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Post by brian2957 on Sept 4, 2022 12:14:04 GMT
C'mon folks, tell us how you plan to deal with the ever increasing energy price cap. How are you planning to cut your energy usage. I'm already following Mike's suggestion and draught proofing where I can. I'm also reducing washing times and temperatures. Condenser dryer will only be used when absolutely necessary. I have to start using the Hive system , which controls my central heating, more intelligently. When we're out for the day the heating will be off and remotely turned on one hour before we return home. When my wife is in the office (2 days a week) I will only be heating the room I'm using until an hour before she comes in from work. Anything which isn't being used ie TV boxes, chargers etc will be unplugged. Any other ideas welcome  |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 4, 2022 13:37:00 GMT
Timer-controlled wi-fi lights.
Eco washing machine programmes at low temperatures.
Eco-sensor dishwasher programme.
Turned the hot water temperature down a few degrees.
LED bulbs everywhere that's used regularly.
Minimal watering of the garden.
Driving more economically.
Heating turned down to 19C, using underfloor only, gas cylinder auxiliary fire in kitchen, wood burning fire in sitting room.
Auto-off TV settings.
Spare room radiators off and doors kept closed.
PCs set to deep sleep when unused.
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Post by Slinger on Sept 4, 2022 14:17:35 GMT
I'm going to follow the current government advice, and save up for a new kettle. Seriously, to reiterate Martin's point about LED bulbs, a lot of people still don't realise that you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED equivalents. If I'm watching TV, or sitting in front of the PC, I've stopped putting the lights on in the room. I would say " turn your hi-fi off if you're not listening to it," but I couldn't take all of the abuse that would inevitably get me.  Here's a good, if slightly odd-sounding one. Go to work rather than work from home. If you're at work you can charge all of your devices for " nothing". While you're at work you're not heating your home unless you have pets (wives also fall under this category). Breakfast, and lunch, can be cooked in the work microwave if needs be. Coffee can be brewed at work. There are probably more. Obviously, you need to balance all that against the cost of actually getting to work, but it might end up saving you money, no matter how laughable the suggestion seems. |
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Post by brian2957 on Sept 4, 2022 15:05:00 GMT
Thanks gents. I'll be using this thread for recommendations not already implemented. I'm retired so I may be visiting the library etc a bit more. Also got a free bus pass and plenty of places in Scotland which I haven't visited yet  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 4, 2022 15:38:36 GMT
Just in case anyone keeps their heating on through the night Don't We always have the window open at night. Internal door closed so the rest of the house doesn't lose heat I doubt anyone here believes it saves money to leave the heat on permanently, a lot do, it 100% does not. Programme heat to go off 30 minutes before expected bed time, maybe longer, will experiment with that I contacted Passivhaus to ask if they had a specialist contractor to look over draughts and improve insulation "Check out or list" was not helpful as architects and big builders. There must be a draught and insulation improver somewhere passivhaustrust.org.uk/members/map/A thermal survey to find out where your heat is lost Cost me around £400 10 years ago. Well worth it and leaks in very surprising places Our existing cavity insulation is not that good. Apprehensive at having it replaced and also reluctant to go for insulated cladding on the outside.... |
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 4, 2022 15:49:55 GMT
A point at temperature gauge as shown by our very own MartinT will show cold places From the outside warm places where heat is escaping |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 4, 2022 16:08:47 GMT
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Post by MartinT on Sept 4, 2022 16:12:24 GMT
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 4, 2022 20:25:02 GMT
Mine was even less. A few steps down from that in spec Gave me indications of cold places |
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Post by Mr Whippy on Sept 4, 2022 21:16:38 GMT
If using a Class A or valve amplifier - cut the plug off it.
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Post by Slinger on Sept 4, 2022 21:54:28 GMT
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Post by karatestu on Sept 5, 2022 5:24:25 GMT
Stay in bed. Eat food you don't need to cook and only consume cold drinks.
Don't bother washing clothes. Cut arm holes in an old duvet and wrap that round you.
