Each and every time you open that colossal quarterly energy bill, you vow this is the last time you’ll ever be so careless. And when the next bill rolls around, you make the same promise again…and again. It’s the same cycle millions up and down the United Kingdom find themselves in, finding that their good intentions are quickly eroded by the reality of balancing a busy life.
The simple fact of the matter is that when you’re already struggling to keep things on the straight and narrow, ushering in huge lifestyle changes simply for the sake of reducing energy bills just doesn’t seem realistic. On the plus side however, there are in fact various ways and means by which significant energy savings can be made day in and day out, without necessarily having to make any significant lifestyle changes whatsoever. It’s simply a case of injecting a little common sense into the equation and perhaps seeking one or two guaranteed low-cost energy-saving alternative technologies.
So from those who live and breathe energy savings day in and day out, here’s a quick overview of just a few tips for making a big difference to your energy bills, without making a big difference to the way you live your life:
1 – Upgrade to LED
First and foremost, if you thought you were doing yourself a favour by ousting those now-outlawed incandescent likes in favour of halogen-powered designer indoor lighting, you might want to think again. While there’s absolutely no disputing the fact that wave after wave of recessed halogen lighting can look amazing and create a fabulous effect, quite a lot of the halogen bulbs on the market today are notoriously energy-inefficient. By contrast, comparable LED bulbs installed to do the same job could bring home energy savings of over 80%. It seems like a small thing, but when you consider making the switch with say 30 or 40 bulbs around the home, it’s actually a quite enormous reduction in energy consumption without having to make any drastic changes at all.
2 – Dimmers and Timers
Still on the subject of lighting, it’s also a good idea to consider installing more dimmers, timers and general control systems throughout both the home and the garden (where applicable). Timers for example can be great when it comes to ensuring that both internal and external lights are only used when necessary and cannot be left on for long periods of time accidentally. As for dimmers, it’s simply a case of ensuring that only the exact amount of energy needed to suit your lighting needs at the time is utilised – as opposed to it being simply an ‘all or nothing’ lighting situation. Last up, rather than having a single switch that controls say a dozen or more lights in a larger room, consider splitting up control of the lights by way of different switches to once again ensure no excessive or unnecessary energy is used.
3 – Put a Stop to Standby
It’s the kind of tip that’s been said so many times, it’s become every bit as cliché as it is crucially important. Even today with so many energy-efficient appliances and devices, every minute of every day your electrical items remain in standby is a minute you are throwing money down the drain. Whichever way you look at it, actually turning the TV, stereo or PC off at the mains between uses takes no more than five seconds extra of your time, yet will build real and on-going savings across the board.
4 – Buy Quality Bulbs
Back on the subject of lighting for a moment, it’s important to be aware of the fact that not all energy-saving lighting/light bulbs are manufactured to the same quality standard. This is precisely why you will come across certain so-called ‘low energy’ LEDs that cost in the region of £1.50 while others of a pretty similar specification will set you back say £5. There is and always will be a difference between the products put out by brands at different levels – don’t be fooled into making initial savings and then paying through the nose for wasted energy.
5 – Consider Remote Controls
Last but not least, it’s also worth considering trying out the latest in remote control technology whereby anything from heating to lighting to security features in general can be monitored and controlled at all times via any connected smartphone or tablet PC. Having full control over all energy being used around the home at all times will undoubtedly contribute to the cause when looking to make significant savings.
