Energy Saving Top Tips from Team WRc

We are all guilty of turning on the light as we enter a room, but we should stop and consider: does the light actually need to be on? Ensure curtains and blinds are fully open and you may find you can go all day without needing to flick the light switch during summer. Similarly, the light does not need to be on when nobody is in the room. Get into the habit of using the light switch as you come and go past it.

While ‘standby’ is a convenient feature of almost all electrical appliances, items should be switched off at the plug when not in use. This will not upset the programming or function of the appliance when turned back on, but it will prevent items from drawing a constant low-level supply of power.

If you have a slow cooker (or are able to invest in one from around ￡20), aim to use it more often. Slow cookers are energy efficient because they use a very low current and rely on trapped heat to cook food (so you should avoid repeatedly taking the lid off!) Interestingly, a slow cooker running for 8-9 hours uses about 1300 watts, far lower than using a standard oven for 60 minutes of cooking, making it a sensible choice for curries, stews and large pieces of meat.

Keeping your freezer full will also help you save energy. Every time the freezer door is opened, warm air rushes into the empty space which forces the freezer to work harder and use more energy to cool the air and maintain a low temperature. A cheap, easy way to maximise your freezer’s efficiency without buying excess food is to fill some bottles with water and use them to occupy the empty space. ?

We have all heard ‘Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth!’ and it is a small but important tip to remember. Needlessly leaving the tap running while we brush our teeth is quite literally ‘pouring money down the drain’. Similarly, you can save water by having shorter showers and turning the water off when you aren’t standing under it – like when you are shampooing your hair.

Check if you are on an ‘Economy 7’ tariff and if so, avoid running your washing machine and tumble dryer at peak times when energy demand is highest and most expensive (usually 4-7pm). More unsociable hours, like between 10pm and 5am, will have the lowest energy prices so you should take advantage of this – as long as you will be awake for the duration of the cycle (as per fire safety guidance.)

Drying your wet washing outside in windy and warm weather will help you dodge the steep energy prices. Even if you do have to invest in a washing line or airer, you will still save money in the long run compared to relying on a tumble dryer alone.

Another good habit to adopt is layering up at home. Wearing slippers, putting on a jumper, or using a blanket before reaching to turn up the heating will all help minimise your energy consumption, particularly with the rise in working from home in recent years. You could also consider turning off radiators if you have any spare or rarely used rooms in your house.?