Move your fridge freezer into the garage or other unheated out building. When it's freezing turn the bloody thing off. Maybe this would work better with separate fridge and freezer so you could turn off the fridge before the freezer.
Buy an adult sized hamster wheel fitted with dynamo. Have the added bonus of generating your own energy whilst staying fit and warm from doing exercise
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Post by brettj on Sept 5, 2022 7:14:28 GMT
Have double glazed windows which helps, and thick ceiling to floor curtains.
I re-insulated the ceiling in autumn.
Building paper under the house to eliminate drafts sneaking through the underfloor insulation.
Draft stoppers under the doors.
LED lights.
Stereo unplugged (note all the savings from this over my self imposed 14 months!)
Water thermostat set at 42ºC.
I buy wet firewood in the middle of spring. Is cheaper that time of year. Have to chop it, stack it, dry it, store it over summer.
Put the fire on in the lounge (you call it the sitting room?), close doors, heat pump off in the other lounge.
Wash clothes in the evening and hang them near the fire.
Limit trips out in the car. 2-3 tasks at a time.
Have at times taken the train instead (plus no parking fee).
Shopping once a week. Weekly outdoor veggie market instead of the overpriced supermarket. Trying to keep to seasonal vegetables.
Folding leftovers into next meals. Cooking one meal for two nights.
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seanm
Rank: Trio
Posts: 169 
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Post by seanm on Sept 5, 2022 8:54:18 GMT
I feel that sedentary desk based homeworking with high energy costs is a bit of a perfect storm. I have been thinking about "heating the people rather than the house". A couple of ideas 1. Electrically heated clothes.... USB powered fleeces, gillets and jackets. My idea here is you can be feel less bundled up and extremities remain warm since you are actively applying heat to areas of the body with good circulation. I also see these useful for dealing with the transition from say the cold outside to the hot London underground or similar. www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Washable-Temperature-Charging-Motorcycle/dp/B09DQ6YWB7/ref=sr_1_22?keywords=electric+jacket+heated+men&qid=1662367414&refinements=p_72%3A419153031&rnid=419152031&sprefix=electric+jack%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-222. sporty thermal underwear layers.... very thin, like tights, quite effective without feeling too bundled up 3. Electrically heated throws and blankets.... circa 100-200W ideal for watching telly etc 4. Far infra-red Radiant heaters.... I have NOT tried this, but the idea came from how huge warehouses are heated.... the volume is too large to make much impact on the air or building, but radiant heaters at ground levels, warm the humans. Electrical but moderate power. Often they are panels designed to fit on walls or the ceiling and point directly at the people. You can get under desk variants as well www.amazon.co.uk/FIGHTING-Efficient-Radiators-Overheating-Protection/dp/B09QC93TY7/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=infrared+radiator&qid=1662367253&sr=8-55. I have previously used smart plugs to turn off/on whole 4 way adapter/extension leads on a schedule. e.g. off when the house is empty or asleep. Ideal for things like AV system or things on standby. Obviously, it is cheaper to do this manually, but I have found that this approach is a good combination of the majority of the savings to be had with the least impact on convenience 6. Honeycomb window blinds "duoshade" These window blinds open out into a diamond cross section which traps a lot of static air when they are deployed. They work well in summer as well keeping heat out. Ideally, fit inside the window recess and cover with heavy curtains www.blinds-2go.co.uk/energy-saving-thermal-blinds.htm NOTE the links are not recommendations, they are just the first I came across to illustrate the point |
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seanm
Rank: Trio
Posts: 169
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Post by seanm on Sept 5, 2022 9:11:12 GMT
Intelligent thermostats with "smart start"... (for example tado). Conventional heating controllers/timers/thermostats, even more recent ones with many programmes, have a fixed view of the world. They turn on the heating from say 05:30 to 07:00 regardless. With "smart start"... you basically say, I want to the house to be 19 degrees when the alarm goes off and the thermostat decides when to turn the heating on. Earlier when it is colder and vice vera. Some savings with little impact on comfort, since the house is the same temp when you get out of bed. Using this approach, I also realised that for the normal morning dash of alarm/shower/breakfast/dress/screech out of the house, I only needed to hold the house at the target temp for a tiny amount of time... i.e. the heating is already off by the time I reach the shower.... the house only cools slightly and you are moving anyway during the 30-40 mins of getting ready.
