TOP 10 energy-saving tips from Energy5

Save on energy – it’s easy!

We went through the office and talked things through with some of our coworkers to provide you with a definitive list of things that people recommend you to do to save on electricity & gas. Granted, the following is not the most comprehensive guidebook out there, but you’ll be surprised at some of our findings and will probably start using those in your daily routine to relieve some of the stress off your wallet.

Ready? Here we go:

1) Try cooking all the things at one time. Has it ever occurred to you that you could be cooking all the meals you need for the week and save a pretty coin on gas and electricity simultaneously? Well, it’s funny how the most obvious things often get neglected when in truth, they are the ones that’ll give you more energy savings. Genius!

2) Stop heating or cooling the rooms you’re not using. Again, a fairly obvious finding, but one that not everyone will use. There’s a catch – some of the heating and cooling systems are designed to cover a larger area at once, so it might not work in such a case. However, if you have separate units, it’s best to use them one at a time, depending on the location you need to heat up or cool down. Yet, the difference in temperature leads to condensation and thus to the creation of mold. Heat your place wisely to avoid having to deal with such issues.

3) Start a new habit – candlelight dinner. Yes, we’re dead serious! Such a dinner can be beneficial from several perspectives. Think about it – you can arrange a very special, intimate atmosphere for your loved ones or a romantic dinner for two that will spice your personal life up in all the right ways. Just one candlelit dinner in a week will help you save on energy and give you plenty of incredible emotions to savior.

4) Let your food defrost naturally. Yes, most of us are pretty used to defrosting our meals using a microwave oven. However, set yourself a reminder and start defrosting your food naturally by simply taking it out of the freezer and putting it in the fridge for the night. It will not only allow you to save a few cents – it’s much more beneficial for your health. Microwave ovens aren’t exactly the safest kitchen appliances when it comes to all sorts of health issues, you know.

5) Keep your hot water pipes “warm.” Have you ever thought of how much heat a hot water pipe is losing in winter? Well, more than enough to enable you to start thinking about “coating” the thing. That is, insulating it to keep it from losing the precious energy, which keeps your water hot and your bill sane.

6)Get a thermos for your coffee. Seriously, how many times a day are you using your kettle to boil some water for your coffee? If you’re anything like us, our guess is – all too many! It’s a pretty standard ritual but one that costs you a bit of that hard-earned money. The issue is easily solvable – just get yourself a thermos and stop your never-ending runs to the kitchen. Simple as that.

7) Prevent the heat from “escaping” your home. Though it largely depends on the level of insulation your windows are providing, studies show that nearly half of the heat that’s circulating inside the walls of your house literally “escapes” it via your house’s windows. Well, you can stop the “fugitive” using a very simple yet effective energy-saving technique. That is, by closing your curtains and blinds! It really works like a charm – the blinds and the curtains function as insulators and prevent the heat from leaving your place. A thermal audit would reveal all the weak points of the house insulation and point of heat escapes. Fun fact - find a friend who owns a thermography camera (thermal imaging camera) to have fun while auditing the house and identifying those weaknesses.

8) Turn your appliances off at a switch. Yeah, can you remember the last time you did that? Too bad cause even though it can get a wee bit tedious, it’s highly worth it, and you will end up saving on energy in the long run. Just turn it into a habit and keep using the switch until it’s something you’ll do automatically.

9) Replace your bulbs. It’s a simple method, but it’s highly effective at helping you boost your home’s energy efficiency by a significant notch! Besides, the time has come when all those energy-efficient bulbs don’t cost as much as they used to. It’s a small investment, but it’s big on the ROI part, so make sure you keep that in mind. But don’t just replace the old bulbs - turn off the light when it’s not needed! Some research shows the up-side-down effects because people assuming low consumption ignore the obvious rule to turn off the lights.

10) Let the light in! It’s the trickiest one on our list, and it’s more suitable for those who’re looking to engineer their perfect house on their own. It goes without saying that more natural light equals less energy spent on lighting the place. Energy efficiency at its best. The bigger the windows, the less energy you’ll need to keep your place nice and bright. We know it goes a bit against what we’ve discussed in our 7th recommendation, but try finding the right balance between keeping the light from escaping the premises and letting just enough of it illuminate the place just right. 

This entry to our blog doesn’t claim to be the ultimate guidebook on achieving the perfect energy savings. However, you know what they say – the devil is in the details, and it’s the little things that make the bigger picture. Combine a few of our tips and see your energy bills go down every month.

Energy5 is not only a platform that allows you to switch your energy supplier and achieve greater energy savings. We’re here to educate our readers on achieving ultimate energy efficiency by using simple tricks that lead to tangible results.

Follow our blog to learn more about energy savings and use our platform to save big on gas & electricity.