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People around the country are experiencing higher energy bills due to the energy price hike. We’ve put together some tips you may want to consider to help you reduce your energy use and bills.
Switch off the lights
Switching off the lights – even if it is only off for a few seconds – will take less energy than leaving them on when you leave a room. Fluorescent lights do take a small surge of power when turned on, but this is much smaller than the amount saved by turning them off.
Swap your bath for a quick shower
Swapping from baths to showers can save money and water. And shorter showers will reduce costs even more. Consider putting a timer in your bathroom to help you manage this.
Unplug your devices once they’re fully charged
British Gas estimates that as much as 23% of our electrical usage could be due to devices which are left on standby – these are called vampire appliances. Televisions, set-top boxes and games consoles that sit on standby all use power – and the older the device, the larger the amount of power they consume.
Wash your clothes at a lower temperature
Wash your clothes at 30 degrees rather than higher temperatures – laundry detergents work just as well at lower temperatures. An extra tip is to wait until you have a full load before putting on a wash, to help reduce the number of washes you do, saving water and energy.
Replace light bulbs
Replace your traditional light bulbs with energy-saving ones. An LED bulb lasts longer than a traditional one and is cheaper to run.
Only boil as much water as you need
Filling your kettle with the amount you need, rather than overfilling it, will help to reduce wasted water and it’ll heat your water faster too.
Reheat food in your microwave, not the oven
It’s quicker and more energy efficient to use a microwave to reheat your food, rather than an electric or gas oven.
Adjust your TV settings
Adjust your TV brightness settings, lower the brightness of the screen or switch on the ambient light sensor. Do you often fall asleep with the TV on? If you have a timer function, use it to automatically turn your TV off at a certain time.
Use fans wisely
If you’re using a fan to cool down, make sure you’re using it to its full potential. Positioning them at floor level can help circulate cooler air, rather than the warm air that’s risen up. Another tip is to put a bowl of ice or iced water in front of your fan – that will cool the breeze down even more.
Turn off standby appliances
It’s easy to forget to turn things like the TV off at the plug, or you might avoid it because it’s a bit of a hassle, but it can save you money on your bills.
Make the most of the natural daylight and summer weather
Keep your lights switched off in the day and use the longer days and sunshine to light your home. And keep the curtains and blinds closed in any rooms you’re not using to help keep your house cool.
Our Tenancy Support team are here to help if you’re worried about paying your rent or you’re looking for some help or advice. If you’d like to speak to us, please contact us in the usual way. However, please be aware we’re currently dealing with a high volume of enquiries related to money and benefits - rest assured we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
There’s also lots of other organisations out there providing helpful information and advice: