As we move further into spring, being able to turn the heating down, or have it on less frequently, is a welcome relief to households worried about the impact on their wallets.
But as our habits change amid warmer weather and lighter days, there may also be other ways that we can save on energy around the house.
Victoria Bacon, director at Smart Energy GB, an organisation that helps people understand how smart meters can benefit them, says: “For many households, the lack of control when it comes to managing high energy prices is a real concern.”
Here are some tips from Bacon for keeping costs down as the weather warms up:
1. Dry your washing outside
If you have some outside space, dry your clothes outside, to save energy you may otherwise either use on a tumble dryer or dehumidifier.
Tumble dryers can be especially expensive, potentially costing more than £200 a year if used three times a week, Bacon adds.
2. Don’t forget to switch off lights
It sounds simple, but turning off lights when you leave a room is an easy one to overlook, particularly if some members of a family are better at remembering than others.
“Turn off lights in unused rooms and wait until later in the day to turn them on,” says Bacon.
3. Keep an eye on refrigerator seals
“These stop warmer air from the room getting inside your fridge and keep it cool,” says Bacon.
“Keep an eye on them, especially as the weather starts to get warmer, and replace or repair them if you find cracks or splits.”
4. Defrost your freezer
The more ice has built up inside your freezer over the winter, the more energy it takes to maintain the temperature.
5. Close your blinds and curtains when the mercury rises
This is a handy tip for when the weather gets hotter, as it helps to block out the sun, resulting in cooler rooms, and you also use less energy trying to keep the temperature down.
6. Check air-cooling fans
Make sure any fans or cooling equipment you use are as energy-efficient as possible.
Smart Energy GB’s “super smart home hacks” campaign has highlighted how some simple desktop fans can run for eight hours a day – and still potentially cost less than using some small air conditioners for 20 minutes.
It has partnered up with the Energy Saving Trust to help people understand how swapping some gadgets may help them to manage their energy consumption.
7. Install an energy-efficient shower head
Around a fifth of an average household’s energy bills are spent heating water, according to Smart Energy GB, so this can help reduce the amount your shower uses and the energy it requires.