Energy saving top tips

With energy bills increasing, we are all looking for ways to reduce our household energy consumption wherever possible. Small changes can make a big difference, so these top tips are designed to help reduce your energy usage, save money and also reduce your carbon footprint. 

1. The Warmer Homes programme can provide eligible residents with up to £25,000 of FREE home energy-efficiency improvements. Find out if you are eligible here .  
2. Change your light bulbs to LEDs and remember to turn them off when you leave the room. This will save you around £20 a year on your energy bills.  Also try to use natural light when possible.
3. Wash your clothes in cooler water where possible.
4. Find out more about solar energy and apply for the Solar Together programme , providing cleaner, greener and more sustainable solar panels at a reduced cost for Fareham residents.
5. Sealing cracks, gaps and leaks around doors and windows and vents, and adding insulation can save up to 10% on home heating costs.
6. Defrost your refrigerator and freezer before ice build-up becomes 1/4-inch thick to ensure your appliances are running efficiently.
7. During warmer months, close blinds, shades and curtains on the sunny side of your home to help keep the temperature cooler. Open shades during cooler months to let the sun warm your home.
8. Don't peek in the oven while baking! Every time you peek, the temperature can drop, making your oven use more energy to bring the temperature back up.
9. Don't leave your electronics on all day long. Only turn on your computer, monitor, printer etc when you need them.
10. Set your thermostat to a set temperature in the winter rather than putting it up and down - every degree of extra heating will increase energy usage 6% to 8%.
11. By turning down your thermostat by just 1 degree, you could save up to £80 per year
12. Set your refrigerator temperature to the manufacturer's recommendation to avoid excessive cooling and wasting energy.
13. Don't leave bathroom or kitchen ventilation fans running longer than necessary.
14. Replace your windows. If your home has single-pane windows, consider replacing them with more energy efficient windows, or adding solar shades or tinting film.
15. Don't leave your mobile phone plugged in overnight. It only takes a couple of hours to charge.
16. Turn off the oven a few minutes before cooking time runs out. Your food will continue to cook without using the extra electricity.
17. Watch your appliance placement. Avoid placing appliances that give off heat, such as lamps or TVs, near a thermostat.
18. Only put the water that you need in your kettle - don't fill it all the way up. By filling your kettle just to the level you need, it could save you up to a third of the energy you have been using.
19. You can save around £55 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off, rather than leaving them on standby mode.
20. Make sure you fill your washing machine and dishwasher to reduce the amount of water you use.
21. Reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower. Keeping your shower time to just 4 minutes could save a typical household £70 a year on their energy bills.
22. Avoid using the tumble dryer - these eat up electricity and you can reduce usage by drying outside in dry weather or by using an airer to dry your clothes.
23. Only heat the rooms you are using. Turn off the radiators and shut the doors to rooms you rarely use, such as a spare bedroom.
24. You might enjoy a long soak in the bath, but swapping one bath a week with a 4-minute shower could save you up to £12 a year!

If you have any other energy saving tips you can share with other Fareham residents, please let us know by emailing publicity@fareham.gov.uk