EDF shares ‘everyday home tweaks’ to save £143 per year on energy bills | Personal Finance | Finance
Britons can make major savings on their energy bills with just a handful of tweaks to their everyday habits in the home, EDF Energy says. The British integrated energy company, which is wholly owned by the French state-owned EDF (Électricité de France), previously shared some simple tips to save money, including small changes to how you use your thermostat.
In some household guidance, the firm said turning down your thermostat by just one degree could bring sizeable savings. The guidance points to figures from The Energy Saving Trust, an independent organisation that promotes energy efficiency, which suggests setting your thermostat to the “lowest comfortable temperature for your needs”, which is between 18C and 21C for most people.
According to the organisation, turning your thermometer down from 22C to 21C can save £90 a year on your energy bills in Great Britain and £80 in Northern Ireland.
EDF Energy recommends setting a timer on your thermostat so your heating only comes on when you actually need it.
Another easy and money-saving habit to get into is switching off the lights, the provider says. Doing so every time you leave a room, or when you’re not using them, can save you about £8 on your energy per year in GB, and £9 in Northern Ireland, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
You can also save even more by replacing your lights with LED bulbs if you don’t already have them, EDF Energy says.
LED bulbs are “by far the most energy efficient light bulb” and are just as powerful as halogen lights, whilst using “80% less electricity”, the trust says.
The organisation says replacing the halogen spotlights in your home with them could save you a whopping £45 a year in GB and £55 in NI, as well as significantly lowering your carbon dioxide emissions.
These three changes could save you as much as £143 per year in total, but there are many other ways you can make your energy usage more efficient and cost-effective.
Other measures EDF recommends include fitting draft proofing, defrosting your freezer regularly to ensure its not overworking, and changing your washing machine habits.
You can find out more here.
