Energy Saving Tips

By implementing the following energy saving tips you can save €100s on your bills each year.

Saving energy around your home (or not wasting electricity) is a no brainer really. Why waste money? By being more conscious of energy use and wastage you will help your pocket and the environment at the same time. Be a good example for kids too. Seeing electronic games, dvd players, televisions and laptops with green lights on all the time when not in use is irresponsible in this day and age. Keep at your kids to turn off and unplug everything when they are not using them and eventually it will become a natural habit. Even in stand by mode appliances are using electricity so get into the habit of unplugging them or switching them off at the socket.

Energy efficient appliances

When purchasing new electrical appliances look for the energy rating and purchase the appliance the uses the least energy. For example some new TVs now use 50% of the electricity that older TVs use. It is a similar story for fridges, washing machines and driers. All heavy electricity users.

LED Lighting

It will pay in the longterm to retrofit your house with LED lights. This is not as compliucated as it sounds. Talk to LED Vista about the process involved. An affordable introduction to LED lights is a wall lamp or table lamp. Once you get the feel for LED lighting you will then see it makes sense.

Solar Chargers

Buy a solar charger for your mobile phone, iPod, camera or other small electric gadgets. I use a a small solar torch that i keep in my pocket for going outside for firewood or going to the bathroom at night. This saves turning on lights when they are only required for short times. Turning on a switch creates an electrical surge which uses a lot of electricity when compared to the electricity used when the light is on.

Hot Water Immersion Heater

Make sure the hot water immersion is only turned on for the required amount of hot water needed and that it is insulated properly.

Renewable Energy Supply

Switch to a renewable energy supplier like Airtricity. If you have some money to invest and your home is located on an elevated site or a south westerly facing hillside consider investing in a micro wind turbine. If you look at the return on investment over the lifecycle of the micro turbine and the fact that electricity prices will continue to rise into the future it makes a lot more sense to invest in the wind than investing your money with a bank. Banks come and go, the wind will always be there! Good Irish companies to start investigating home wind energy production with are Turbotricity and Airfoil Energy.

Solar Hot Water

Solar panels are now marketed all over Ireland and will reduce the electricity needed to heat water for showers and washing for approximately 6 months of the year. Grants are available. Contact SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland).