Hints & Tips at HomeWe all want to do our bit. Safety, sustainability and energy efficiency are important to us all. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a big difference, particularly when we act collectively. Here are some top tips to help at home. |
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A dripping tap can waste at least 5,500 litres of water a year. If this is hot water you’re also wasting the energy used to heat it. Get leaking taps fixed promptly.
Giving your plants’ roots a good soaking once or twice a week in dry weather is much better than lightly watering them every day because most of that water just evaporates away. However, new plants do need regular watering until they are established.
Washing a small load of clothes? Check you washing machine’s settings to see if you can use the “half load” programme to save water and energy.
Using lids on your pans when cooking will save energy and help heat the contents quicker.
If you need to use a tumble drier, make sure you use a full load and keep the lint filter clean. It will keep your machine working more efficiently saving energy while also reducing any risk of fire.
Make sure your radiators are clear so they can heat the space efficiently. Curtains or furniture can easily block them.
Use a microwave. Generally a microwave oven is the most efficient way to heat up and cook food.
Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £8 a year off your energy bills, per person. With a water meter this could save a further £11 off annual water and sewerage bills. If everyone in a four-person household did this it would lead to a total saving of £75 a year.
Think before your print. Reducing the amount of material you print has a long list of benefits including saving paper, chemicals and electricity. More and more offices and industries are going paper free, so think about how you can reduce any printing you do.
Save energy with your washing machine. Modern washing powders often let you achieve the same results with lower temperatures.
