Energy bills are set to rise again this winter
and pile more pressure on families during the cost of living crisis. The energy price cap - which is currently set at £1,971 for someone with typical use, paying by direct debit - is expected to rise again when it is reviewed in October.
2. Wash your clothes on 30 Washing your clothes at 30 degrees compared to a higher setting uses around 40% less energy. This is because your washing machine has to work harder to heat up the water to a hotter temperature. 6 . Use your dishwasher more efficiently Uswitch says there is “no absolute proof” to determine whether a dishwasher is more energy efficient than washing by hand. If you do have a dishwasher, make sure you’re on an eco setting, wait until you’ve got a full load - and clear your machine regularly to avoid having to re-wash.
10. Don’t charge your phone overnight It’s also important not to leave things plugged in overnight unnecessarily - for example, your mobile phone. Once the phone is fully charged, it still continues to use energy even in standby mode. 14. Try tin foil behind your radiators You can buy sheets of reflective sticky-back aluminium foil - which work by bouncing heat back into the room - for £7.59 from Screwfix. Some online hacks claim you can replicate the same effect with regular tin foil - although there isn’t enough evidence to back this up. Asda tin foil starts at 68p - so you wouldn’t be spending a lot of money testing this theory out.
18. Swap the bath for a shower Swapping a long bath for a four-minute just once a week could save you £12 a year on your energy bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust. You could also save an extra £7 on your water bills. 22. Keep your hob clean A dirty hob with burnt-on food and grease will use more energy, as it will take longer for the heat to come through. Always remember to give it a good clean to help lower your bill and cook time.
26. Keep the oven door shut Your oven loses heat every time you open the door - it then uses more energy to get it back up to temperature. Uswitch says an oven can sometimes lose as much as 25 degrees in heat when you open the door. 30. Switch to LED light bulbs Energy Saving Trust says you save between £1 and £4 per year for every traditional or halogen bulb you switch to an LED. While it would cost you in the short-term to replace every bulb - approximately £145 for the average household - you could save £40 per year.
34. Close your curtains in the evening Keeping your curtains shut in the evening reduces heat loss by up to 17%, according to researchers at the University of Salford. If you don't have curtains, blinds may also be able to help keep in heat, though to a lesser degree. 38. Check your energy bill carefully You should also read your energy bill carefully to make sure you’re not being overcharged. If there's a sudden increase or decrease but you haven’t changed your usage, get in touch with your supplier.
42. Turn down the boiler temperature Most boilers are set at a higher temperature than they need to be - with most experts recommending that they should be at 55 degrees for a natural gas boiler. You save roughly 6% to 8% for every 10 degrees you take it down a notch.
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