One of the big questions that pops up when it comes to the whole discussion of saving money on energy bills: ‘What are some ways to conserve energy?’
It is commonly known that the less energy used, the less you will have to pay, but, reducing your energy consumption is a skill, that like any other skill, must be practised in order to be mastered.
We have covered the – why save energy – in one of our previous posts. Below we gathered the main three reasons as a quick reminder:
- It saves money on your energy bills
It’s completely true, conserving energy means less usage, and that in turn means your energy bills will be lower. If you continue to conserve energy over many years, you will save thousands upon thousands that could be better spent elsewhere.
- It reduces your carbon footprint
For many people, making a conscious effort to reduce your carbon footprint, essentially both your direct and indirect carbon dioxide emission value on the atmosphere, is a huge driver in trying to conserve energy.
- It reduces wastage of natural resources
Energy doesn’t just grow on trees… Well, actually it kind of does. Whilst wood is not widely used for energy now, it was in the past; in the modern day we use coal, oil and nuclear as the main sources of energy, none of which are sustainable long term.
Two important roles in the ecosystem of your home are maintained thanks to the benefits of (high quality) insulation. The primary function of insulation is to keep your home warmer in the winter, but a secondary benefit it offers, which many don’t realise, it that it keeps your home cooler in the summer too. Proper insulation provides a pleasant year-round average temperature, so if your house is properly insulated, you won’t need fans in the summer or electric heaters (more savings!) in the winter. Is now the right time to improve your insulation? Don’t let your warmth and money escape through the walls, roof or floors!
Old G rated boilers are wasting energy and money, fact. Technology has moved on and innovation has worked its way through the old-style boilers and come up with a much improved version that can save you as much as £600 a year! They are literally designed with energy conservation as their main goal, and so can be a valuable ally on your conservation journey. Units may cost upwards of £3,000 though, so consider it an investment for the future.
It’s a pretty logical suggestion, if you think about it. The warmer you are in your clothing, the lower your demand for central heating, thus conserving energy. Experts suggest that dropping your thermostat by two degrees Celsius on average over the year will save you as much as £180 – that’s just enough for a shopping trip to get some warm clothes!
This might be our favourite piece of advice when asked what some ways to conserve energy are. You simply can’t look past LED lights, mainly because they are a small investment with a high reward. Incredibly, LED lights require just 6W of energy, compared to 60W for an incandescent bulb. Not everybody likes the white light, but everybody can appreciate a 90% reduction in lighting costs! Truly, LED is the future and old bulbs will become a thing of the past. To add to their energy saving benefits, LED lights are generally recyclable, as they contain no mercury
When asked ‘What are some ways to conserve energy?’, the answer that will require the most time and energy from you is the mission to become Smart. It has nothing to do with intelligence, it’s all to do with Smart meters and programmable thermostats – essentially upgrading the technology of your energy equipment. Smart meters give real-time energy data which allows you to be more active and assertive in reducing your consumption. Programmable digital thermostats allow you to control your energy from a mobile phone app, meaning you can conserve energy while you are on the move!
