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You must have noticed that if you leave your phone charger plugged in all the time it gets hot. If a charger feels warm when it’s plugged in without being attached to a device, it’s still converting energy. So unplug chargers when you’re not using them to save electricity and money.

Chargers are not huge energy consumers in their own right, but across the UK those left plugged in unnecessarily waste over £60m and are responsible for a quarter of a million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. If chargers for devices such as mobile phones and MP3 players were unplugged when not in use, the UK could save enough electricity each year to power 115,000 homes.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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It costs less than a penny to charge a phone for eight hours, but unplugging when not in use is one of those changes that can make a big environmental impact if everyone does it. If you have a timer which only charges the phone for an hour overnight you will save over £10. This applies to laptops and MP3 palyers as well.

You could do your bit for the environment by using a wind-up charger. Costing less than £4 they work by winding the handle. In addition to saving energy they are excellent where you don’t have access to electricity. Just connect the cable to the mobile phone, wind the rotary charger, and watch the power flow back to the handset.

If you have any questions or would like a quotation call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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You cannot save much energy just by changing cooking methods. Cooking uses a small fraction of the total household energy compared to cooling, heating and lighting. However there are a few easy ways to save energy when cooking which can also speed up the amount of time you spend over a hot stove.

Make sure you use the correct size saucepan for the cooker ring you are using to prevent heat loss, and when heating water in the stove only use the amount you actually need you are not wasting electricity unnecessarily to heat the extra water. You waste over 40 percent of the heat produced by the ring if you use a 6″” saucepan on an 8″” ring .

If you boil the water in the kettle first it will reduce the time the ring needs to be on to heat the water. Putting a lid on will also help it come to the boil quicker and hence requires less energy.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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However nothing is as energy efficient for cooking as using a microwave. It uses one -third of the energy of your stove. Also think about using a pressure cooker, a slow cooker or a steamer all of which use less energy. A slow cooker cooks at a very low temperature for a long time and is a great way to save energy. Switch the cooker on before setting off for work and you will have a meal ready and waiting for you as you get home. A toaster is better for toast than a grill because the area to be heated is minimised and hence saves energy.

Only when absolutely necessary should you open the oven door. Every time you open the door the oven temperature drops by up to 30 degrees. Getting an oven with an oven light and a glass window in the door will let you check on your food without opening the door. Keep the glass in the oven door clean so you can easily look through it to check on the food rather than having to open the door and letting all the heat out.

If you use saucepans which have become blackened with heavy use, they absorb a lot of heat, reducing ring efficiency. You want them to remain shiny so they reflect heat up to the cookware. Similarly if the saucepan bottom is not flat it doesn’t come fully into contact with the ring and energy is wasted.

Finally save energy before you start by defrosting frozen foods in the refrigerator before cooking.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your electrics call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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The number one top tip for saving money on your heating bill is simply to adjust your heating controls. So just turn your thermostat down. You could cut your heating bills by up to 10% and save around £65 per year by simply reducing your room temperature by 1°C. Set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time if you have a programmer. During warmer weather either switch your central heating off all together or set it for the warmer weather.

It can be really efficient to set your heating to go off 30 minutes before you leave the house for work, and come back on again 30 minutes before you expect to return. On a similar line, putting on a jumper rather than dialling the thermostat up when it gets colder can be effective.

Add some loft insulation. Clear out those dusty boxes and give your loft an energy efficient makeover. If there isn’t any loft insulation there already, it could save you about £200 a year. You could also consider cavity wall insulation. Consider topping up your insulation if you have very little existing. The recommended minimum depth is 270mm.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Is your water too hot? Try putting the thermostat on your hot water tank down to 60C which is comfortable for most people. This will save on your heating costs. Also a dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they’re fully turned off!

Check for draughts around windows and doors and close your curtains at dusk. This will stop heat escaping through the windows. Make sure curtains or furniture are not obstructing your radiators.

Insulate hot water pipes and lag your hot water tank. Tank jackets are simple to fit and could pay for themselves in 6 months or less. They cost from just over £10.

Having a bath uses two and a half times more water than taking a standard shower.

Replace any boilers over 15 years old with a newer energy efficient model. Efficient condensing boilers can save you 30% on your heating bills.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your electrics call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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We all know that items on stand-by use almost as much energy as when they are on and that chargers left on generate heat and that heat is money. What could be the answer? Use a timer.

