Looking for ideas and inspiration for how to save energy and money at home? Then you’re in the right place – welcome to our A to Z of energy saving tips. First up though, let’s just refresh on the basics – why it’s sensible to see how you can save energy at home.
Why is it important to save energy?
Saving energy is a win-win: it's good for the planet and your wallet. By using less energy, we can reduce our reliance on energy imports and lower our carbon emissions. In the UK, households account for 26% of total greenhouse gas emissions1, so if we all do our bit, we can make a big difference.
Plus, saving energy means lower energy bills, which puts more money in your pocket. With the cost of living and energy crises still not fully behind us, making conscious choices about your energy use is a good way to keep your costs down.
How can you save energy at home?
Saving energy at home doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. There are plenty of simple changes you can make to help you shrink your energy use – and your bills. From quick fixes like unplugging devices, to longer-term improvements like upgrading your insulation, we've got you covered. So, let’s dive in and run through dozens of easy ways to save energy at home.
Adjust your thermostat. This one’s an easy win. By lowering your thermostat just one degree, you can save up to 10% on your heating bill2. While you’re at it, if you have a combi boiler, you can try lowering the boiler flow temperature for your radiators to around 60°C. This won’t affect your hot water, but is a good way to save a little energy on the hot water that fills your radiators.
Bathe less often. You don’t have to go grubby! However, a shower uses less water than a bath – so switching can save you both water and energy3.
Change your cooking habits. There’s lots of ways to make more energy-efficient choices when cooking. They’re mainly to do with the device you choose to cook with. Slow cookers are a top option. They’re seriously energy efficient – they use around the same amount of energy as a light bulb4 and they’re a great way to cook a tasty meal!
Air fryers are a great option too – they use a lot less energy than an oven5. Microwaves are efficient cooking champions as well and also more efficient than ovens6. Bear in mind though that air fryers and microwaves are best for making relatively small amounts of food. If you’re batch cooking then an oven’s bigger capacity might be the best option7.
Defrost your freezer regularly. A buildup of frost in your freezer can make it work less efficiently and use more electricity. Defrost your freezer regularly to keep it running smoothly.
Fridges and freezers need to be switched on all the time, so they make up about 13% of the average household’s energy bill8. So if you’re in the market for a new fridge or freezer, it’s a great idea to look for the most energy-efficient models.
Electronics should be unplugged. They still use energy when they’re on standby, which adds up over time. So unplug any devices when you’re not using them to reduce your energy use9. If any of your devices have power-saving modes make sure you’re using those if you absolutely must keep them plugged in. Laptops, TVs, games consoles and other consumer electronics consume around 6% of the average energy bill10, so it’s certainly worth seeing if you can chip away at your bill by switching these off when you’re not using them.
Fill your dishwasher and washing machine. Make sure you get the most out of each wash and only run your dishwasher or washing machine when it's full.
Give some energy back. Got solar panels? Then you could sell some of it back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee - which helps make the grid more renewable (and earns you a little something for your efforts).
Hang out your laundry to dry. Instead of using the tumble dryer, hang your laundry to dry outside or on a drying rack – it could save you up to £55 a year!11
Insulate your home. Proper insulation can help keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and can save you money on your energy bills12. It’s a great home improvement that should deliver long-term savings. There are a number of ways to top up the insulation in your home, including loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and insulating hot water tanks and pipes. Loft insulation is probably the best known, and one of the most DIY-friendly types of insulation. It involves putting a layer of insulating material like mineral or glass wool between and over the joists in your loft.
Cavity wall insulation is a little more complex, but if your home was built in the last 70 or 80 years your outside walls are probably made of two “skins” (an outside and inside wall) with a gap, or cavity, between them. Cavity wall insulation means filling that gap with a special insulating foam. This isn’t something you can do yourself though, so you’ll need to call the professionals.
Insulating your hot water tank and pipes is another simple option you can do yourself to reduce heat loss. Just be sure to take the measurements of your tank and pipes before you buy your materials to make sure you’re getting the right size. Discover more ways to improve your insulation in our guide to home insulation.
