Seven Ways to Save Energy in Your Home

1. Switch off at the plug socket

Stereos and televisions can use as much energy on standby as they use when they are on. It is estimated that in the UK stereos on standby cost £290 million and create 1.6 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide. Televisions on standby cost £88 million and produce 480,000 of C02. Switching off at the plug is a simple action that over time reaps cumulative money saving and also conserves non-renewable energy sources for future generations.

2. Use timers and occupancy sensors

Timing devices for plugs and lights are cheaper than ever and can help to automate your home if programmed efficiently. Putting some of your domestic lighting onto timers can also be a deterrent to burglars who presume a dwelling is occupied when the lights are switched on. Special switches also exist that will turn lights off after a little time and these are most useful for hallways or stairwells that have occasional through traffic. Occupancy sensors are also useful for people who forget to turn lights off in a room. They monitor the room for activity and turn lights off when the room is empty.

3. TV use

Does your TV stay on as a ‘background’? Review your television use to see how much time it is on. Average television watching in the UK is about 4 hours a day. If you add all this together it means that many people spend fifteen years of their waking lives watching television. Isn’t there something better you could be doing? If you are replacing your television and going digital – please look carefully at the ‘greenest’ options for TV.

4. Use built-in generators

Generator technology for small devices such as radios and torches has come of age. The wind-up radio designed by Trevor Bayliss is a much-copied example and this technology is creeping into other consumer durables with a low power requirement. Watch out for wind-up lights (torches), personal mp3 players and even computers (as if they aren’t a wind-up already!)

5. Use a thermostat control

As I mentioned, just turning the heat down a bit and wearing an extra layer or two can reap swift savings. It’s also healthier because germs and viruses breed more quickly at warm temperatures. Many people suffer colds and flu regularly because they provide an ideal breeding place for germs with the warmth of central heating.

It is easy to check on your interior air temperature and keep a sure hand on the thermostat and timers. When does your heating go on in the morning and off at night? Even a small reduction in the amount of time the heating is on brings money savings and helps the planet. Nearly all thermostats have a manual override, which allows you to change the temperature without resetting the whole thing.

Simply by turning down the thermostat a little when you are away from home you can save between 10-15% of your heating bill every year. Adding a setback thermostat to your system will allow you to programme the heating to suit your lifestyle, low when you are out and higher when you are in.

6. Zone heating

Are you heating rooms or areas of the house you don’t really use? Check radiators and heat sources around the house to see where you can lower the temperature. Concentrate the heat in the places that you inhabit most frequently. Check that your zone heating is working efficiently as an old electric heater can cost you dear. Safety

7. Use ceiling fans for air conditioning

Although too much heat is an infrequent problem in the UK, many countries over-use air conditioning to reduce the temperature of the air. Often the use of an overhead fan is more efficient and economical in energy terms than air con. Ceiling fans run comparatively cheaply, about the same as a 100 watt light bulb, and by cycling the air they create a chill-factor effect that can seem around eight degrees cooler. During the cold months a ceiling fan can move warm air back to the middle of a room by pushing it down from the ceiling. Run the blades in a clockwise direction to do this.

We all know home energy costs are spiralling upwards and that global warming is a problem. I want to help you save energy now and save yourself a load of money in the process. Please start now by going to ‘Save Energy Expert‘ to save yourself a heap of energy and a load of money. You could find yourself a lot better off and I’ll be a whole lot happier.