Read these simple tips to help you to keep your energy consumption down in a new build home and successfully reduce your energy bills ready for the winter.
An overview of 5 of the best energy saving tips that allow you to reduce your energy consumption immediately. Especially in times like these with rising energy prices a very welcome guideline. The major tips are as follows; Turn off standby appliances, compare providers and tariffs, use smart technology, wash at lower temperatures and turn down the thermostat.
New builds boast some of the best energy efficiency of any homes in the UK, but you can bring your bills down further still. If you’re moving into a new build home, you can reduce your energy consumption ahead of the winter by making a few simple changes to your habits. Follow these tips below to reduce your bills and cut your carbon footprint this winter.
1. Turn off standby appliances
Many people would be surprised by how much money they could save by simply turning off appliances properly rather than leaving them on standby. Laptops, TVs, games consoles, and other similar electronic appliances all use a small amount of energy even when they’re on standby, and by turning off all of your appliances at the plug you could save yourself over £30 a year.
2. Compare providers
While it won’t exactly reduce your energy consumption, comparing energy providers can definitely have a significant impact on your bills. Especially when you move into a new home, it’s important to compare quotes online and make sure you’re getting the best deal on the energy you use.
3. Install smart technology
Some new build homes in the UK might come with smart thermostats installed, but if not they’re relatively easy to set up. Using smart technology can help you to track your energy use in real-time and adjust the heating in your home to ensure you’re only paying for heating and lighting when and where you need it. Useful examples of smart technology that can help you to reduce energy consumption include:
- Smart meters
- Smart thermostats
- Smart lighting
4. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature
While washing bedding and very dirty clothes at a high temperature is good hygiene practice, most lightly used clothes and blankets don’t need to be washed at 40, 50, or 60 degrees. If you can cut down the temperature of your wash cycles to 30 degrees for lightly soiled items or even reduce the number of times you use the washing machine each week you could save a significant amount on your energy bill every year.
5. Turn down the thermostat
If all else fails and your energy bills are still higher than you’d like, turning down the thermostat is a simple way to save money. This doesn’t have to mean going cold in the winter, but stocking up on blankets and warm jumpers, or even investing in an energy-efficient electric blanket, could help you to reduce your energy consumption at the time of year when it probably hurts the most. Even just turning your heating down by a single degree could make a significant difference to your energy bills when the temperature outside is very low.