Thursday, 15 August 2013

We all need to cut down on our energy consumption for a number of reasons. One of these is to save some money, but just as importantly we need to save on natural resources and cut down on harmful emissions that are adversely affecting our climate. So, if you want to help yourself and do a little good for the environment at the same time, try following a few of these energy saving tips.

Picking the low growing fruit first may not have much of an environmental impact but it could be the most financially profitable. By switching your gas and electricity suppliers you could potentially save yourself hundreds of pound a year on your utility bills. Always use a comparison website to do this; never trust salesmen as they are more interested in their commission than they are finding you a better deal. Now we are paying less for our utilities we will try to save a little more by using less of them.

Cutting down on your gas usage is simple. With gas central heating systems reducing your thermostat setting by a single degree centigrade will save you around 10 percent off your heating bill. If you want to save some more money then reduce the temperature to around 17.5 degrees centigrade and put on an extra sweater.

If you have a cosy flame effect gas fire, then think very carefully before you use it. Although modern gas fires are reasonably efficient and can have efficiencies up to around 80 percent, the older ones can have efficiencies of 20 percent or even less. With those you are literally burning money and by updating to a new one you could save £80 or more a year off your heating bill.

The same argument applies to gas boilers. Modern condensing boilers have efficiencies as high as 90 percent, while some old gas boilers are only around 60 percent efficient.

Cutting down on your electricity usage is also easy. Switching your electrical equipment off rather than leaving it on standby can provide big financial savings, perhaps as much as £80 a year for a typical household.

Switching off your lights when you don’t really need them will also save you money as will swapping all your light bulbs for energy efficient ones.

Just by reducing the temperature of your washing machine from 40 degrees centigrade to 30 degrees is a big money saver. Your clothes will come out just as clean and will last longer.
If you do all of these, then your potential savings are hundreds of pounds a year.