You turn off the lights when you leave the room and opt to cosy up in your favourite blanket rather than put the heating on full blast when there’s only a slight nip in the air.
Still, you feel like you could be doing a whole lot more to reduce electricity consumption and save money on your electricity bill, or better yet, do your part to help the environment. So, switching off the lights is just the start of your energy-saving and home energy efficiency journey, what’s next? These are just some of our top tips for saving electricity and reducing energy bills - some of which you can get started on today!
1) Shower rather than bathe:
First up on our electricity saving tips guide the shower vs bath debat. While there are some people who can’t think of anything better than a dip in the tub, others prefer a relaxing shower. However, if you’re looking to save on energy costs, evidence shows that technically, showers are better for both your wallet and the planet.
If you are an avid bather and decide to try out showering, try keeping your showers relatively short and try not to heat more water than needed if you don’t have a power shower.
2) Check-in on your fridge and freezer:
Our fridge and freezer have to be on all day every day so it’s not surprising that they are one of the biggest energy users in the home - in some instances, they can make up just under 10% of our energy bills! To keep it running efficiently, there are a few steps you can take:
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Defrost it regularly
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Let food cool down before putting it in
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Try not to leave the door open when you’re taking food out
3) Be smart with your tumble dryer:
It’s safe to say that we are not guaranteed great drying weather every day in Ireland, and although drying clothes outside is a great way to save electricity, sometimes the tumble dryer is the only option. If this is the case, try to only use the tumble dryer with a full load and check in on the appliance regularly to make sure it’s in good working order.
4) Try cooler washes and fuller loads:
You might already be familiar with the fact that your washing machine uses a pretty large amount of energy but did you realise that the majority of the energy it uses is to simply heat water for the wash? This is why it’s recommended you try a cooler wash with cold water and, like the tumble dryer and dishwasher, wash full loads rather than opting for smaller, more frequent washes.
5) Use the dishwasher!
This will probably come as a surprise to many but using the dishwasher (fully loaded) is in fact a more efficient way to save money on electricity than washing up by hand. According to a study by the University of Bonn in Germany, a full dishwasher uses around 13 litres to clean just under 150 items whereas washing the same amount by hand uses 100 litres. So, the next time someone says “just put it in the dishwasher”; you’re probably best-off listening!
6) Invest in low energy light bulbs:
As the name suggests, low energy light bulbs are a great step to take when trying to save energy and electricity. It’s estimated that low energy light bulbs use anywhere from 25-80% less energy than the traditional light bulb, plus they last a lot longer! So, on your next trip to your local hardware store, be sure to put energy-saving light bulbs on your ‘to get’ list.
7) Take a look at your meter reading:
If you feel as if you’ve tried every trick in the book when it comes to reducing your electricity bills, electricity meters can give you an idea of the amount of energy your house is consuming. With all-new smart meters, you can take one step further and get valuable insights into which appliances are using the most energy.
Another great way to save money on your electricity is to consider switching electricity suppliers. If you make the switch to Energia, another bonus is we provide 100% green electricity to our own customers through our own wind farm. So switching to Energia is good for the environment too!