Published on 29/03/2020
Earlier this week, Boris Johnson announced lockdown measures for all non-essential workers. This means that most of us will be spending more time at home and it is likely we will be using more gas and electricity, which will lead to higher energy bills.
USwitch has estimated that households are going to spend an extra £52mn a week due to Covid-19. We feel it is more important than ever to ensure that households are more energy efficient.
This is why we compiled a list of simple tasks that all of us can do during the lockdown that we're usually too busy to do. No excuses!
Let's get to it:
Dust your light bulbs
It sounds silly, but dust gathers on your lightbulbs and makes them look less bright. While you’re at home, give them a quick dust and you’ll soon see the difference.
Loft insulation
This DIY project will require some investment, but it will save you money in the long term. B&Q offers a very detailed step by step guide to how to insulate your loft.
LED lightbulbs
LED lightbulbs use 90% less energy and last 10 times longer than traditional ones, so if you haven’t replaced your light bulbs with LED ones yet get online and order some today!
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Clean your windows
Natural light is the best resource for natural light and heat. Cleaning your windows will make your room lighter and will reduce your heating bill too.
Meal prep
Since you have more time, we suggest cooking in batches. Use slow cooker and freeze your meals. Pinterest is a great place to find many great recipes on the budget. Also, a stocked freezer is more energy efficient than an empty one.
Buy a slow cooker
If you don’t have one yet, invest in a slow cooker. It uses up to 3 times less electricity than a conventional oven.
Clean the fridge and freezer
Clean your refrigerator and freezer. Pay special attention to the coils at the back of your fridge and freezer. This will help it run more energy efficiently.
Defrost your freezer
If your freezer requires manual defrosting, then make sure you defrost it regularly. The more ice your freezer has in it, the more energy it uses. If the ice around the inside is more than 1cm thick, you need to defrost it.
Add thermal insulation for your windows
For around £15, you can purchase windows covers which will help your windows be better insulated and will hold the heat better. It is a cheap and straightforward project (less expensive than getting new windows) that will definitely help make your house more energy efficient.
Draught proof your doors
There are several ways how you can draught-proof your house. We found this excellent list that provides you with simple hacks on how to draught-proof your home.
TURN IT OFF
Don’t leave your household items on standby. Especially, those with digital clocks in them. The best thing you could do is to plug them in one extension lead and unplug it when you are done using them.
Leave electronics behind
The easiest way to save energy is not to consume it. Choose activities that don’t require power. Get people in your household to play board games, read books or magazines, do some gardening or cleaning. You could also start new hobbies that you been promising you will try. For example, learn to knit or play an instrument. You might not get this much free time again; make the most of it!
