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Original poster

What are you doing to reduce your electricity use?

135 replies

ImFree2doasiwant · 14/02/2022 15:31

I have Oil CH, no gas so the electricity is quite low, but oil costs are quite high. I dont think I can limit my electricity use too much other than not using the tumble dryer (I already try to avoid it) and dishwasher (was recently given to me, so am used to not having it and don't find it as much help as I thought!)

Anything else? I'm switching lights off more and not leaving the radio on all day but can't see that they use too much anyway

OP posts:
WhatICallMyUsername · 14/02/2022 19:42

Oh I also hung out washing last week even on the day it was spitting a bit as it was forecast to get better later on

PurpleCarpets · 14/02/2022 20:30

@WhatICallMyUsername

My phone battery is rubbish and quite often needs a top up charge during the day. I've started doing this in the car on school run. I've also bought a power bank which I have on charge in the car so if I go to anyones house and my phone is dying I don't have to ask to charge my phone at their house

Closing all doors all the time, especially if the heating is on to keep the heat in that room. Radiators on low in rooms that aren't used or minimally

Constantly turning lights off, trying to reduce shower times etc. Only washing my hair when it needs it

I think the likelihood that electricity generated by your car costs more than the stuff coming out of your sockets Grin

(In both cases the cost of charging your phone is as close you zero as makes no difference.)

cakeorwine · 14/02/2022 20:46

@notagainnotagain

Recently converted to an EV so expecting a very big increase in electric bill. Consolation is that petrol is at a record high too.
If you use a Smart Meter, there are some tariffs that charge according to time of day.

So effectively, you can charge your car late at night when electricity is cheaper.

cakeorwine · 14/02/2022 20:54

@Northernsoullover

No one mentioned a shower timer yet? I timed the teenagers and they were both having a 10 minute shower! I probably wasn't. I bought a 4 minute and 5 minute timer. 5 minute is for when I wash my hair. We have all been really strict with it.
I have bought one. DS has now been able to relate GCSE Physics to the real world Grin

Electric showers are such a good thing to show how a simple change can have a big reduction.

You still get your shower. But by cutting down the time or the temperature of a high power device you use a lot, you can make a real impact.

motherofawhirlwind · 14/02/2022 20:56

@Diditopknot our Google routine to turn off all lights except the lounge is "It's like Blackpool Illuminations in 'ere!" to which she replies "I'll leave big light on, shall I?" Grin Amuses me every time.

BorgQueen · 14/02/2022 21:11

If you are leaving heated airers on overnight, it’s as expensive as using a tumble dryer for an hour.

TheAbbotOfUnreason · 14/02/2022 21:26

@AdoraBell

I’mfree yes, apparently the TV set uses the same amount of power on standby as when switched on.
They really don’t. Depends on how old your TV is but for a modern flat screen on average it’s 58 watts when it’s on and 1.3 watts on standby.

Games consoles are heavy on power use when playing modern games, and particularly for streaming.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/02/2022 21:31

@TheChosenTwo

Erm, I have to say, not really anything Blush I think we are taking the approach that when the bills start coming in we’ll adjust accordingly. Head in the sand!
We're doing the same. We're lucky we're on a fixed tariff at the moment so we'll have to rethink when that comes to an end.
TheChosenTwo · 14/02/2022 21:34

None of our TVs have on off buttons anymore, they only have remote controls to put them on standby!

WalkingOnSonshine · 14/02/2022 21:36

Working from the office more & working from home on the same day.

cakeorwine · 14/02/2022 21:39

Heat source pumps are interesting - as they use electricity to run the pumps to extract heat from a source.

It's going to need electricity to run. It's going to extract energy from elsewhere to heat things up.

They cost a lot of money to install.

1Week · 14/02/2022 22:19

We moved house 2 winters ago, an old house that needed loads doing to it.
Dh insisted on seeing to the insulation first, did the attic himself and we got the walls pumped.

