Already made the switch to a renewable electricity tariff, but not sure what to do next to cut your carbon footprint and your bills? Then you’re in the right place! Energy efficiency should be next on your energy to-do list. It’ll help you lower your bills and your energy use, so it’s good for your wallet and for the planet.
This blog is packed with practical tips and clever energy efficiency ideas, from big ticket options like solar panels and heat pumps to simple home hacks that’ll quickly make a dent on your bill. Join us for our rapid review on all things energy efficient.
How you can make your home more energy efficient.
Home insulation: a how-to for energy savings.
Insulation’s one of the first things you should think about when looking to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Across the UK, up to 10 million homes could have insufficient roof insulation, with each household potentially missing out on £900 in savings annually1.
Proper insulation reduces heat loss, which helps to lower energy bills, and reduce your carbon footprint. It works by trapping air and slowing down the transfer of heat, helping to keep your home snug and cosy in winter and comfortable in summer. There are lots of types of insulation available for homes, suitable for different areas of your space:
Draught proofing:
If you’re handy about the house, then draught proofing is a simple DIY method. Prevent heat from escaping by sealing gaps around windows, doors, and floorboards.
Insulating hot water tanks and pipes:
Another option that’s easy to do yourself. Simply wrap your hot water tank with an insulation jacket and clad your pipes.
Loft insulation:
This is one of the most common types of insulation, involving fitting insulating material between and over the joists in your loft. Materials like mineral wool, glass wool, sheep wool, and cellulose are all effective options.
Cavity wall insulation:
If your home was built in the last 70-80 years then you should be able to fit cavity wall insulation. A professional can fill the gap between the inner and outer walls with insulating foam.
Solid wall insulation:
If your home is older, then you could consider insulation boards attached to the external walls of your home.
Floor insulation:
If you have floorboards you can arrange for insulation to be sprayed between the joists below them, or if you have a solid floor you can lay insulation on top.
The cost of insulating your home depends on the size of your house, the type of insulation you go for, and labour costs. But it’s certainly worth considering, as the cost of your insulation could be recouped in energy savings over time. Plus you’ll be cutting your carbon footprint too.
Don’t forget to check whether you’re eligible for government grants and schemes, such as the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). If you’re eligible, you can get funding for a number of home insulations. So you could end up with a home that is more energy efficient for less.
Wise up to smart home energy tech.
Homes aren’t immune from the rapid advance of technology, and there’s lots of smart new devices on the market that could help you make energy savings. Here’s a few of our favourites:
Smart thermostats:
These home heroes can learn your heating habits and adjust the temperature accordingly. They could help you avoid wasting energy heating an empty house. Some smart thermostats can even use geo-fencing to tell when you're on your way home and warm things up for you.
Smart meters:
While not directly saving you energy, smart meters give you real-time data on your energy use, helping you understand your habits and make informed decisions to cut your energy use. It’s estimated that if everyone in the UK switched to a smart meter the CO2 savings would be equivalent to planting around 70 million trees2.
Smart blinds:
These can be set to automatically adjust to let in sunlight during winter and block it out in summer. This helps regulate your home's temperature and reduce your reliance on heating and cooling systems.
Smart plugs:
These clever plugs let you remotely turn off or schedule appliances and electronics. They can help you banish "vampire devices" that drain energy even when on standby. More on those later!
Smart lighting controls:
With smart lighting, you can adjust brightness, set schedules, and even control your lights remotely, all while saving energy.
Smart shower heads:
These innovative devices monitor water use and can even pause the flow when you're soaping up, helping you save water and energy. You can also limit the length of showers too - perfect for putting an end to bathroom hoggers! With 17% of an average household's energy bills spent heating water, this could be an energy, water and money saver3.
New smart home devices are coming out all the time. By investing in these technologies, you could enjoy the convenience of a connected home and use less energy - a win for your wallet and the planet.
Energy-efficient appliances: how to choose the right ones.
Choosing energy-efficient appliances is not only good for the planet, it's also a savvy way to save money on your energy bills. These appliances are designed to use less electricity, meaning lower running costs and a smaller carbon footprint. But how can you tell which appliances are the most energy-efficient? That's where those colourful energy labels come in!
Cracking the code: understanding energy labels.
In March 2021, the energy labelling system changed to make it easier to compare the efficiency of different appliances. The new labels use a simple A to G rating scale, with A being the most efficient and G being the least. You'll find these labels on fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, TVs, and light sources. So, when you're shopping for a new appliance, keep an eye out for those labels and aim for an A rating whenever you can.
The price is right: balancing cost and efficiency.
While energy-efficient appliances can have a higher price tag, they can actually save you money in the long run4. The energy savings can quickly offset the initial investment, making them a cost-effective choice. For example, an A-rated fridge-freezer could save you up to £1,916 over its lifetime compared to a less efficient model5.
Energy efficiency advice for your home.
Ready to get energy smart? This video is full of useful tips for more efficient energy use in your home.
From smart meters to draft excluders, there are plenty of simple measures we can take to make the most of our home energy.
Get sustainable savings with renewable energy tech.
Home energy tech has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. Our range includes solar panels and air source heat pumps for your home energy. Here’s a quick rundown of how these options could help you on your way to better energy efficiency.
Solar panels.
Solar panels are a bright idea to boost your home's energy efficiency and save on bills. By harnessing the power of the Sun, solar panels generate clean, renewable electricity that can power your home and reduce your reliance on the grid. This could help you shrink your carbon footprint and save money on your energy bills too.
Plus, if you add a solar battery, you can store any excess energy generated during the day for use in the evening. You can even get paid for any excess energy you export back to the grid with one of our exclusive solar Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariffs.
