Save Money & The Planet With These 9 Smart Energy Conserving Tips For The Home

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could help the planet while saving ourselves some money too? Well, the good news is that we can, and all we need to do is use the energy conservation tips below. Read on to find out what they are. 

1. Swap your light bulbs for LED

.One way you can do your bit for the planet and save money is to swap out your old light bulbs for LED ones. LED or light-emitting diodes, as they are also known are a much more energy-efficient way to light your home. This is because they use a microchip through which an electrical current is passed,  rather than heating an electrical filament.  The former takes a lot less energy than the latter and what this means is that by choosing LED lights you won’t have to compromise on the level of lighting in your home, but it will use much less power, thereby saving energy, which in turn can help save the planet and lower your electricity bills! 

2. Invest in insulation 

Insulation is your best friend if you are looking to save both money and Resources.  This is because insulation helps to maintain the internal temperature of any space it’s placed around. For example, if you insulate your heated water tank,  the water will stay warmer for longer inside the tank,  and this means you will need to use less energy to maintain its temperature. 

Similarly, if you insulate your home,  something you can do by adding installation to areas such as the walls and roof,  you will help keep the internal temperature more consistent.  This means your home will require less energy to not only stay warm in the winter but also to stay cool in the summer. This means you can save not only on heating bills but on AC bills as well, as your HVAC system will not need to work as hard as it would if your home was not insulated. 

3. Stop defrosting your food in the microwave

Wall it can be very tempting to grab some food from the freezer and froth quickly in the microwave, doing so does waste a lot of expensive necessary energy.  

Instead with a little organisation, you can use the ambient temperature in your home to defrost the food you need. You’ll just have to give it a little more time, so planning what you will eat in the evening each day will help. You can also get convection trays designed for speedy defrosting which can help you avoid your microwave defrost setting even when you are in a hurry. Just be sure not to leave it out once it has defrosted as this can be a food hygiene issue. 

4. Turn down your thermostat

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No one likes to be cold, especially when they are relaxing at home. However, if you want to save energy and money you may wish to reduce the temperature in your home by at least a few degrees. 

This is because it uses a significant amount of energy to raise the temperature in your home, by even one degree even a day. Multiple that by 365 and you can really start to see how the cost of this can add up. The funny thing is that you can usually lower the temperature in your home by a few degrees without most people noticing at all, especially if they are walking around in bare feet and a t-shirt as all they would have to do is add socks and a jumper to their outfit. 

5. Embrace the use of natural light

Electric light is one of the most significant technological developments in history. However, we can often rely too much on electric light in our homes forgetting the power of natural light. 

Of course, one of the great things about natural light is that it’s free, so by embracing it, you can save money. Ways to do this include using voile for window privacy as they’ll let the light in during the day, as well as installing a larger window to maximise the amount of natural light your home gets. 

6. Dry your clothes outside

Do you know that there are fabric softeners designed to give you that dried outside feeling for your clothes? The reason is that clothes feel and smell so much better when they are dried out of doors, and by doing this you will use much less energy too. Indeed, tumble dryers are one of the most energy-hungry appliances in the home, so anything you can do to avoid using them will help save you money and reduce your impact on the planet. 

Happily, there are several options here including getting an outside washing line and drying your laundry out of doors when the weather is fine. You can also buy an indoor clothes rack which will allow you to dry your clothing without using a tumbler dryer. 

7. Swap from baths to showers

Baths can be a luxurious treat, but they are most definitely bad news when it comes to saving energy and money. This is because baths are more expensive than showers. After all, they use more water. With that in mind, for the good of your wallet and the good of the planet be sure to take short showers over baths, and leave baths only as an occasional treat. 

8. Install energy-saving windows 

You can also save money while saving the planet by replacing your old windows with energy-saving ones. Indeed, energy efficient replacement windows will lower your energy bills, keeping your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The great thing about this type of window is that they are not only a much more sustainable option, but look great too, ensuring your home looks stylish too. 

9. Stop boiling a full kettle for a single cup of coffee

Last of all it’s important to remember that even the smallest changes can make a big difference over time when it comes to saving money and energy. For example, just think about how many times you boil a kettle a day, and just how much energy you can save if you only ever boil the amount of water you truly need, rather than a felt kettle every time. It’s so easy to do as well, as you can just fill your cup with water and pour it into the kettle instead of filling up the kettle all the way.