Cost Saving Tips
With the cost of electricity bills souring it’s important to be energy savvey, here are some simple energy saving tips to help you keep the cost of your energy bills down and reduce your electricity bill.
Buying New Appliances
When you are considering purchasing a new appliance always check the energy rating. A+ are currently the most energy efficient. If you are purchasing a new TV check to see if it has an auto standby function, this will switch the TV to standby if it is left on for long periods of time. When an appliance is not in use always switch it off at the plug as some appliances still draw power in standby mode.
Electricity Monitors
Many of the energy providers will now send you a free energy monitor where you can see in real time the amount of energy (kW hrs) and the cost of energy you are currently using, some of the monitors will also display your energy usage history.
Electric Lighting
There are currently many types of energy saving lamps available today, the most modern is LED. As an example a kitchen with 8 recessed halogen GU10 230V 50W spot lights totals 400 watts, if you replace these lamps with 7W LED versions which give out the same light output you can reduce the power consumption to 56 watts, that’s a saving of 344 watts. LED lamps also last much longer than standard halogen GU10 lamps. As with anything though cheap lamps = poor quality, always use a recognised brand. If you have external lighting consider replacing them with fittings which have built-in detectors so they will automatically switch on and off as and when required.
Electric Heating
Old electric heating can be very energy hungry, consider upgrading old outdated heaters with modern energy efficient versions with built-in timers and thermostats. For manually controlled electric wall heaters an electrician can replace the existing switched fused spur (wall switch) for one which has a built-in timer to control when it turns on and off. Economy 7 heating can also be another option. For heated towel rails most people leave them on 24/7, you can also add a control timer to switch it on and off at the most likely times it would be required i.e. at bath times. Electric under floor heating systems when set up correctly can be fairly efficient, try turning the control temperature down a notch, you may not even notice the difference in temperature. Timers can also be fitted to control immersion heaters, again a lot of people leave them on 24/7. If it’s not required, don’t heat empty rooms.
General Tips
Switch lights off when you leave a room for a period of time, remember to unplug your phone and laptop chargers when you are not actually charging them, switch off all appliances at the plug or local isolator when you are not using them, turn down the brightness of your TV, turn down the stat to your fridge (not too low though), turn down the heating by a notch (not so it’s too cold though), keep a watchful eye on your electricity bill every month, compare energy deals with other providers….off is the new on!
Being energy savvy is one thing but taking it to the extreme is another, never compromise the safety of yourself or others.
Being energy savvy is one thing but taking it to the extreme is another, never compromise the safety of yourself or others.
Remember, when its not in use – switch it off!
Below is an excerpt from the electrical safety council website on energy saving tips
Energy-Saving Light Bulbs – A bright idea
They last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs, and use around 80% less energy. An energy-saving light bulb produces the same amount of light at 13-18w as the more traditional 60w bulb. This reduces energy costs and saves you up to £60 over the lifetime of the energy-saving light bulb.
Stand-by – Switching off is being switched on
You can reduce your electricity bill and avoid emitting CO2, simply by not leaving your appliances on stand-by. Switch them off at the plug.
Washing Machines – Be cool
90% of the energy a washing machine uses goes towards heating the water. A 30°C wash could save over a third of the energy you use when compared to washing at higher temperatures.
Tumble Dryers – The fuller the better
When putting a load into your dryer, ensure you do a full load, but don’t overload. Tumble dryers consume more energy than most washing machines. In fact, it’s much cheaper and better for the environment to use a washing line or a clothes horse if you can. If you do need to use a tumble dryer, make sure you use a fast spin on your washing, as this removes more of the water.
Dishwashers – The fuller the better
Only use your dishwasher when you have a full load as a half load uses the same amount of energy. If possible, stop the dishwasher’s cycle when it gets to the drying stage, open the dishwasher up, and let the load dry naturally.
Kettles – A cupful is better than a kettle-full
Only put in the amount of water you need, as over-filling each time wastes energy and money.
Fridges/Freezers – Buying a new appliance?
Look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo. These more efficient appliances could save you as much as €30 a year.