When it comes to saving money, there is no end to the suggestions, advice, hints, tips, and tricks that you can find on the Internet. From simple things you can do every day to complex tasks requiring hours to complete, each suggestion promises returns. This is especially true when it comes to energy saving in your home.
To help you make sense of what works and what does not, lets take a moment to review some of the most popular energy saving myths in the United Kingdom. With any luck, you will leave this article with a greater appreciation for what works and what does not work when it comes to saving energy in your household. In particular, we will focus on two commonly held beliefs, that enery is cheaper when used at night and that you can save money by keeping your temperature constant through central heating. If nothing else, it will save you time from not trying some of the more pointless myths we review. With that being said, lets get started!
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Is Energy Cheaper When You Use It At Night?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions. And yet, there are very few sources out there with anything definitive to say. What most people agree on however is that no, for the most part energy is not cheaper when it is nighttime.
With that being said, there is an important exception. There are some meters that take into consideration day and night cycles when factoring in energy use and cost. Smart meters, Economy 7 and Economy 10 meters are all specifically designed to take into account whether it is night or day, and will often display this information in some way.
If you are not sure whether you can save money by using more electricity at night instead of during the day, then the first thing you should do is to check your meter. If there are two rates in your display, then the second is a time of use that will indicate that night time energy usage is being calculated differently. If your meter does not have this, then consider looking at the website your energy provider runs. See if they have a policy regarding energy usage and whether or not the model they provided you has the right settings. Failing everything else, consider calling them up and speaking with a representative. There you will be able to review what kind of meter you have, and what kind of nighttime meters are available.
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The Question of Central Heating
Another frequently asked question concerns central heating in a home. A growing number of homes have central heating, where all the heat is provided from a single source that is then piped throughout the living space.
The current myth surrounding the best way to reduce energy usage and central heating comes from a bit of confusion about how much energy it requires to increase an interior temperature. There is one side of the argument that says that keeping the room the same warm temperature will save you electricity because you will use less energy maintaining your current temperature. The other side of the argument says that the best way to reduce energy usage is to keep the temperature low when out of the house and increase it to the level you want only when you are occupying the space. Their argument rests on the assumption that you save more electricity by reducing the temperature when not using the space then you do heating the space back up.
Who is right? It turns out that it is not cheaper to keep your temperature at the same level all the time. It is in fact cheaper to decrease your temperature when you are out of the house.
There are a number of ways that you can save money in this regard. The first is to buy a timer that is set to increase the temperature of your home only when you need it. Barring anything else, consider decreasing the temperature right before you leave and increasing it when you come back. While there will be some overlap of energy lost and a period of cool air before you return, it is the most direct and easy way to set your thermostat in such a way as to use less power overall.
Putting It All Together
When it comes to saving on your energy bill, trial and error is key. Take the time to implement these changes and see if there are any notable changes on your energy bill. Give yourself a few months to experiment and see if there is any noticeable change. With any luck, you will save a noticeable amount of money on your energy.