Spill the beans... on your extreme energy saving tricks

AngryPig

bill_the_bus wrote: »

Boil a full kettle and then fill a flask, keeps warm for most of the day, save boiling a kettle several times

I thought my nan was the only one who did this! She wouldn't deliberately boil a full kettle, but any hot water left over would always go in the Thermos for later.

Yolina

Swipe wrote: »

I don't own an iron and have never ironed a thing in my life. Buy easy care shirts and hang your clothes as soon as the washer cycle has finished and there's no need.

I do not own any shirts :rotfl: and yes I do hang my clothes when they're out of the washer. Out of all the stuff in my wardrobe I have something like 5 or 6 items that I really can't get away with not ironing so it's totally manageable

rogerblack

MartinWickham wrote: »

this one's getting aired increasingly often, but the heat loss or cost associated with expelling the condensation, or the consequences of not dealing with it, make this into a red hot loss.

I have a cover for the bath, to eliminate this issue.
Works well.

AngryPig

jgfruitloop wrote: »

I am in dspute with my other half over the temperature on the thermostat, I like it at 16 degrees but he wants it warmer! Personally I have a throw that I put over me on the settee so I don't need too much heating.

Welcome jg!
Tell OH to "man-up"! I get Mrs Pig to agree to not putting the heating on/up in exchange for a snuggle on the sofa. See if you can use that as an incentive!

MartinWickham

sablade wrote: »

... Try and use gas over electricity when cooking Gas is 7p per KWH Electricity is 13p per KWH.

I've been doing this too, but gas ovens are not as efficient as electric, because of the heat loss from the ventilation of the oven for proper operation of the gas burners (there's normally less cavity insulation too). When I checked this a number of years ago, the gas oven used twice the number of kWh than the electric oven to achieve the same baking. Therefore, at the prices you quote, you are just about breaking even, though in winter you will benefit from the warmth of the ventilation from the gas oven.

The grill doesn't fare much better either, two slices of toast under my gas grill costs 1p, in an electric toaster it's 0.4p I'd still not be breaking even with 4 slices (in one grilling).

AngryPig

A.Jones wrote: »

Get a job - then your employer can keep you warm during the day (or night if you do night shifts).

Or.... A colleague of mine sometimes works from home, but often takes his paperwork down to the local library and works from there so that he doesn't have to heat/light his home during the day!

Skoorb

We put thermal linings on the back of our curtains and it makes a big difference to the amount of heat loss through windows.

We buy them from http://www.textilesdirect.co.uk/store/Blackout-Curtain-Lining-Pair.html as there is a store in our city, but you can get them elsewhere.

You can even buy ready backed curtains like http://www.textilesdirect.co.uk/store/Simply-Style-Latte-Thermal-Backed-Curtains.html

MartinWickham

StephenM wrote: »

It most homes water for drinking and food preparation should come from the cold tap in the kitchen. This is the tap that is connected directly to the mains. Anything else will have been stewing in a tankful of bacteria.

But bacteria will be dead by the time you have boiled the veg, therefore, this is not a health risk, just more flavour.

poor_country_girl

I refuse to put the heating on unless it is FREEZING - hand knit socks, wooly jumpers, blankets, even fingerless gloves are worn in our house if you are cold.
I have NEVER had the heating on during the night and sleep with the window open - it is usually only the coldest months of the year that require an extra blanket or two on the bed.
Don't use hot water bottles much after managing to burn my belly on one! (don't ask...)
If the oven is on, make the most of it. If you are cooking a stew or roast stick in some baked potatoes, a rice pudding or a cake etc.

Kath
x

ZenUK

Adjust the water temperature in the boiler to 50 degrees. Don't turn heating on until frost appears on car windows.

Cover gaps in draughty windows and doors with old jumpers. Make it airtight.

Utilise the heat from Laptop vents and transformers and PC cases fan vents to heat a room.

Wear 3 pairs of cheap cotton sports socks. £2 for 5 pairs from Primark.

Wear thermals x 2

Get a woolly hat and line the inside with some thermal fabric.

Drink black pepper tea and ginger hot drinks. Eat more spicy food.

Keep active by removing the batteries from the TV remote so you have to stand up and walk to the TV to change channels/adjust volume.

Go abroad for 3 months with a cheap ticket to hot country. Save Gas/elec bills for 3 months. Even better with no standing charge.