How to save energy at home

You don't need solar panels or a heat pump to start saving energy today. The biggest wins come from heating, hot water and how you run everyday appliances — and many cost nothing at all.

Heating & cooling — the big one

Heating and cooling are the largest energy use in most homes, so this is where your effort pays back most.

• Turn the thermostat down a degree. Lowering heating by 1°C (about 2°F) trims your heating energy noticeably with little loss of comfort — put on a layer first.
• Heat the room, not the clock. Use a timer or programmable thermostat so you heat only when you're home and awake.
• Stop the draughts. Seal gaps around doors, windows, letterboxes and floorboards with cheap draught excluders and weatherstripping. It's one of the most cost-effective fixes there is.
• Let the sun help. Open curtains on sunny days to gain free heat; close them at dusk to keep it in.
• Don't block radiators or vents with furniture, and bleed radiators so they heat evenly.
• For cooling, use shades and fans first, close up the house during the hottest hours, and set air conditioning a couple of degrees higher.

Hot water

Heating water is often the second-largest energy use after space heating.

• Take shorter showers and fit a low-flow showerhead — it cuts both water and the energy to heat it.
• Set your hot water tank or boiler to a sensible temperature (hot enough to be safe and kill bacteria, not scalding).
• Insulate the hot water tank and the first stretch of pipes with an inexpensive jacket and lagging.
• Wash laundry in cold water — modern detergents work well and most of a wash's energy goes into heating water.
• Fix dripping hot taps quickly.

Appliances & laundry

• Air-dry clothes when you can; tumble dryers are among the most energy-hungry appliances.
• Run full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher, and use eco settings.
• Keep the fridge healthy: don't set it colder than needed, keep coils dust-free, let hot food cool before storing, and check the door seals.
• Use the right size pan and a lid when cooking, match the ring to the pan, and use a kettle, microwave or air fryer for small jobs instead of a big oven.
• Only boil the water you need.

Standby, lighting & the small stuff

• Switch off standby. TVs, consoles, set-top boxes and chargers draw power around the clock. A switched power strip turns several off at once.
• Switch to LED bulbs. They use a fraction of the energy of old incandescent and halogen bulbs and last for years.
• Turn off lights in empty rooms — simple, free, effective.
• Unplug chargers once devices are full.

Worthwhile upgrades (when you're ready)

When you have a little to invest, these deliver the biggest long-term returns — roughly in order of value:

1. Insulation (loft/attic, walls, floors) and proper draught-proofing.
2. Double or secondary glazing if you have single-pane windows.
3. An efficient heating system — a modern condensing boiler or, increasingly, a heat pump.
4. A smart thermostat to fine-tune when and where you heat.
5. Solar panels, where your roof, climate and budget make sense — check local incentives first.

Many regions offer grants, rebates or low-interest loans for insulation and efficient heating, so check what's available before you buy.

Your easy wins checklist

• Drop the thermostat by 1°C and set a heating timer.
• Draught-proof one cold door or window this week.
• Switch your laundry to a cold wash and air-dry it.
• Put your TV/entertainment setup on a switched power strip.
• Replace your most-used bulbs with LEDs.
• Insulate the hot water tank and the first run of pipes.