Tips to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions at home

The talk of energy prices increasing this April really is beginning to hit home and our pockets. It seems April fool’s will be no joke for the residents of Sutton this year with household energy bills rising on average by £693 per year. It’s safe to say its going to be a tough time for the majority and we are going to be seeking ways to scrape back on the pennies…. well £’s (quite a lot of them!)

As Suttons first carbon neutral estate agency, we are always finding ways to cut back on energy consumption. So, we have pulled together some helpful tips to help communities across The London Borough of Sutton and surroundings areas to keep the spark alight. So, in retrospective lets puts this into a proactive task in that reducing carbon emissions keeps the pound around for longer!

Home Office - Reduce your energy use while working from home

• Unplug your devices. When you're working from home, the quickest way to reduce the amount of energy is to unplug any devices you're not using, such as laptops, computers, monitors and speakers. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that Brits could save £1.7 billion a year by switching their devices off, so it's worthwhile to remember to unplug as often as you can.

• Switch off the lights. Every time you leave a room, switch the lights off. This could save you about £14 a year. Change your light bulbs. Fitting LED bulbs is a great way to reduce energy use at home. Energy Saving Trust estimates it'd cost an average home around £100 to replace all of its bulbs but cost £35 less a year in energy. 

Kitchen - reduce your energy and water use even when cooking and washing up

• Don't leave appliances on standby in your kitchen. Be energy efficient and switch off your appliances. You could save £40 on your energy bills. 
• Stop the frost. Defrost your fridge freezer regularly to prevent it using more energy than it needs to.
• Clean behind your fridge and freezer. This will keep your fridge and freezer cool and working efficiently.
• Use smaller pans. The smaller your pan, the less heat is wasted. So, make sure you use the right size pan for your meal.
• Keep saucepan lids on. Your food will heat up faster.

Use less water

• Load up your washing machine fully, rather than doing half loads. You can also choose economy settings or 30° washes and this could save you £10 a year, with an additional £10 if you do one less wash a week. 
• Arrange a water-saving home visit (when it's possible to do so) - Some water companies offer to visit you at home to talk to you about your water usage and to give you tips about how you could use less water. They may also be able to fit water-saving devices and make fixes such as shower timers and tap inserts. Get in touch with your water company to find out more. 
• Choose a low energy setting on your dishwasher. This may be a shorter programme or a lower temperature setting - or both! And if you fill it out and do one wash less a week, you could save around £10 a year. 
• Boil only as much water as you need. Make sure you fill the kettle with exactly the right amount of water – it will heat faster and not waste energy. 
• Fill up a washing up bowl. You could save £25 a year by filling up a bowl rather than running hot water from a tap.

3. Bathroom - reduce your water bill

• Did you know that about 12% of a typical gas-heated home's energy bill is from heating the water for showers, baths and water from the hot tap? [Source Energy Savings Trust 02/02/2022]
• Here are some quick ways to save water
• Fix leaks and drips. Little leaks can waste a lot of water over time. A dripping tap can waste more than 5,500 litres of water a year, 
• Take a shower. Showers are usually faster, cheaper and more efficient than baths.
• Change your showerhead. A more efficient showerhead with lower water flow could help you save water and energy. A family of 4 could save around £35 off their gas bills and around £45 off their water bills (if they have a water meter) each year. That’s a total saving of around £80. 
• Shower for a shorter time. A shower timer could save you money by cutting just one minute off every shower. With a power shower, a family of four could save up to £60 on energy bills and £60 on water bills every year. 

 Home heating - whilst using less energy

• Turn down your thermostat. Just one degree lower could save you £80 a year. Set a timer on your thermostat for your heating to come on only when you need it. 
• Don't heat the rooms you're not in. Individual radiator thermostats mean you can adjust the temperature in each room accordingly.
• Keep doors between adjoining rooms shut. This way, you stop the heat from escaping. 
• Run your heating for an hour less each day. Even using a little less energy each day adds up to savings over time.
• Bleed your radiators. This removes any trapped air that stops them from working as efficiently as they could. If you feel confident to do it yourself, check how to bleed your radiators.