Join an energy supplier like E.ON Next. You get 100% renewable electricity when you choose our Next Gust13 or Next Drive14 tariff. And with our Next Pledge tariff, you can get energy prices guaranteed to stay £50 below the Ofgem price cap.* T&Cs apply.
Keep windows and doors closed. Of course, open windows and doors when you need fresh air, but close them when you're not using them so the heat doesn’t escape.
While we’re on the topic of windows, it’s worth investing in some thick curtains, especially over winter. A lot of heat is lost through windows, particularly single glazed versions, so curtains can help you prevent this energy drain. You can also consider thermal curtain liners which should help keep things even more cosy. Curtains can also reduce noise and help prevent overheating in summer too.
Light your home naturally. You don’t always need to turn the lights on. Open your curtains and blinds to let in natural light during the day. It will save you energy and lift your mood15.
Replace those old incandescent lightbulbs with energy-efficient LEDs too. If the typical UK home replaced all of their bulbs with LEDs, it would save about £40 a year on bills16. And they last much longer too17.
With lighting taking up around 5% of an average home’s total energy bill18, a simple energy-saving tip is just to switch the lights off when you leave a room.
Finally, if you need outdoor security lighting, try to use motion sensor LED lights. These will only turn on when you need them. Many models also come with timer options, so you can set the shortest length of period that lights stay on after motion is detected.
Max out that fridge space! A full fridge (and freezer) will run more efficiently than an empty one. Just make sure there’s a bit of room for the cold air to circulate and cool the entire fridge. We’re not quite finished on fridges yet though. Here’s a couple more easy tips for you.
Wait for hot leftovers to cool before putting them in the fridge or freezer and defrost frozen food into the fridge. The former stops your fridge from being warmed up by hot food, and the latter lowers the temperature inside your fridge, so that it doesn't need to use so much electricity.
It’s also worth cleaning the condenser coils on the back or underneath your fridge or freezer. Switch off the appliance first, then dust the coils with a dustpan and brush. This can improve how well your fridge or freezer performs.
New appliance shopping? Then check the energy rating label on it. This will tell you how energy efficient an appliance is, and a whole lot more. Info like this could help you cut back on your energy use and save your money over the life of the appliance.
Energy efficiency advice for your home.
Ready to get energy smart? This video is full of useful tips for more efficient energy use in your home.
From smart meters to draft excluders, there are plenty of simple measures we can take to make the most of our home energy.
Only heat the water you need. Whether it’s boiling the kettle for your afternoon cuppa or washing the dishes, only use the water you need. This will save energy and conserve water.
Plant trees and tall plants around your home. They can help block out the sun and act as a windbreak, which can help keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
‘P’ is also for ‘pots’ and ‘pans’! Make sure you use the right size hob for the pan you’re using – you want the flames or induction element to be heating the bottom of the pan, not the surrounding air. And pop lids on your pans too – it’ll help your food warm up a lot quicker by trapping the heat in instead of letting it leak out the top of your pan.
Quit meat. Even if you don’t completely quit meat, why not try having one meat free day a week? Vegan diets have a smaller carbon footprint than meat-based ones19.
Review your radiators. Radiators are your home’s central heating heroes, and there’s a few hacks you can use to make sure you’re getting all the heat out of them you can.
First of all, ‘bleeding’ your radiators. This sounds dramatic, but it’s pretty easy and important to do. Why? Because when air gets trapped in your radiators, it can prevent them from heating up efficiently. Bleeding a radiator releases this trapped air, allowing hot water to circulate properly. This in turn leads to toasty radiators that are hot from top to bottom in all rooms of your house. For full instructions on how to do this, see our energy efficiency guide.
Next up, fit radiator reflector panels behind radiators on external walls, especially if the wall is uninsulated. Reflector panels reflect heat escaping through walls back into the room. They’re quick and easy to fit (no DIY skills required) and inexpensive. Finally, if your radiators have an upper surface with vents, the warm air will go straight up to the ceiling, not into the room. You can fit a shelf slightly above the radiator to direct warm air into the room. This can make a big difference, especially if the radiator is under a window.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention recycling and composting here too. These can reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills, which in turn can save energy. For example, recycling aluminium uses 96% less energy20 than producing it from raw materials. And the greenhouse gas emissions from composting are just 14% when compared to the same amount of food dumped into landfill21.
