Minimising Power Consumption

1. Only heat up the water you need in the kettle, you will save water, energy and money! And your water will taste better than if it has been boiled several times.
2. When using the oven switch off 5 – 10 minutes before the completion time. It will save energy.
3. An energy saving tip – when leaving home for short periods, i.e. shopping etc. remember to switch off the heating until your return – it will soon warm up again!
4. Cover pans when cooking: Whenever you cook on the hob, always try to cover the pans – this reduces the amount of energy that escapes from open pans, plus the amount of time it takes to heat up food and boil water.Turn off the tap when cleaning your teeth!
5. Lower your thermostat: Reducing the temperature on your heating system’s thermostat by a few degrees will, over the course of a year, decrease the amount of energy and money you spend on heating.
6. One of the cheapest, most effective ways to save energy and money at home is to draught proof windows, doors, letterbox, fireplaces, and loft hatches . Dr Sarah Price, head of building physics at Enhabit.
7. Don’t let your taps drip; don’t leave electrical equipment on when not in use, and don’t leave it on ‘standby’ either.
8. When taking a shower set a timer for 4 minutes; this can be a big saving both in energy, water and finance.
9. Unplug your charger when your phone, laptop or tablet is fully charged.
10. The microwave is your friend! Microwave ovens use up to 80% less energy than a conventional oven does. It also cooks faster, leaving more time to commit to other environmentally-friendly activities.
11. Use shorter cycles for washing your clothes and choose a lower temperature.
12. Heat a single cup of water in your microwave, instead of using a kettle.
13. Close all your curtains and blinds at night. By closing your curtains and blinds, you can help stop warm air escaping through windows and reduce heating costs, especially if you have radiators situated below your windows.
14. Investing in an aerated shower head will make a significant difference to energy and water consumption. They inject air into the water stream, limiting water usage. A water-efficient shower head could save a four-person household £70 a year on gas for water heating, and a further £115 on water bills if they have a meter.
15. If you use a dishwasher only start it when its full. A half load uses the same amount of electricity and hot water as a full load, so waiting till its full means you do fewer washes and save more energy.    NB Don’t overload it because the machine won’t wash properly.
16. Batch cook and freeze in typical portion sizes as well as freezing leftovers to avoid waste. Use seasonal ingredients, save those air and road miles. Be kind to the environment!
17. Unplug before going travelling – even if electronic devices are shut off or in sleep mode, they still use energy. Being away for too long wastes energy that could otherwise have been switched off so before going on holiday unplug your devices from the wall sockets. Each UK household spends around £50 - £86 a year to power appliances left in standby mode or unused.