Most of us make small efforts now and again to cut down on our energy usage, if not to save the environment then most certainly to save our wallets, but it's energy saving is quickly becoming a cornerstone of every day living. As energy prices soar, we do what we can to save a few pennies here and a few pennies there, and it all counts. Or does it? Let's take a look at some of the most popular energy saving tricks and ideas that don't actually work...
This list was originally cirtculated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in order to get people to think about what they were doing to save energy, and if there was any more that could be done. Small, token gestures simply aren't enough these days to combat growing energy bills and increasing energy saving targets.
1. Desktop screensavers save energy
Quite simply, no, they do not. A screensaver was never designed to save energy. In fact, you could even argue that screensavers take up more energy than most other programs on your computer as they can be quite graphically intensive (think about that HD fishtank that takes up the screen on your office computer when you leave it idle for 5 minutes). Some computers have a hibernate or sleep feature which forces the screen off when you're not using it. Hibernate might even switch the computer drive in to a low usage state - both are far better solutions to saving energy than your typical screensaver. Remember, there's always the option to turn it off altogether!
2. Forget your fridge and washing machine, there's nothing you can do cut down their energy usage
This is a complete fallacy, but many people still believe that the only way to save energy is to buy a new appliance. I mean, your fridge is always on right? Nothing you can do about that. Not true - simply adjusting the settings in your fridge can have a huge impact on how much it costs to run, particulalry over the course of a year. You're probably also tired of hearing 'don't leave the fridge door open', but it really does work. Letting all of that heat into the fridge by leaving it open can result in the fridge working overtime for hours afterward to try and pull the temperature back down to keep your food nice and chilled. As for washing machines, each one has an eco setting that people rarely use - these are typically lower temperature spins that will only take around 30 minutes and they'll clean your clothes just fine.
3. LED light bulbs aren't worth the expense
They most certainly are. If you're switching to energy saving light bulbs in order to try and save a few pennies, how about saving a few pounds with some LED lights? An LED light bulb will last around 50 times longer than you standard bulb. It's true they are rather expensive - around £10 a pop - but they'll last for an average of 6 years if they're constantly in use. If you were to replace your average bulb every time it blew for 6 years you'd spend around £100.
4. Switching energy suppliers is a fuss
It really isn't. Switching energy suppliers used to be a very long and drawn out process - sometimes taking weeks without really knowing what was going or how much you'd be saving. But things are different now, and thanks to the recent price hikes (every cloud has a silver lining...) there is now more competition than ever in the UK energy market. How about switching to an independent or local supplier? They'll most certainly do you a better deal than the 'big six' energy companies and you can chop and change as much as you like so long as you're not on a fixed term contract.
5. Electric radiators are energy hogs
This would have been true around 15 years ago, sure. Electric radiators used to be expensive to run, and unfortunately that stigma has carried on for most people. Those who are willing to explore the market and sample some of the technology on offer though will find that electric radiators are perhaps some of the most energy efficient products on the market. State of the art thermostats, pioneering heat distribution and advanced programming schedules give you a level of control over your home heating that other solutions simply don't offer. When it comes analysing your energy usage and controlling your spend, there's nothing better on the market.
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Eco Stores Direct are here to bring you the very latest in energy news, views and opinions from across the UK. They are also suppliers of energy efficient electric heating solutions and are constantly assessing the market for the best products and the latest ground-breaking technology which they think will make a real difference to their customer's homes. Eco Stores Direct are devoted to helping you reduce your carbon footprint and bring down your energy bills and they work hard to raise awareness of energy efficient products that can make all the difference. If you're interested in electric wall heaters or far Infrared panel heaters, call one of their friendly team today on 0330 300 4444 for a free assessment.