Many of us breathe a sigh of relief when the warm weather returns, as it means we can turn off the central heating and hang our washing out, saving us money on energy bills.
However, these aren’t the only ways you can reduce gas and electricity usage over the summer.
- Draught-proof windows and doors
Although the temperature has risen over the last few weeks, there will, no doubt, be times when you feel the chill this summer.
This doesn’t mean you should immediately turn your thermostat up though, as there are other ways to keep your house warm.
These include putting draught-proofing strips around window and door frames, and loft hatches.
You could also put draught excluders by doors, fit a cap over the chimney pot, and slip on an extra layer to keep the chill out.
- Wash clothes at 30c
Lots of us might get excited when the sun is shining, as it means we can hang our washing out on the line instead of having to rely on the tumble dryer. This alone can save as much as £1.82 per cycle, according to Home Building.
However, it isn’t just the way we dry clothes that can save us money, but how we wash them too.
Doing the laundry at 30c instead of 40c can reduce the cost of each cycle by 38 per cent, Which? revealed. It also washes softer fabrics better, as it is gentler on the material.
Unless you have tough stains to get rid of, washing at 30c can help you reduce your energy bills, as well as do your bit against climate change.
If your washing machine has an eco setting, it is also worth using this, as it will reduce energy output, thereby cutting bills.
- Use your fridge efficiently
Summer is the time of the year your fridge will be packed with lots of salads, fruits and leftover picnic and barbecue food. So, it is important to think carefully about how you use your fridge, not only to keep energy bills low but to make sure the food is safe to eat.
Firstly, remember to wait for warm food to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing, requiring less energy to reduce its temperature.
Beko also recommends keeping your fridge sufficiently loaded, as this means there is less air to keep cool and does not have to work as hard.
It is also important to store produce properly. This includes covering foods and liquids, using glass containers rather than plastic ones as these retain cold temperatures better, and putting foods in easy-to-reach locations.
“The less time you spend rummaging around looking for food with the refrigerator door open, the less the condenser has to work to get the temperature back to the set level,” the website advises.
Therefore, it is a good idea to have a vegetable drawer, a container for salad ingredients, a tub for sandwich fillers, a condiment tray, or a unit for yoghurts. These enable you to find what you need in seconds.
As the weather heats up, your kids are bound to be rummaging through the freezer for ice lollies. Remind them to shut the door properly, so you don’t lose any cold air to the outside.
Lastly, don’t forget to clean the coils at the back of the fridge regularly too, as this helps it run efficiently.
It is also essential your central heating system remains efficient for those days you do need to turn it on, so call boiler repair specialists in Forrest Hill to fix any problems you are having.