you only boil enough water for what you need. If you're only making a cup of tea, you can get kettles that have cup markers to help you fill them to the right level.

If you avoid overfilling the kettle, you could save £10 a year on your electricity bill.

Only use the dishwasher when it's full to reduce the number of times you run it. Reducing your dishwasher use by just one load a week could save you £10 a year.

Don't overfill it. You can find tips online about how to load it properly and consider using the eco setting. You can also let items air dry at the end of the cycle.

According to the World Health Organization, the lowest comfortable temperature for most people is between 18 and 21 degrees. Some people may need it higher for health reasons.

If you're feeling warm enough, try turning down the thermostat by one degree to reduce the amount of energy you're using. If you turned down the thermostat from 22 degrees to 21 degrees, for example, you could save £120 a year. You might not even notice the difference.

Turn down radiators in rooms you're not using and, if you're out during the day, set your timer to match your routine.

Read more about thermostats and heating controls.

If your home feels draughty, draught-proofing is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to make it more comfortable and cut energy waste. Simple measures like fitting insulation strips around windows and doors can help stop cold air getting in and warm air escaping.

Draught-proofing around windows and doors could save around £25 a year on your energy bills.

You can buy draught-proofing materials from most DIY shops, and many are quick and easy to install yourself. If you have an open fireplace, fitting a chimney draught excluder could save around £45 a year. Just remember to remove it before lighting a fire.

Draught-proofing is only worthwhile if your home has unwanted draughts. If your home is already well sealed, blocking ventilation paths could reduce the fresh airflow that's important for keeping your home healthy and helping to prevent damp and condensation.

If you have a hot water cylinder and it has a loose 25mm jacket, why not top it up with a British Standard Jacket (80mm thick)? Doing this will help you save £45 a year.

You can find out more about insulating tanks, pipes and radiators on Energy Saving Trust’s website.