Don’t be afraid to open up you power bill at the end of Winter – Today, we’re sharing some simple, energy saving tips that’ll help you reduce your power consumption throughout the cooler months and help keep those energy bills on the LOW side!
Oftentimes, the simplest of solutions can be the most effective. When that first Wintery chill starts to set in, it’s time to get to work around the home! Saving on energy usage around the home can be as simple as making small changes here and there and developing some simple habits that’ll ultimately lead to some great savings on your energy bills.
Energy Saving Tips for the Home
Keep out the cold
Start off by finding the source of any and all draughts around the home and BLOCK THEM OFF! Use a door snake on any external doors and invest in quality block out (or equivalent) curtains or shutters for all rooms.
Use block-out curtains as insulation
Block out curtains aren’t just a great solution for keeping out the sun in Summer; they also create a further layer of insulation over your windows, aiding in keeping the cool Winter air outside where it belongs! Investing in quality block out curtains or shutters will assist in your energy saving venture year-round, with savings to be made in both hot or cooler weather.
For more wonderful ideas on creating a super cosy and comfortable atmosphere in your home this Winter, take a leaf out of the book of Scandi-inspired styling! Checkout our blog post: Staying Cosy this Winter: Your Guide to Scandinavian Styling.
Heating
Rug up! You don’t always need to turn on the heater in cold weather; simply rugging up around the home is more than enough to keep you cosy. Pay attention to keeping your extremities warm (your hands and feet) as this is where those chills are felt the most.
When you do need to use your home’s heating, keep a consistent temperature that’s most comfortable for you without pumping it higher than what is necessary. For more information on the ideal temperature for your home, Daikin’s blog post is a great help!
Take advantage of OFF & ON peak energy usage
Most energy providers offer increased rates during peak usage times, with a lower cost during off peak times. Check with your energy provider what their peak and off peak energy usage times are and adjust your needs accordingly wherever possible. Appliances such as your dishwasher, washing machine and clothes dryer can be set to run at night, for example, allowing you to take advantage of the lower off peak costs.
Switching off…
A Golden Rule to help you save on energy usage around the home is: If it’s not in use, switch it off. Although it is not recommended to switch off the power to large appliances such as your washer and dryer, you can switch off smaller appliances and electronics from the powerpoint to prevent them from entering a sort of ‘sleep mode’ – Energy is still being used when the powerpoint is switched to the on position!
Quality Winter Bedding
Invest in a few pieces of quality bedding that are suitable for Winter: warm quilts, fuzzy blankets, flannelette sheets, etc. Keeping the heater on overnight can drive up your energy consumption (and isn’t the healthiest of solutions!) but, if you have some cosy bedding to snuggle up into, it’s not always necessary. We use a goose down quilt from Adairs and it is seriously all that and a bag of potato chips!
Quality Winter bedding eliminates the need to leave a heater on overnight as you should be at the most comfortable sleep temperature with appropriate bedding. Being too warm through the night can actually hinder your sleep and also means it will take you much longer to actually fall asleep in the first place.
Lighting
Swapping out your older globes for more energy efficient options (such as compact fluorescents for example) will assist in reducing your energy bills however, you will also want to get into more efficient habits when it comes to using lighting around the home.
Get yourself into the habit of switching off lights when no one is actually occupying a space – after all, it really doesn’t need to be on! You could also opt to use more focused task lighting wherever possible rather than relying on a room’s main light source. For example, using a table or floor lamp to light up your reading nook rather than using the room’s main lighting.
Cooking
Electric ovens and cooktops tend to use a decent amount of electricity; if possible, find more efficient ways of cooking your favourite Winter meals using other appliances such as slow cookers, pressure cookers or even the microwave.
Although you are still using electricity to cook, pressure cooking or microwave cooking for example, will drastically lower the amount of time needed to prepare a meal. Slow cooking, although obviously a much slower process, will also use significantly less power than traditional methods; contrary to popular belief, a slow cooker uses significantly less power than other kitchen appliances, consuming as little as a single light bulb in most cases!
Washing & Drying Clothes
Once again, wherever possible, take advantage of your energy provider’s off peak usage times; set your laundry to be washed during this time frame to help keep your bills down and only run your washing machine on a full load. Reserve your dryer for life’s little emergencies – Yes, it’s often tricky to line dry laundry throughout Winter so instead, set up a clothes horse in a discreet spot in the home (preferably near a window to take advantage of any sunlight) to easily ‘line dry’ your laundry without the need for a dryer.
Saving energy around the home can be a challenge however, simple adjustments to your daily routine can make a world of difference in the long run!
Have any energy saving tips of your own? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below!
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