5 ways to save on energy bills while working from home
Working from home means using more energy, especially over the cooler months when you need to put the lights on, keep your home office warm and are more likely to be boiling the kettle. But with costs spiralling, it’s important to be as energy efficient as possible. Good Homes has put together a few money-saving tips to help you keep energy bills in check while working from home…
1. Save energy with a laptop
Working on a laptop as opposed to a desktop computer can save up to 80% on your energy output. If you’ve got the luxury of having both, or your place of work is willing to give you a laptop for working-at-home purposes, definitely take advantage of this.
2. Save energy with a bright work space
Working in an environment with natural light not only increases productivity but will save you on your energy bills, too, since you won’t need to turn the lights on as often. Place your desk below a window if possible. Not only will it be brighter, you’ll also have something more interesting to stare at that a blank wall!
3. Save energy by unplugging
A simple but effective tip is turning your appliances off when they’re not in use. Whenever your appliances have a visible red light or a clock, it means they are using up electricity. Be frugal and turn your appliances off at the plug before you go to bed. This is also true for phone chargers – make sure to unplug them when they’re not being used so you’re not wasting so-called ‘vampire energy‘.
4. Boil the kettle less
With a kettle, you often boil much more water than necessary, so a good place to start is to make sure you only boil what you need. Alternatively, if you’re a bit of a tea guzzler, boil a full kettle of water in the morning and keep the hot water in a flask. That way, you can keep making cups of tea using hot water from the flask, rather than boiling your kettle repeatedly. You could also invest in a boiling hot water tap so that you only use the exact amount of hot or boiling water you need.
5. Turn your thermostat down one degree
Adjusting your thermostat by one degree can save you 5-15% on your energy bill per year and you won’t feel a noticeable difference in temperature. If you really need to be frugal with the heating this year, a blanket over the knees, gilet and fingerless gloves can be a godsend when working from home!