13 top tips to save energy and money this winter


Monday, 18th January 2021, 12:01 am




If you turn down your main thermostat by 1C, you could save about £60 on your energy bill - but make sure your home is still warm enough during cold weather. OVO Energy says the basic level of warmth for a healthy person wearing warm clothing is 18C. 16C or below is described as "fairly cold" and "could be unsafe for respiratory conditions".


Installing a room thermostat, a programmer and thermostatic radiator valves, and using these controls efficiently could save you about £75 a year.
Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows, and check for draughts around windows and doors.
Draught-proofing windows and doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can save around £25 a year on energy bills.
Turning your appliances off standby mode can save you £35 a year, and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.
Use a bowl to wash-up rather than running a tap, reduce your washing machine use by one cycle a week, and only fill the kettle with the water you need and you could save around £39 a year in the kitchen.
Spend one minute less in the shower each day and a family of four could save £75 a year on energy and water bills.
A running tap wastes more than 6 litres of water every minute, so turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face.
Replacing an inefficient shower head with a water efficient one could save a household of four people around £38 a year off gas bills and around £53 a year off water bills
Replace your bulbs as and when you can with energy efficient LEDs – on average it could save about £40 a year on bills.
Turn your lights off when you’re not using them. If you switch a light off for just a few seconds, you will save more energy than it takes for the light to start up again. This will save you around £15 a year on your energy bills.