Energy Saving Tips in the Home

With the cost of everything soaring we want to try to cut down our spending a little and reduce costs where we can. A good place to start is energy saving in the home, this is something you will want to implement all year round to ensure you make a difference on your savings. 

We all use a lot of energy and electricity in the home whether it is due to household appliances, cooking and cleaning, working from home or children’s studies at laptops and iPads. Not to mention TV and gaming devices, which require frequent charging. With all of this in the mix we are likely to see an increase in our utility bills. It is important to be mindful of our energy consumption and implement ways we can reduce waste and become more energy efficient.

Our home insurance specialists have shared some simple energy saving tips which are easy to implement and will hopefully serve to make those utility bills more manageable. 

• Use timers, whether this is on your heating or water systems and make sure to set these at key times when you and your family are most likely to need them. 

• Switch off radiators in certain rooms if they are not being used. 

• It is recommended to open your windows each morning to reduce condensation and prevent dampness setting in, as well as allowing fresh air to circulate. Did you know fresh air heats quicker than moist or damp air! However, always remember to close windows and doors again and block out any draughts. 

• Try to take a shower instead of a bath and cut down on the time you spend in the shower. By keeping a shower to just 4 minutes in the UK could save a typical household £70 a year on energy bills according to The Energy Saving Trust.

• Turn off devices when you are not using them, this includes turning them off standby mode. 

• During daytime, open blinds and curtains to allow natural light to flow through and avoid turning on lights until needed.

• Switch bulbs to energy saving bulbs. 

• Try to use your washing line or a clothes horse as opposed to the tumble dryer. 

• When boiling the kettle, only fill it with the amount you require and try and avoid constantly flicking the boil back on for a second or third time during the same period.

• When washing up, do not keep the tap running. If you use a dishwasher reduce the usage and only turn it on when it is full. According to The Energy Saving Trust, reducing your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year could save you £18 in NI and £14 in England.

• Do not leave fridge and freezers open, this may sound obvious but for every 10-20 secs a fridge door is left open it takes 45 mins for the fridge to cool down to its original temperature, as reported by SEAI.

If your property has non-standard features or conditions, securing home insurance can often be a challenge. This is where Open and Direct can help you – our team are here to take away the unnecessary worry this may cause you by assisting in securing bespoke cover for your property.