It's important to regularly put your heating on to stop your pipes from freezing and because it can be more expensive to keep starting up and stopping your heating.
Here are some tips from Act on Energy that can help to make your home as warm as possible, whilst reducing your energy use and saving money:
- Turn your thermostat down by one degree. Most people will not notice the difference - and an extra jumper can always help. The ideal room temperature is between 18 and 21 degrees, but do consider if this is warm enough for anyone who has a vulnerability. This could save you up to 10% a year on your bill.
- Set your timer to come on 15 to 30 minutes before you need it, and switch off 30 minutes before you leave or go to bed.
- Switch to low energy lightbulbs. LEDs use about 90% less energy than standard bulbs. They are more expensive to buy but last up to 12 times longer. Turning off lights in rooms when you do not need them could save about £25 a year.
- Wash your clothes on the lowest heat setting. 90% of a washing machine’s energy is used to heat up the water. Reducing your number of washes by one cycle a week will save about £34 a year. Tumble dryers also use a lot of energy, so whenever possible dry your clothes outside on a line.
- Switch appliances off ‘stand-by’. This could typically save about £65 a year.
- Insulate a hot water tank. It will pay for itself within six months.
- Reduce your shower time. It's easy to lose track of time, so try setting an alarm for three to four minutes. You could save about £95 a year.
- Thick curtains help to keep the heat in. Keep them tucked behind radiators and close them at dusk to avoid heat escaping through glass.
- Draught proof your home. Check doors, letterboxes, windows, loft hatches and floorboards for draughts. Move furniture away from radiators to let warm air circulate.
- Be savvy in the kitchen. Only boil the amount of water you need when you need it and you could save £13 a year; keep a lid on your saucepan to trap the heat; use the dishwasher only when it is full and reduce use by one cycle a week to potentially save £17 a year; turn the oven off a few minutes earlier and use residual heat to finish cooking. Using a microwave will also be cheaper than using the oven. Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly for maximum efficiency and close the door immediately when not in use.
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Did you know...
Through a free collaboration between the government and Amazon, anyone asking Alexa how to reduce their energy bill will now receive the latest government advice on preparing their home for winter and using less energy in the long-term - which could save at least £100 a year.
Phrases which will prompt Alexa include “Alexa, give me some energy saving tips”, “Alexa, give me tips to conserve energy” and “Alexa, give me tips to get ready for winter”.