As long summer evenings stretch into the night, there hasn’t been a better time to do a personal audit on energy usage.
With the heating system resting up and the lights merely on standby is a good time to create an energy strategy and plan for greater efficiency next winter.
what’s using the most energy?
A central heating system is the biggest consumer of energy in the home accounting for about 60% of the overall energy bill. How users operate the heating offers users the greatest potential for savings.
On the appliance front, a good rule of thumb is that any electrical appliance that heats water costs the most. So, the dishwasher, washing machine, electric shower, and immersion top that list. It takes a lot of power to heat the water, thereby pushing the consumption up, and in turn the bill. Fridges and freezers are on all the time and so account for a sizeable amount of the bill. Cooking appliances, especially the oven and hob can also be hard on electricity. And while lighting and electronics do not cost a lot overall, they can add significantly to the annual bill if users use them a lot.
Save energy: top 6 tips
1. Turn the thermostat down
Users can override the timing settings if they’re not at home and forget to turn off the heat
Did the user know that if the user turns the thermostat down by just one degree, the user can reduce the heating bill by 10%? It should be comfortable enough if the user sets it at 18-20°C for the living and working area if a user is working from home. Hallways and bedrooms can be cooler, at between 15-18°C.
Investing in a smart thermostat is also a good idea. It gives the user greater control over the heating system, tracks the energy usage, and lets the user control the heating remotely via phone or tablet. This way, the user can override the timing settings if the user’s not at home and forget to turn off the heat, for example.
2. Heat just the area the user lives in most
Only heat the rooms users use. Turn them down or off in other areas. Also, radiators will keep rooms warm for some time after the heating is turned off. So turn the heating off 30 minutes before the user finishes work (if working from home), leave the house, or go to bed.
Also, to get the most from the heating, put a reflector behind the radiators. This will reflect the heat into a room rather than seep out through the wall. Users can buy radiator reflectors by the roll in most hardware stores. This can contribute to a 35% decrease in heat loss.
3. Tackle draughts
Check all over the house for draughts. Cold air can come up through the floor and from around the skirting board. Some simple things users can do that will make a difference:
- Plug gaps with silicon sealant.
- Close the curtains in the evenings to keep heat in.
- Put a chimney balloon in unused chimneys to keep draughts out and heat in.
- Fix seals or draught excluders to the doors.
4. Track the electricity usage
Smart meters give users access to accurate information on usage, giving users greater control
The most effective way to cut the electricity bill is to use less. One of the best ways to go about using less is to monitor the usage. ESB Networks is currently installing smart meters nationwide – if users don’t already have one, user will be getting one soon.
Smart meters give users access to accurate information on usage, giving users greater control over energy consumption.
- Appliance monitoring
Users will also be able to monitor which appliances are using the most energy and like the meter, users can become smarter about using electricity. For example, did users know cheaper, greener electricity is available at ‘off-peak times’?
This is typically from 11 pm to 8 am. So, when the ESB smart meter is installed, the user will have access to off-peak electricity plans. With this, users can make easy savings by charging the electric car and running the washing machine and dishwasher on off-peak electricity.
5. Plug out all appliances when not in use
This goes across the board from the toaster to the TV. Pay particular attention to computers and printers.
Even in standby mode, they are using 20% of the energy they would consume if they were switched on.
- Remote and hybrid working
The laptop battery, however, will last almost a full day when fully charged
With remote and hybrid working, many of us only use laptops. A lot of the time we leave them plugged in while we work. the laptop battery, however, will last almost a full day when fully charged. So, save electricity by plugging it out and working off the battery.
The same applies to the mobile phone. And while Electric Ireland is on the subject of computers, don’t forget to turn down the brightness of the monitor – a very bright monitor uses more energy.
A few other simple rules around appliances include:
- Don’t put on the dishwasher or washing machine if they are only half full.
- Hang out the washing rather than use the tumble dryer.
- Don’t fill the kettle – only boil as much water as the user needs.
- Don’t leave the fridge door open. It will take 45 minutes for the fridge to cool down to its original temperature.
6. Be smart with the lighting
Switch to LED lights. They use about a fifth of the energy of halogen bulbs. They may be more expensive than halogen but will save users money in the long term. According to the SEAI, switching a single 42-watt halogen bulb to a 9-watt LED will save about €7 a year. And LEDs last up to 10 times longer.
Be sure too to make the most of natural light. If users are working from home, position the desk near the window. Try not to switch lights on out of habit. Hold off until it’s an absolute necessity. Remember to always turn off the lights when users are leaving a room or where users do not need them.
