6 effortless ways to help your family save energy at home
Our homes are responsible for 25% of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, but saving energy can be as quick and easy as making a cup of tea. No, it doesn’t mean you have to invest in solar panels or splash out on brand new kitchen appliances – all you need to do is get your family involved with these seven easy habits.
Keep it cool in the washing machine
Washing your clothes at 30°C uses 57% less electricity than a higher temperature, saving you £7 each year. Yes, a cooler temperature is just as effective at washing your clothes, plus it’s better for the planet! For extra water conservation you can skip the rinse cycle at the end and always wait until you have a full load of washing.
However, we recommend putting a hot wash on (about 90°C) once a month to give your washing machine a thorough clean and keep it in top-notch condition.
Switch it up with LEDs
Changing your traditional lightbulbs for LEDs could cut your electricity bill by up to 90% a year. They may be a tad more expensive but they use far less energy and you’ll quickly earn your money back in only a few months.
According to Which?, a traditional bulb costs roughly £8.42 a year to run whereas an LED only costs £1.71 a year and it could save you more than £180 in energy over its lifetime, so it’s definitely worth it!
We make finding the right LEDs for your home easy. Browse by bulb type, room or energy usage to get switching today.
But don’t forget to switch them off when you’re not using them! You might have to nag your kids but it’ll save you £15 a year.
Don’t pour money down the drain
A running tap wastes more than six litres of water every minute so turn the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth, shaving, doing your skincare routine and rinsing the dishes.
Filling up your sink when washing up rather than leaving the tap running can save you £25 a year and prevent litres of water wastage. Our tap takes a little while to heat up so I’ve made it a habit to put a jug underneath to catch all of the cool water and I use it for the garden later on – ideal for the Summer months.
Hop in the shower
If a family of four switched from one bath a week to a shower, they’d reduce their annual carbon impact by a whopping 70kg. I’m the first one to admit that I love a relaxing bath, but a 5-minute shower only uses 75 litres of water compared to a bathtub that uses 115 litres of water.
Try to time your shower along with your favourite song. You’ll have so much fun singing at the top of your lungs that you’ll forget you’re even trying to conserve water.
And if you need to convince your children then make it into a game. See if they can beat their record each week by shortening their showers or getting out before the song finishes.
Unplug your gadgets and appliances
Your phone doesn’t need to be on charge all night, it only needs a few hours to charge but it will carry on using energy even when the battery is full. Make sure you charge your phone a couple of hours before bed and you can always top it up in the morning if you need.
On that note – standby mode. Even if you’re not using your appliances, if they’re plugged in then they’re still using energy. Of course there will be some appliances you can’t unplug like your fridge, but your kettle or coffee maker can certainly be unplugged when they’re not in use.
Never do things by half
Saving energy is all about cutting down but in order to do that, sometimes we need to fill up. Washing half of the amount of clothes or dishes still uses the same amount as energy as a full load.
Invest in a dishwasher
Surprisingly, a dishwasher actually uses less water than hand washing your dishes. Washing dishes by hand uses over 63 litres of water but modern dishwashers use as little as 15 litres per cycle – is there a better excuse for laziness than saving the planet?!
What else can we help you with?
We’re glad you’re so curious because we love helping people on their sustainable living journey! Here are a few of our favourite products that could easily help your family save energy at home.
Ecoegg Dryer Eggs
These fantastic little eggs may look small, but they’re mighty. An ecoegg Dryer Egg could reduce your tumble drying time up to 28%, saving you heaps of energy.
They work by gently separating your clothes, allowing more air to circulate so they dry quicker. Plus, it can reduce your plastic usage as it can be used again and again. And there’s no need for fabric softener either as the egg’s nodules naturally soften the fibre of your clothes, saving you 40 plastic bottles a year.
Read more about their magic here.
Smart plugs
These wonderful plugs can be controlled by your phone or your voice via a home assistant like Amazon Echo or Google Home. You’re able to control your appliances and lighting anywhere, both in and out of the house, so you never have to worry if you’ve left your straighteners on again.
Read how the Ledvance Smart+ Plug could help you save energy even when you’re not at home.
Saving energy at home doesn’t have to be a huge change. All you need to do is master a few habits and invest in a few essential products to make a big difference to your energy bill.
Could you clarify please – a device plugged into a switched off socket doesn’t use any energy, does it? Thanks.