Energy Coach_Yvon

Saving energy

This is how you can get started quickly...

This is how you can get started quickly...

There are many easy ways to save energy at home. Sometimes small measures are enough to significantly reduce your energy bill.
On this page, you will find all kinds of tips and useful information. We would also like to refer you to the websites and tools of Milieu Centraal and HIER. With their savings calculators, you can work out for yourself what energy measures will yield for you.

Would you like to do more than just take ‘small’ measures? You can make a bigger difference by, for example, insulating your home properly or purchasing solar panels or a heat pump. Such measures cost more money, but in many cases subsidies are available. Would you like to know where you can save money in your home? Then request a energy consultation with us.

Tips for saving energy at home

Sustainable measures in your home can help you make significant savings on your energy consumption. Energiek Alphen can help you with advice and practical support, as well as energy tips and advice. Take a look at them below. Do you have any good tips for us? Email they to us!

There are several simple measures you can take to save energy at home, which won't cost you anything. For example:

  • Only heat rooms you are using and close connecting doors in your home (annual savings: 300 cubic metres of gas).
  • Set the heating a few degrees lower as standard (120 cubic metres of gas).
  • If you are not at home during the day, set the heating to 15 degrees (120 cubic metres of gas for 4 days a week).
  • Prevent unnecessary energy consumption, also known as standby power consumption, by not leaving electrical appliances on standby (340 kWh of electricity).
  • And: showering for two minutes less saves 109 cubic metres of gas.

All in all, this will save you hundreds of pounds on your energy bill.

If you have just returned from holiday, there is no escaping it: an overflowing laundry basket. How can you deal with it in the most energy-efficient way possible?
Wash at a low temperature (20, 30 or 40 degrees) and only with a full drum. Check the information on the detergent packaging for the correct temperature. Some items, such as dishcloths and other cleaning cloths, must be washed at a higher temperature for hygiene reasons. If possible, do not wash between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., as the power grid is often overloaded during this period.
Washing correctly can save you up to £20 per year.

Now might still be the time, at least if the weather is sunny: drying your laundry outside. On a rotary clothesline or a drying rack, in the garden or if you only have a balcony at your disposal. You can also dry wet clothes outside in the shade. Be sure to bring your clothes back inside in time, before it gets dark and damp in the evening. Drying your laundry outside saves a lot of energy from the tumble dryer, up to £75 per year. If you don't have enough space (or time), try drying half of your laundry outside. You can also dry it indoors on a rack (or in the carport)!

Outside, the wind howls around the house, but the heater is humming at setting 4. There is a cloth hanging in front of the letterbox and paper stuffed into the draughtiest cracks... Do you recognise these lines from Gerard Cox's song, 1948 (Toen Was Geluk Heel Gewoon)? Fortunately, nowadays it is very easy to insulate your home with draught strips in doors and windows. They are easy to install. Add a plastic draught brush (with flap) for the letterbox. This will save you up to £50 per year on your heating costs. Extra tip: also insulate the hatch to your crawl space.

The modern kitchen unknowingly houses the necessary energy guzzlers, such as the dishwasher, fridge/freezer, and don't forget the kettle.
Tips:

  • Set the dishwasher to eco mode and only switch it on when it is full.
  • Defrost your refrigerator and freezer regularly.
  • Set the freezer to a maximum of -18 degrees.
  • Using the kettle sparingly also pays off: do not heat more water than necessary and do not make the water hotter than necessary.

You can also save on your gas bill if you still cook with gas: when cooking, make sure the flame stays under the pan. Always choose the right burner. Put the lid on the pan; food will cook faster and be ready sooner.

Cooler in summer, warmer in winter. With insulating window film (for single glazing and double glazing), you can reduce heat loss by 27% (double glazing) to as much as 50% (single glazing). In winter, the film ensures that the cold from outside cannot easily enter your home. In summer, it acts as a heat barrier: the heat from outside stays outside, and your home stays cooler.

The film is transparent and can be customised to size. The view through the windows remains virtually unchanged. Are you faced with the choice between energy-efficient window film or buying new windows? Then carefully weigh up the costs and returns; this depends on the situation. Window film is much less effective at insulating than HR++ or triple glazing. However, sometimes you cannot replace windows immediately, for example if you are dependent on your landlord or live in a listed building. Window film can then be a good temporary solution.

Standby power consumption refers to electricity that you do not benefit from. Think, for example, of a television, where you can still see the light on. Standby power consumption increases your energy bill and is also bad for the climate and the environment. When we consume energy, more harmful substances end up in our environment than just CO2. So the more you can save on standby power consumption, the better!

Unplug

Do you hardly ever use certain devices, such as a printer or an older DVD player? Then unplug them. These devices consume power 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you only use these devices a few times a year, that's a waste.

On/off button

Does your equipment have both a standby button and a physical on/off button? If so, select the on/off button to ensure that the device is completely switched off. This will guarantee that your device is not consuming any additional power.

Tools

For equipment that you use frequently, a simple pressure switch or a power strip with an on/off switch can be an excellent solution. There are also switches that work with a remote control, which is useful for hard-to-reach places!

Smart charging

Use a simple timer switch to charge your phone. If you know that your mobile phone takes about two hours to charge, you can set it so that charging stops automatically.

A radiator fan is an easy way to reduce your gas consumption at home. They heat your home faster, meaning the heating stays on for less time and you use less gas. A radiator fan is easy to install and fits almost any type of heating system. The temperature of the central heating boiler can be set to 60 degrees or lower (instead of the factory setting of 80 degrees). With this tip, you can save up to £150 per year on your gas bill.

Do not place large pieces of furniture in front of the radiator and do not hang curtains in front of it. Keep radiators clean and dust-free, as dirty radiators give off less heat. If there is too much air in the pipes, the heating will not work optimally and will consume extra energy. Therefore, bleed radiators regularly. Is your radiator in front of an uninsulated exterior wall? Then stick radiator foil behind it. Per square metre, this alone contributes to 10 euro in energy savings per year.

Most central heating boilers are set to the factory setting of 80°C, but operate more efficiently at 60°C. This quick saving results in significant gas savings, which means lower CO2 emissions and lower costs. And this without any loss of comfort or the risk of a cold shower. If you are unable to change the setting yourself, contact your installer or ask the Energy Coaches at Energiek Alphen for advice.

An LED bulb is 90 per cent more energy efficient than an incandescent bulb and 85 per cent more energy efficient than a halogen bulb. Have you already replaced your bulbs with LEDs? If so, you will save between £2 and £8 per bulb per year.

The average shower time is 9 minutes. Try not to shower for longer than five minutes. A fun shower timer (there are all kinds available) can help with this. A family can save up to 90 euros per year by doing this. With a water-saving shower head, you can save around 40 euros per year, and if you replace your rain shower, you can save 60 euros per year.
Every drop counts! Want to know more about economical showering? Then consult here The Shower Savings Checker.

Understanding your consumption can help you save energy and reduce your energy bill. Do you use more or less electricity and gas than average? Which appliances in your home use a lot of power and which use less? Do you know how much you pay for gas and electricity? Find out at website from Milieu Centraal.

Savings test Milieu Centraal

Would you like to know what the situation is like in your home right now? Then take the Savings test on the Milieu Centraal website.

Save money checkers HERE

Shower Savings Checker

Heat pump savings calculator

Solar panel checker

More information on saving energy

Below you will find websites and documents with more information on saving energy.

General

Insulate

Heating

Heating with a heat pump

Ventilate

Saving water

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