Lower energy costs at home can save money and it’s possible through a mixture of know-how and action. Here are some simple tips to do so.

  1. Track Heating and Hot Water Usage

According to the Energy Saving Trust, more than 50% of all energy bills go to heating and hot water. Thanks to the thermostat, you can have the room warm enough, and hot water just the way you like it. You can also use the thermostat to lower energy consumption on heating as well. All you need is turn the temperature a few degrees down. This could see you saving up to $100 in a year.

  1. Keep the Curtains Closed

Simply drawing your curtains at dusk helps stop heat from escaping the house. This means the house heater won’t have to strain to keep the house warm. You should also ensure doors, windows, and other openings are tightly closed to prevent draught. Doing this will save you approximately $50 per year.

  1. Turn Off Devices Not in Use

Most electronic devices today are designed to switch to standby mode when not in use. Although this helps cut down on energy consumption, these devices will continue drawing some power. Turning these devices off entirely, however, prevents energy wastage hence the best step to take.

  1. Investing in a Smart Timer

A programmable thermostat will come in handy in keeping your home warm, and turn off the heater when no one is home. These timers also turn on the heater a few minutes before you arrive home. Setting the timer to do this should save you lots of energy at the end of the day.

  1. Be Sensible with Kitchen Appliances

Used sensibly, kitchen appliances can help save more than $100 in energy bills per year. One of the best ways to use your kitchen appliances is by using a filled-up sink to wash the utensils instead of a running tap. Only boil the amount of water you need with the kettle, and schedule laundry to just one cycle per week.  This should help save both energy and water as well.

  1. Replace Normal Bulbs with LED Ones

LED lights use 90% less energy as compared to halogen bulbs.  A typical home uses at least 15% of energy on lighting. Replacing all bulbs with led lights can, therefore, help save you lots of energy and money in a year. The Energy Saving Trust approximates the savings to not less than $35 per year.

Although the upfront costs of investing in LED light fixtures may be a little high, long-term saving from the same are quite significant. LED bulbs have a much longer lifespan when compared to halogen bulbs, hence a worthy investment at the end of it all.

  1. Fix Leaky Taps

Leaky taps contribute to enormous energy and water bills at the end of the month. A leaking hot water tap wastes enough water to fill a bathtub in a week.

  1. Ditch the Tumble Dryer

The tumble dryer is only meant to dry your clothes in record time. Although convenient, these dryers use up lots of energy per cycle. Nonetheless, leaving your clothes to dry in a rack or airing ladder can save you lots of energy in a year. Air dried clothes also have a fresher smell hence the best option and especially in warmer and windy days.

  1. Do an Energy Audit

An energy audit can help you identify areas that need to be addressed to lower energy usage. You can also take advantage of Energy Savings Trust’s Home Energy Check to work out how you can manage your energy bills.

  1. Only Use the Washing Machine on Full Load

Unknown to many, using the washing machine on full load saves more energy than two half loads. The same applies to the tumble dryer and dishwasher. Simply collect enough clothes for the week to do laundry once instead of several times a week to save energy.

If you want some more help here are 20 ways to cut down on your energy bill.