Let’s be honest, after years of poor energy planning the country is facing a crisis. Rising energy prices are a double whammy for householders because they also raise inflation, hiking the price of everything else too. That means less cash in your bank to pay those bigger bills. Only the elderly and those on low incomes used to need energy saving tips but now everyone is under pressure. Unfortunately, after years of switching on appliances without thinking, many of us miss obvious opportunities to save energy. Here are just six energy saving ideas.
Baths and showers
Showers use less energy than hot baths, but they aren’t for everyone. Small children and the elderly are safer in a bath and they are an opportunity to de-stress that showers cannot replace. But after you’ve heated all that water, why not use it after you get out? Clothes that only need a rinse to freshen up can easily be hand washed in the bath: it is a lot quicker as well as cheaper than running the washing machine daily instead of weekly.
Microwave ovens
Some people dislike microwaves because they associate them with low-quality pre-cooked supermarket meals. We don’t advocate those, but using a microwave as an accessory to oven cooking is not only cheaper but usually healthier too. You can part pre-cook meals in the microwave before finishing them in your regular oven. It is cheaper, quicker and preserves a lot of nutrients that lengthier methods destroy.
The hob
It’s hard to believe that shops are allowed to sell saucepans without lids. With a lid, you need far less heat, the food cooks faster, it retains its flavour and you avoid filling the house with mildew-feeding moisture. This is one of the simplest energy saving ideas but highly effective.
Heating
Much as we miss the good old fireplace, central heating is now the norm. It is astonishing how many people heat their homes when they are out or heat the whole house when they only need one or two rooms. Surveys repeatedly show that most households squander money by not controlling their central heating. Fitting easy to use timers and on/off valves quickly pays for itself.
Walls and windows
Why waste free heat and light? Everything that clutters the window reduces the light in the room, leading to longer hours with the lights on. It will surprise a lot of people to learn that even on a grey day, daylight also has a significant heating effect on your home – so let it in! Use heavy curtains at night, but make sure they are never left closed in daylight hours and pull well clear of the window when open. White walls and light furnishings also make a big contribution.
Clothing
We know it is obvious, but do you buy sensible clothes? There are enormous differences in the warmth of different fabrics – you don’t have to look like a yeti to be well insulated. The older generation gave us one of the best energy saving tips from times of austerity: if you keep your head and feet warm you don’t need anything else. And double up those thermals: modern ones use comfortable stretch fabrics and are stylish enough to open the door in when the postman knocks.
