Woollyeyes Energy Saving Tips

• If you don’t mind not having your hands flayed with scalding hot water every time you turn on the hot tap, adjust the settings of your cylinder thermostat to around 60 degrees Celsius which will be more than sufficient for personal hygiene and dishwashing needs.
• Defrosting your fridge/freezer on a regular basis helps to keep your machines running in an efficient manner – it is good practice to do this on a regular basis. When you open either the fridge or freezer, try to minimise the time you leave the door open as the longer it remains open the more energy it will take to return the appliance to its optimal temperature.
• Try to ensure that whenever you use your washing machine or tumble dryer that you pack it out with clothes. If you’re by yourself and cannot wait the two weeks it takes to generate so much dirty washing, then use the economy settings and lower the heat levels. The latest and greatest washing powders are equally effective at 40 degrees Celsius as they are at 60 degrees Celsius.
• If you close your curtains in the evening this will actually help prevent heat escaping through the window!
• Try not to turn on the light or leave it on in rooms where nobody is there – similarly make the most of natural light that you can – don’t turn on your electric bulb at the first opportunity, rather open your blinds or curtains fully to allow more light in.
• Do not leave devices such as televisions, VCRs, DVD players or Hi-fis on standby as this uses up nearly as much electricity as when these devices are actually in use. Turn them off fully or turn them off at the mains. If you have a watch, you really don’t need the clock on the video recorder to be on just to tell you the time!
• If you are too warm at home, turn down your thermostat! This will not only return you to a decent level of comfort without being cold, but also serve to save you money and reduce the amount of energy being wasted.
• If you’re going away on holiday for a while, turn your thermostat down to the lowest level, but not off as you do not want your house to freeze.
• Cook with the correct utensils – don’t use a wok to boil soup, and don’t use a milkpan for frying rice. Make sure that the rings on an electric hob are just about covered by the edge of the pot or pan, and when using a gas-fire hob, make sure that the flames remain under the pot – any flames which escape around the sides of the pot represent a waste of energy.
• If you are to boil water in a kettle, just boil enough to meet your needs. If you’re just making a cup of coffee, there is really no need to boil for three as the water will cool and you’ll have to boil the remainder all over again when you come back for another cuppa.
• If you leave a tap dripping all day, it can waste as much water as it would take to run a good-sized bath. Close all taps firmly, and if you have problems with a leaky tap, contact a plumber!
• Try to stick to having showers rather than baths, as having a shower can use less than 50% of the water of a bath and you’ll still be able to clean yourself more than adequately.