How to Save on energy bills this summer
Summer is the time you may use less energy to heat your home. But there are still a number of additional ways you can save on your energy bills during the warmer months.
The British summer has arrived in recent weeks. The longer days and warmer weather bring many benefits to us all, as well as our energy usage.
While we may be using less energy on heating our homes throughout the summer months, there are a number of ways we can further save on our energy bills. We have put together some simple tips below.
1. Keep your curtains open
During the summer months, we experience more natural light throughout the day. Take advantage of this by leaving the curtains open as long as possible and keeping the lights off. The natural light can often help to boost your mood too.
2. Naturally cool your home
When the weather starts to get warmer, many of us will switch a fan on to cool us down. However, using fans in many rooms will quickly start to build in cost. Instead, opening your windows and inside doors will help to ventilate and naturally cool your home.
During the warmest points of the day, it may be best to close your windows and opt for the fan instead, as the air outside is likely to be warmer. Taking advantage of your windows early in the day when the weather is cooler means your home is already nice and cool during the heat of the afternoon.
3. Dry your washing outside
After doing your washing, drying your clothes outside naturally using a washing line or drying rack is a great way to save on your energy bills. Your clothes may even be more fresh after drying naturally outside.
4. Switch plugs off at the wall
Try to avoid leaving your electronic devices on standby. This is especially true with older devices, as they may not have a limit on standby power consumption, a feature that is exclusive to more modern devices. According to the Energy Savings Trust, you could save up to £65 a year by turning off your appliances when they are not being utilised.
5. Minimize water usage
It’s a good idea to take shorter showers throughout the year to save on your energy bills. On those particularly hot summer days, you may opt for cold showers to further your savings, as less energy is being used.
6. Prepare for winter
While you are spending less on energy during the summer, it is a great time to prepare for winter, so that you can continue to save on your energy bills throughout the year.
Energy-saving light bulbs can easily help you cut down on your energy bills. For instance, an LED light bulb costs around £1.50 per year to run, compared to the old-style halogen light bulb that costs around £8.50 per year to run. If you consider this cost in the long run, you could look to save around £180 a year on energy bills by simply replacing the light bulbs in your home.
Summer is also a great time to service your boiler as you are likely using it less. Ensuring your boiler is fully efficient can help to save on your energy bills in the winter months.
The money you save on energy bills this summer can be put towards your future goals, such as paying off debt sooner, building your emergency fund, or going on a summer holiday.
