Although Christmas and New Year are over for another 12 months (11 if you’re keen!), spring and its warmer, lighter days is still a couple of months away. In some parts of the UK, January and February can be colder than November and December, so your energy expenditure can rise when you’d rather be reining it in. Here are some good ideas for staying warm and well-lit for less until spring finally arrives.
Turn down your thermostat just a notch
Many of us set our thermostats to 21C or even 22C, believing that this is the ideal indoor temperature. In reality, 19C or 20C is comfortable, so turn your heating down by one degree to save on fuel. You won’t really notice it, but you could make significant savings.
Turn off your heating 15-30 minutes earlier in the evening
If you have central heating, your radiators will continue to kick out heat for a while after the heating is off, so cut down on your bills by setting the timer 15-30 minutes earlier than it is now. You’ll still be warm and toasty as you’re getting into bed.
Look around the house for draughts
If you have draughty windows and doors, you could be losing as much heat as you would if you left a window open! Check your front and back doors, as well as your windows, for gaps and if you find any, seal them with insulation tape.
Use energy-savings bulbs
Darker mornings and evenings mean that we use lights more, so make sure that your bulbs are as energy-efficient as possible. Switch to LEDs where you can and don’t forget to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
Do laundry at 30C
Of course, you might prefer to wash towels and bedding at 60C, but aim for 30C for as many loads as you can as this can save quite a lot of energy. Another energy drain is your tumble drier, so try to use your washing line as often as possible. Clothes will dry quite well on cold sunny days – just don’t forget that they’re out there if it starts raining!