Our first winter was freezing, second winter was much cheaper and much more comfortable. The difference is unbelievable, if its at all possible I'd advise getting your insulation upgraded. Even the attic alone made a difference, nor too dear or difficult to do it.

mytwocats · 14/02/2022 22:41

Standby tv will use between 0.3 to 1.5watts. All it’s doing the same as leaving a charger plugged in without being switched off, is literally keeping the circuits warm. Once the tv or whatever is in use, only then will it pull its total wattage

Original poster
ImFree2doasiwant · 15/02/2022 08:15

@1Week my house is old, solid walls and although the floor in the roof is boarded and insulated, the roof itself is not- it's just tiled, not even lined. It's a really high roof though and would cost a fortune (that I don't currently have)

OP posts:
Tigerblue · 15/02/2022 08:20

We're switching tv off if no one is really watching it, lights off if not immediately returning to home and leaving it a bit longer before we put them on. Don't have a tumble dryer or dishwasher, so I'm not tempted there. I read not to leave items on charge overnight, so have stopped that. I tend to cook things for a bit longer than recommended, so am making the effort to switch oven off at allotted time and leave food in oven a couple of mins.

ifonly4 · 15/02/2022 08:32

TV and lighting on only when needed and in room. Using oven and heating a bit less. Not leaving items on charge overnight. Very lucky to have a supermarket within a ten minute walk, so most of the time I do my shopping on foot /cycle - good exercise and saves money on petrol (have done this for 2/3 years). If it's a trip out is walkable, we both walk. Not fuel saving, but am going to think twice about if I really need to go to town, buy clothes/other items.

MrsDThomas · 15/02/2022 08:36

I charge my phone and power bank at work, and the kids powerbanks.
Switch lights off when not in use.
Dishwasher is broken so saving there.
Washing machine on before i go to bed, then DH will switch off at the mains.
My house is pretty cool. We have a log burner so that heats the living room. Kids are in their rooms during the evening so they are warm and they love their beds! I switch on the heating for a few hours then its off. New part of the house (bedrooms) is well insulated so retains heat, but the kitchen and living room doesn’t. We use blankets. And i forage wood off the land

1Week · 15/02/2022 08:42

[quote ImFree2doasiwant]@1Week my house is old, solid walls and although the floor in the roof is boarded and insulated, the roof itself is not- it's just tiled, not even lined. It's a really high roof though and would cost a fortune (that I don't currently have)[/quote]
Sorry my comment was not what you asked, just sharing what made the biggest difference with bills here, but went off topic a bit.

Cutting down on oven use is a good shout, check also that the seal is well fitted. If it's not the oven has to work much harder at retaining heat. It is not too difficult to get a new one and fit it

Wafflefudge · 15/02/2022 08:48

I just bought some wool dryer balls, they are supposed to cut tumble dryer time by about 30%.
Was also going to buy some foil lining for behind radiators to cut heating costs.
Need to fix washing line for drying clothes outside.

mogsrus · 15/02/2022 08:53

No

mogsrus · 15/02/2022 09:12

Foil behind radiator is absolutely waste of time, if your house is insulated then you gain nothing, even the energy companies no this

BlackeyedSusan · 15/02/2022 09:14

@Diditopknot

I’ve told everyone in this house to switch off the bastard lights when they leave the room. Ffs. It’s like Blackpool illuminations in this house.
Oh god we've turned into our parents....

So familiar

MrsGHarrison87 · 15/02/2022 09:15

Trying to use the tumble dryer less but it's hard with 6 of us in the house and nothing is drying properly on the line outside. I've got a heated airer that helps, but it takes up loads of space in the living room and doesn't hold as much as I need it to. My main part of my energy bill is gas, I've been having the heating on much less over the past couple of weeks.

Roselilly36 · 15/02/2022 09:18

😂 yes indeed @BlackeyedSusan I have lost count of how many times I was told as a child, I must have been born in a barn, for leaving a door open and letting the heat out of the room. Definitely history repeating itself here!

Roselilly36 · 15/02/2022 09:25

Thinking about it once my DS’ leave home, I am looking forward to visiting, I will turn lights on, leave doors open, use a whole toilet roll and leave the cardboard tube on the holder, I might even draw a smiley face on it with a message saying love from mum. Take my socks off and chuck them on the floor. Have a rifle through the kitchen cupboards. A proper trip down memory Lane 😂