How to save energy during the summer?

A substantial portion of your heating bill will be heating water. To reduce the amount, you spend on your heating bills you should concentrate on using water more efficiently.

Simple tips to save water could save you a lot of money annually on your electricity bill. These simple tricks include lowering the temperature in the shower, choosing a shower over a bath, and washing your clothes at a lower temperature.

Check out our guide on how to reduce your water bill for more information on saving on your water bills this summer.

In the UK, it is often cold and breezy most of the time, but we do see spikes in the temperature during the summer. When this hot weather hits, our homes often get extremely hot as they are not built for boiling temperatures.

Your first instinct may be to open the window, but this will allow the stifling air to come in. It is best to keep windows and doors closed to stop the warm air from entering and use fans to keep the cool air inside and prevent air leaks.

Most of us will bring out the fans during the summer to keep the temperature down but this can have a substantial impact on the energy consumed. Using a fan is sometimes unavoidable during the hot months but the trick is to use them wisely.

Our top tip is to place your fans on the floor as this will circulate the cooler air rather than the warm air that would have risen. This is often a better option in comparison to installing a ceiling fan. When temperatures drop at night, you should open the window to keep cool rather than turn on the fan as this will help keep your energy consumption down.

LED light bulbs are more expensive than traditional bulbs, but this investment is one of the ways to save energy overall. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) emit less heat and lighter so will save you money on your energy costs in comparison to incandescent bulbs.

LED bulbs are also made to be long-lasting and efficient which means you will spend less on replacing incandescent light bulbs. Another top tip is to use natural light during the day and has energy-efficient lighting which only turns on when it becomes dark.

Using your oven doesn’t just add to your energy bills, it can also heat up your kitchen by almost 10 degrees. This increase will make you want to blast the AC and open your windows for relief. During a heatwave you can save energy by making meals that dont require cooking to keep your house cool!

Making salads or sandwiches rather than hot cooked dinners means you dont even have to turn on the oven on a hot day. Better still, embrace the outdoors and host a BBQ with friends to make the most of the weather and save energy.

All the appliances within your home will generate heat and continually drain your energy usage. To keep temperatures down, unplug your computer, toaster, and any other electronics that you are not using. This will help reduce the temperature, which will reduce the pressure on fans and the cooling system.

We understand that your appliances may only use a small amount of energy on standby, but this amount will add up over the summer which can make a significant difference to your energy bill.

Replacing your air filter is a quick but effective task to ensure your air conditioner is working smoothly. If your cooling equipment is blocked with a dirty filter, it will obstruct its ability to absorb heat. Replacing an old filter can lower your air conditioner’s energy use by up to 15%.

The filter should be changed every 4-8 weeks and even more frequently if the unit is consistently being used. Pet hair and dust buildup are both elements that can cause blocked and dirty filters.

Single room conditioning units will have a filter mounted in the grill that faces into the room. In central conditioning units, you can find the filter somewhere along the length of the return duct. Common locations are in walls, ceilings, or in the air conditioner itself.

In the summer, you should set your thermostat as high as possible as every degree of extra cooling will increase your energy consumption by 6-8%. It is more beneficial to keep the house warm during the day whilst it is unoccupied and lowers the temperature when people are home.

Additionally, you should not lower the thermostat whilst the air conditioning is turned on as it will not cool the house down any quicker, it will simply add to your energy costs.

Bonus tip – Invest in a smart thermostat to make temperature changes simple. Smart thermostats ensure peak efficiency and are simply Wi-Fi enabled. They are a fantastic way of setting the temperature before you get home or whilst you sleep.

An energy-efficient dehumidifier works great alongside air conditioning to reduce the humidity within your home. This also assists the conditioning unit, so it does not have to work as hard to reduce humidity and cool the room.

If your conditioning unit works too hard it may break which will result in expensive regular maintenance or replacements.

As the energy crisis continues into the summer, energy costs are becoming increasingly expensive. If you think you are paying too much for your energy consumption or you are entering renewal, contact one of our energy experts today to switch energy suppliers today.