As the longest day of the year is nearly here and summer is officially upon us, E.ON’s Green Guru Mike Feely offers his top five tips to staying energy efficient this summer and keep heating bills as low as possible.
Mike says: “With the weather warming up and people generally spending more time outdoors, it’s easy to forget about the energy you use at home. But with the longer, sunnier days, summer is the perfect time to increase your home’s energy efficiency and save money on your heating bills.”
Mike’s top five energy-saving tips:
- Be fridge and freezer frugal
Ensure your fridge is working efficiently by placing it away from your cooker and direct sunlight and not overfilling it. That way your fridge will use less energy as it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep food and drinks cool.
But remember that space in the freezer is bad news, so over summer months why not fill your freezer with ice cream or lollies, a perfect way to keep yourself cool whilst also being energy efficient at the same time!
- Prolong summer nights
Do you enjoy spending the summer evenings in the garden having a BBQ with family and friends? Why not make sure you can make the most of the warmer evenings by lighting up your garden with energy efficient LED lighting or solar-powered lights so you can sit out longer enjoying the summer weather.
- Get smart about the weather
Did you know that smart thermostats can do more than simply control the heat in your home during winter; they can also play a useful role in summer. Smart thermostats, such as tado°, can adapt to the local weather forecast to make the most of natural heat on a sunny day, meaning that you can save energy too.
The smartphone app that comes with smart thermostats such as tado° also makes it easy to control your heating from wherever you are. So, there’s no need to panic if you forget to turn your hot water or heating off when you go for a day out or even more importantly when you go on holiday. Simply check your system’s status and if necessary turn your water heating or heating off from the airport departure lounge or back on again when in arrivals.
- Stay cool with insulation
Everyone knows that insulation is helpful in keeping your home warm during the winter months but it can also keep your home cool in the summer by circulating cool air indoors and trapping heat in your home. So, consider installing cavity wall or loft insulation in your home any time during the year not just during the cooler months.
- Spruce up your boiler
A third of homes in England have an old and inefficient boiler1. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that a new boiler could save you £210 on your annual energy bill, depending on your current house type and boiler. The best time to service or replace your boiler is when you’re not relying on it as much, so summer is the perfect time to take action and give your boiler some TLC.
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