How to Reduce Energy Consumption in the Household

Grab a notebook and draw up your personal energy fitness regime with these helpful tips.

Cooking is an everyday chore, taking up a big percentage of your domestic energy usage. A dream appliance for your kitchen is the halogen oven. Apart from being really easy and economical to wash, this great invention affords you half the cooking time of conventional ovens.

When it comes to refrigeration, lots of folk love those cavernous American fridges, but unless the Brady Bunch lives with you, why not consider a more moderate-sized chiller? Turn the dial between 0 and 5 to achieve optimum efficiency and finding the middle ground between an empty and overfull fridge also scores points. Wine coolers are really not required in the cooler climates of Europe and that goes for beer fridges too. There will usually be space in your fridge for a couple of bottles.

And so to one’s laundry; modern washing machine manufacturers and detergent companies are more compatible than ever before with greener washing practices. That weekly load now has the option of being sufficiently laundered at a cheeky 15 degrees C, saving you loads of money on water and energy. If your old faithful machine needs to be replaced, go for one with the option of a half-load cycle. Tumble dryers are greedy energy consumers and if they must be used, give your wash a quick spin beforehand to hasten the drying process.

Bathroom habits should change too, if you want to see a difference to your bill. Showering is great for saving energy but if you need that long hot soak, try not to fill the bath to bursting. Fitting a cylinder thermostat to your centrally-heated hot water source will negate over-heating and thus save energy. Encouraging children to not let the tap run whilst they brush their teeth will train them to be conscious of wasteful habits.

Insulation is not the minefield you might think it is. A good starting point is realising that you should have at least 11 inches of insulation in your loft. Enfold your boiler in swathes of cosy coverings and you will begin to notice immediate savings over the annual period. Cavity wall insulation takes half a day to complete and most companies will guarantee this process for 25 years. Turn your central heating down by just 1 degree and immediately save 10% on your energy bill. Now for a great tip, it is not cheaper to leave your heating on low all day than switching it on when it is needed. Boilers can be a drain on your energy budget but the long-term savings on a buying a gas-condensing boiler are substantial. You should also consider replacing your old system if it is more than 10 years old.

Energycompanies are competing for customers and each one has their own draw card, with most of them offering energy-saving guides. A few have been mentioned already, but you can always go the extra mile. Don’t leave those little red lights glaring at you around the house; DVD players, computers and TVs are all guilty of chewing up your budget. If you are too busy to remember to switch theses appliances off at the socket, try fitting some ‘power-down’ plugs which will do the job for you.

Last but not least, shop for good quality, energy-saving light-bulbs. Install some modern LED bulbs in your kitchen, ‘plant’ some fantastic solar-powered garden lamps and show off to your friends about how energy-conscious you and your family are without compromising your high standards.

Sean Burke - About Author:
Sean Burke writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

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