Our solar panel systems are installed by MCS certified professionals. We also offer SEG tariffs and interest-free finance6 options.
Air source heat pumps.
Heat pumps work by taking warmth from the outside air and using it to heat your home. They can also heat your water too, giving you a cleaner, more efficient alternative to a gas boiler. Typically heat pumps are more efficient than older heating systems like boilers7, so they’re a great option if you’re looking to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Although the upfront cost of installing a heat pump can seem a bit steep, it's worth considering the long-term savings on your energy bills. Plus, there are government grants available, like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which takes £7,500 off the installation costs of an air source heat pump8.
Track your energy use to get a handle on your energy habits.
Smart meters.
Smart meters are the new kids on the block of electricity and gas meters. They automatically send readings to your energy supplier, so you get accurate bills and avoid estimated charges. The in-home display (IHD) that comes with your smart meter shows you real-time information about your energy use and costs.
By showing you what you’re using in real-time, smart meters are a great tool to help you track and be more mindful of your energy use and spending. What’s more, they also help create a smarter energy grid and help the energy industry be more precise about the energy we need and to help cut carbon emissions.
Here’s a few of our top smart meter energy saving tips:
Set a budget: use your IHD to set a daily, weekly, or monthly budget and track your progress against it.
Learn your habits: monitor your energy use to see if you can spot patterns and areas in which you can cut back.
Combine a smart meter with solar panels: if you have solar panels, you’ll need a smart meter to receive Smart Export Guarantee payments for the electricity you export to the grid. You can also use the IHD to track where the energy you’re using is coming from. This can help you adapt your energy habits and maximise your use of your clean, renewable solar power.
Take part in the National Grid’s Demand Flexibility Service: some energy suppliers offer incentives for reducing your energy use during peak times, which can help you save even more money.
Energy efficiency at home: the essential categories.
When thinking about how to be more energy efficient at home, it’s a good idea to start by looking at the biggest contributors to your energy bills. For most people, these will be heating, lighting, hot water and cooking. Here’s a few pointers for each of these categories to get you started.
Heating.
Don’t fiddle with your thermostat.
While it’s tempting when you get home to a cold house to whack the thermostat up to try to heat your home quicker, you’re better off not doing that. Thermostats aren’t like accelerator pedals. Your house won’t get warmer any quicker and you could waste energy in the process. It’s best to set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature and leave it.
If you can handle turning your thermostat down by just one degree too, you could cut your heating costs by about £65 a year on average for a typical home9.
Lighting.
Opt for energy efficient bulbs.
When it’s time to replace a bulb, go for an energy efficient one and it’ll pay off in the long run. They last longer and are more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. Plus they’re cheaper than they used to be too.
Use the Sun for light (when it shines), and turn off unused lights.
Let the light in! Use natural light to illuminate your home whenever you can. Open those blinds and curtains and see if you can avoid switching on the lights. Try not to leave lights on all over the house if you can avoid it. Only lighting the room you’re in saves electricity, and while the savings might not be huge, it all adds up.
Hot water tips.
Turn down your hot water.
Just as you can with the temperature on your thermostat, you can also change your hot water temperature too. Often, the default temperature is 65 degrees by default. Usually you can turn this down to around 60 degrees and still have enough hot water for your household and save money and energy too.
Heating water accounts for about 25% of energy use in a typical home, so this tip’s definitely worth a shot.
Cooking.
Shut the door.
It’s always tempting to open your oven door to get a closer look at how your pièce de résistance is coming along. But when you do that, lots of heat leaks out of the oven. It’s better to look through the oven door and keep the temperature in your oven constant. This can mean quicker cooking and better energy efficiency.
Put a lid on it.
Putting lids on your pans keeps the heat in and helps your food cook quicker. And quicker cooking means using less energy and lower bills.
Top tips for energy saving at home.
With the big topics covered, it’s time to dive into some of the many simple ways we can all shift our energy habits to improve our energy efficiency. Little tweaks and changes can quickly add up and make a big difference. Take a look at our energy saving A-Z for a full rundown of 26 ways to get more energy efficient. Or see below for some starter tips.
Adjust your thermostat: lowering your thermostat by just one degree can make a big difference, saving you up to 10% on your heating bill10.
Change your light bulbs: replace your old incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs. They might be a bit more expensive upfront, but they use less energy and last much longer, saving you money in the long run11.
Defrost your freezer regularly: A frost-free freezer is more efficient than one that’s clogged up with ice. Keep yours ice-free to use less electricity.
Only heat the water you need: Whether it's boiling the kettle for your morning coffee or washing the dishes, only use the water you need. This’ll help you save both energy and water.
Wash clothes in colder water: Washing clothes at 30°C uses less energy than washing them at hotter temperatures like 40°C. And thanks to modern washing powders, your clothes will still be clean after a cycle.
Don’t forget vampire devices. Vampire devices are sneaky energy drainers lurking in your home, using electricity even when you're not using them. These appliances and gadgets continue to use power while on standby mode, ramping up your energy bills while they’re at it. The big culprits here are often your chargers. Think of your phone charger, laptop charger, bluetooth speaker charger etc.
But don't worry, defeating these energy vampires is easier than you might think. The simplest way to slay vampire devices is by unplugging them or switching them off at the socket when not in use. For hard-to-reach plugs, you can use smart plugs. These handy gadgets let you remotely turn off or schedule appliances and make sure they’re not draining power when you're not around or not using them. Smart plugs use a little bit of energy, but generally they can save you more electricity than they use in the long run.