With the price of energy in many parts of the world spiralling to such a high degree, there are plenty of people who are looking to cut their bills in any way possible. While there are plenty of steps that you can take to achieve this goal, there are also many mistakes that are commonly made and should be avoided. So, let’s look in closer detail at just a few of these so you can run the most efficient home that you can.


Heating rooms at the wrong times 

 

The bigger your house, the more rooms that you have to heat. However, if you are blasting out the heating in all of them, this could be an issue as it means that you are paying to warm rooms that you aren’t even using. You can go into these rooms and turn down or off the radiators. You should also relook at your thermostat and consider the times that you are heating the space. After all, there is no point in heating up your whole home when you are out for work. You should also look at the temperature of the thermostat as many people are heating their home excessively and they can save a great deal by turning this figure down a degree or two.

 

Putting off making upgrades 

 

There are all sorts of energy saving upgrades that you can make around the home. However, many people will put these off due to the high upfront cost that they are going to encounter. They don’t think about the savings that they will make in the long run. For example, you can add some insulation to the loft area to help reduce the heat that is escaping through the roof. Another alternative is to do some window replacement to upgrade to an energy saving alternative. The sooner you make these upgrades, the longer you will have to reap the benefits. Many people are now also looking into renewable energy upgrades such as installing solar panels, so it is always worth looking into whether this is an option for you.

 

Not dealing with draughts 

 

While draughts in the home may feel like a minor issue that you don’t have to worry all that much about, it is worth dealing with them promptly. There are a couple of ways of doing this. You could add in some draught-proofing strips around anywhere that cold air is getting in. Alternatively, there are plenty of simple draught excluders that can help to prevent it from blowing around from room to room. This is a cost effective change which can really stack up from year to year.

 

Not using your curtains or blinds 

 

One of the best things about using your curtains or blinds properly is that it is not going to cost you a penny. During the sunnier time of the day, you will want to leave them open to allow as much heat as possible to flow into the room. However, as soon as the sun goes down, you can then go around shutting them up. This way, you can contain the heat within your home and you can then feel the knock-on benefits of not having to put the heating on for such a long time or perhaps you will be able to cut the temperature down a bit.

 

Failing to turn off lights or appliances 

 

This is probably one of the original pieces of energy saving advice and one that can make such a big difference to your bills if you practice it properly. Essentially, it’s all about going from room to room and making sure you don’t have lights on when you are not using them, as well as shutting off appliances and ensuring they aren’t simply left on standby mode. There are plenty of ‘vampire appliances’ that will be using energy even if you are not using them as they are ready and waiting to be used. Taking a bit more effort to shut these off properly can help to cut down on your bills.

 

Not looking at other energy suppliers 

 

There are so many energy suppliers out there and if you stick to the same one all the time, this can easily mean that they start to put up your bills without you doing anything much about it. It’s always worth having one eye on the other suppliers out there to ensure that you are getting the best deal. At the same time, you may be able to get a better deal from your existing supplier simply by letting them know that you are looking elsewhere and you are exploring the other options that you have available.

 

Failing to use the energy saving mode

 

 

There are plenty of appliances that have specific energy saving modes that are designed to help cut your costs and be kinder to the planet. So, make sure that you fully know and understand your appliances to use the modes that are most appropriate. One common example is your washing machine. By washing at a lower temperature, you can help to cut back on the amount that you are spending on a regular basis. There are other appliances where the energy saving mode can be turned on at the touch of a button. 

 

This list of mistakes covers a whole range of areas from the large to the small. The types of changes that you can make depends very much on your budget. For example, installing solar panels is obviously a significant upgrade, but simply closing your curtains at the right time of the day is an easy fix that doesn’t have to cost you a penny. It’s more than likely that everyone is wasting energy to some degree at home, but a simple change of habit can end up making such a big difference. It’s all about making sure that everyone in the home is on board and you are working together for the good of the planet and your household budget as well.

 

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ABOUT AUTHOR
Eighty Mph Mom
Lyric Spencer

I’m all about sharing great products, recipes, home decor, and parenting hacks for busy moms.

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