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Post by daytona600 on Sept 6, 2022 14:04:49 GMT
Switch off the TV
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Post by HD Music & Test on Sept 6, 2022 14:19:21 GMT
and the Vinyl it'll sound better |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 6, 2022 17:24:24 GMT
and the Vinyl it'll sound better I was trying not to be cruel! |
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Post by naim1425 on Sept 6, 2022 19:26:06 GMT
Turned AGA gas cooker off,use the halogen street light outside the house for light and take a lead from it to us the house sockets.lol.share bath and shower with wife,use the 2 Bedlington terriers to cuddle up to keep warm,use the fan on the projector to to keep chill off the room,wear a dry diving suit when taking the dogs for a early morning walk,have a early morning swim in the sea save’s on using hot water all the time,catching my own ingredients for my own Portuguese Fish Stew (Caldeirada),I use lobster easy to catch,lots of home grown veg. www.feastingathome.com/portuguese-fish-stew-caldeirada/ |
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Post by speedysteve on Sept 7, 2022 8:34:47 GMT
LT has floated an energy cap of around £2500 for the average UK household.
This is about double or more pre price rises, and much much less than the shock rises we were told to prepare for, £3600 in Oct, and £5000+ odd in January.
They bandy this average UK household about, but I've never heard the actually amount of energy quoted.
How many KWh is that per year?
It's 12000 KWh of gas = 1073CuM
And 2900 KWh of Electricity.
That just 7.945 KWh per day!
We are fortunate (by design) to live in a EPC B property.
Would be A if we had solar / heat pump etc.
It's got thick celotex in the floor slab, thick celotex in the walls, 300mm insulation in the ceiling and a 14" thatched roof (this incurs other cost penalties though).
We have double glazing downstairs and triple upstairs.
All doors are well / double sealed, no draughts.
Underfloor heating means you feel / enjoy what energy you use.
Water cylinder (modern insulated type) is at 45deg. Run it at 60 once ever two weeks to kill bugs.
Gas wise we can get to 9000 KWh a year easily.
We turned the thermostats down 1 degree last Feb and that had a dramatic effect.
Electricity wise. To get to 2900 KWh we'd have to turn a lot of things off.
The Jacuzzi! 🙄
Basically doubles our elec bill.
I've winterized it. Means totally draining it and turning off completely.
Most of the parasitic Sonos, the chargers and power supplies that proliferate, the outdoor wifi router extender, the 2nd router in the music room. All off now when not in use.
Even the elec door bell uses 1 of those precious KWh per year! Ours only works half the time (due to dodgy bell push switch) and the door knocker is free and much louder.
We already have led bulbs, the 4 and 5 watt type everywhere. Turn off when not in use.
Led strip lights in the workshop.
Tumble drier - used to soften the towels!.? We didn't used to bother when we were younger.
She's complaining, but wil stop using it.
The washing machine run at 30deg for everything! Using SMOL tablets - first time she's been happy with the results at 30 degrees.
This saves 40% apparently.
The dishwasher we always run on Eco.
Always full.
I wish there was a setting to turn off the dryer cycle at the end!
We had that on a machine in the 90s. Not since then.
It's out of warranty, perhaps I will disable it.
Other things are the Qooker -: boiling water on demand.
Came with the house.
It's so convenient.
They say it's as cheap to run as a kettle - bet it isn't!
Esp if you mostly drink coffee🙂
Those machines are only on when in use btw. Same for the microwave.
I started using the convection oven in the microwave to bake my sourdough bread.
4 loaves no problem, uses a lot less than the big Falcon range oven.
So with all that;
We can get to around 2900 KWh or perhaps less, of Electricity per year, I think.
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