Shorten your showers and switch showerheads. If you’re already a shower-taker rather than a bather then you’re already saving some water and energy. But if you’re basking in the shower for a long time, you could try shortening your shower session a bit. Aim for four minutes if you can – if everyone in your household does this you could save up to £65 on your energy bill over the course of a year22.
You could also fit an energy-efficient showerhead – these aerate water or can restrict the water flow, without compromising on pressure.
If you’re feeling brave you could also try cold showers. Not only could these save you energy, a lot of people swear by them for their mood-boosting and invigorating effects. With 12% of average energy bills going on heating water23, there’s a good chance you could make a dent in your bills by adopting any, or all of the above.
Tighten up your leaky taps. A leaky tap not only wastes water, if it’s a hot one it can waste energy too. Fix them and reduce your energy bill.
Unplug. We’ve already talked about how leaving devices on standby still uses energy. But how about switching off all your devices and giving your brain a break? Take a walk… play a game of cards… a brief digital detox can help reduce stress24 – and save energy on the appliances you’re not using. You should start seeing the savings on your smart meter if you make this a habit.
Vent your dryer properly. Make sure your dryer is vented properly to the outside of your home. This will prevent moisture from building up in your home, which in turn makes your place harder to keep warm.
Wash clothes in colder water. According to the Energy Saving Trust, washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers account for 14% of a typical energy bill, so they’re the most energy-hungry home appliances25. This is because they use lots of energy to heat the water and air that they use to function. Washing clothes at 30oC uses less energy than washing them in hotter water. And thanks to modern washing powders, your clothes will still get clean.
It’s a bright idea to set energy-intensive appliances to run at off-peak times, when energy is cheaper too. Off-peak periods are generally overnight between 11pm and 8am, but can change depending on the tariff you have.
Xclude draughts from your home. (Well, you try thinking of an energy saving tip that begins with “X’!) The UK has the oldest housing stock in Europe26 – so this means that our homes are often draughty. Draught-proofing your home means you could turn down your thermostat, save energy - and around £45 a year on your bills27.
It’s usually pretty straightforward to fit draught-proofing and there’s a few major culprits for draughts that you should tackle first – external doors, windows and loft hatches. For doors you can fit brushes on the top and bottom and around your letterbox. Fitting draught proofing strips around the door frame is a little more complex. Check videos online or a DIY manual for how to do this and enlist a pair of helping hands.
If your door has really seen better days and you need to replace it, choose an energy-efficient model and make sure it fits your door frame snugly. External doors now have energy efficiency ratings like appliances and must meet technical specifications for heat transfer – so check for this if you’re buying a new one.
For normal windows that open outwards, you can stick draught-proofing strips around the frames. These fill the gap between the window and the frame. There are a few different types to choose from depending on your needs and budget. The key thing is to ensure a tight fit, but not to use a strip that’s too large and makes closing the window hard. On sash windows you can use brush strips or look for special kits designed to help with this kind of window. Loft hatches are often overlooked but can be a source of draughts getting into your home through your roof. Fit draught-excluding foam or rubberised roll around the edges where the loft hatch slides in place so it seals well and reduces heat loss into the loft and draughts down from it. You CAN make a difference. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of climate change and just throw your hands up in despair. But your actions really can help create a sustainable future. Remember, the more of us that make the effort, the greater the positive impact we can have. So don’t stop believin’. Keep up the good work, and if you are struggling with eco-anxiety, we can point you in the right direction for help.
Zero waste. Reducing your waste means that overall less energy is used producing new goods that you don’t need. Try recycling and reusing items and see how close you can get to zero.
So, there you have it, our rundown of just over 26 tips for how to save energy at home. We hope you find them useful and that they inspire you to spot opportunities to improve your energy efficiency.