big energy saving week

Today marks the start of Big Energy Saving Week 2018, a national campaign which aims to help people cut their energy bills and also highlight the broad range of financial support available to those who need it. We’re getting involved too, sharing some of our top tips to help you save. But what has energy got to do with water you’re probably wondering? More than you might think.

Did you know around 17% of a typical household’s energy usage comes from heating water? So using water wisely really does make a difference when it comes to cutting our energy usage, and helps to reduce our energy and water bills too. With this in mind, CCWater’s water-saving expert Ana-Maria Millan guides us through some of her favourite ways to save.

In the kitchen

  • Only fill the kettle with the amount of water that you need. You’ll cut the energy you use by a third and if we all made a brew this way, the UK could collectively save more than £1 million a week!
  • Be sensible about using your washing machine. When you do use it, use a low temperature setting and make sure it’s fully loaded.
  • The same goes for your dishwasher too. In addition to making sure they are full, did you know every modern dishwasher has a special energy-efficiency setting that will use less power to heat the water.
  • Always use a lid when cooking with pots and pans, this will not only save the amount of time needed but minimise energy usage. Make sure you don’t use more water than you need.
  • Repair any dripping hot water taps and replace worn washers. If you are metered, this will make sure you don’t leak precious pounds on your water bill and could also help to reduce your energy costs.

In the bathroom

  • Spend less time in the shower. Reducing your shower from 10 minutes to 4 minutes will save more than 300 litres of water every week. And according to Energy Saving Trust, installing a water efficient shower head could save a family of four as much as £75 a year on gas for water heating, and an additional £120 on water bills if they have a water meter.
  • Sometimes only a bath will do. When you do have a bath, try running it an inch less deep than usual and you’ll save about five litres of water.

Around the home

  • According to Energy Saving Trust opens in new window, more than half the money spent on fuel bills goes towards providing heating and hot water. Installing a room thermostat opens in new window, a programmer and thermostatic radiator valves, could save you an impressive £75 a year and by turning down your room thermostat by just one degree you can shave another £80 a year of your energy bills.
  • Insulating your hot water cylinder to keep it warm is a quick and easy way to save energy and money. When fitting a jacket to the cistern, ensure it is at least 80mm thick.

You can get involved in Big Energy Saving Week by following #BESW2018 Why not share your own energy saving tips and don’t forget to follow our Twitter opens in new window and Facebook opens in new window pages throughout the week to see more of our own favourites.

Big Energy Saving Week is a joint campaign between Energy Saving Trust, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Citizens Advice.