Many of these cash sinks are not actually used for the full twenty-four hours a day. Just think about that rechargeable toothbrush that needs only a short time to charge or the mobile phone you charge overnight. A timer means that charging only happens for a short period overnight. Increasingly companies are looking to utilise off-peak electricity which is on a cheaper tariff.

You can avoid wasting energy by using smart timers. You can avoid wasting energy by leaving items on needlessly and reduce your bills with eco friendly countdown timers or “dusk ‘til dawn” timers that will turn any appliances on and off at the times you choose. You can make the most of low priced power, to make sure everything’s turned off while you sleep or set your washing machine and dishwasher to run at night.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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You have a choice of two types of plug-in timers. They are mechanical timers or digital timers. To use a mechanical timer you manually set pins to control the on and off times. They typically have one or two on/off cycles each day. Digital plug in timers allow for more frequent on-off cycles, they have battery back-up and can allow for different timer settings on different days of the week, such as the weekend. There are also 240 volt plug-in timers for heaters. So you could set the heater to turn off when everyone goes to work and turn on before you get back in the evening so that it’s a comfortable temperature when you arrive.

You can possibly use a timer to save energy for all the devices in your home that are on all day while you are at work or on at night when you are asleep!

In addition a timer is a useful security device to control lights and a radio when a house is left un-occupied. Some timers have a random function. This is an additional safety feature and acts as a very effective deterrent for any potential intruders.

Where you have some appliances close together (a computer, monitor and printer or a TV, DVD, speakers and set top box) there are now multi outlet bars with timers. These could have a combination of outlets controlled by timer and some controlled by switch so if you need some appliances to remain on these can be put in the switched sockets. Using a power bar will avoid the situation where you turn off your computer, but leave your printer, scanner, speakers, and DSL/cable modem turned on.

An even better idea for the computer is a power bar with a USB connection to your computer, so it detects when the computer is turned off, and then shuts down all of the peripherals. Now when you turn off your computer, all your peripherals will automatically be turned off, too!

If you have any questions or would like a quotation call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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The fridge is the biggest user of electricity in the home so any improvements, no matter how small, will be well worthwhile.

As a start, look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo when purchasing a new appliance. It could save you up to £37 a year if you use Energy Saving Recommended appliances. They are the most efficient in their category.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Next ensure you defrost your fridge and your freezer on a regular basis. An iced up fridge or freezer will make it work harder, therefore wasting energy. These appliances run most efficiently when it’s defrosted regularly. Additionally you need to check the door seal regularly. If it is damaged then cold air escapes and it has to work harder to maintain the temperature. For optimum efficiency try to keep your fridge and freezer at least three quarters full.

Don’t leave the fridge or freezer door open longer than necessary and try to avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge as this increases the energy required to keep the contents cold. Hot food will heat the inside and the fridge will work extra hard to try and keep it cold. Allow food to cool down first.

The energy efficiency can be affected by the location of your fridge or freezer. Locate it away from heat generating appliances such as an oven or a boiler and out of direct sunlight. Keep the freezer in a cool room or garage if possible. If a fridge or freezer has to be inside the house keep it against an external wall so the heat it generates can escape easily. Also always ensure there are a few inches all around it so that the air can circulate.

Next only set your fridge to as cold as you need it. We often see fridges that are severely iced up as the temperature is set too high.

Another good tip is to use frozen food like an ice pack. Defrost it in the fridge or fridge compartment as this helps to keep it cool as it thaws.

Finally thick dust on the condenser coils at the back or underneath your fridge or freezer can reduce their efficiency by up to 25% if left unchecked. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the coils and you can save up to £4 per year. Get your vacuum cleaner in there to clean the coils – this can save you up to £4 each year.

If you have any questions or would like a quotation call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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A key area where you can think about saving energy is with how you use your kettle.

Over filling a kettle each time you use it wastes energy and money so the classic piece of energy saving advice is to only use as much water as you need when boiling the kettle whilst remembering to cover the element of an electric kettle. If you boil a full kettle when you are only making a cup five times a day and that costs 25p extra a day, £100 a year. Jug kettles need less water as they have smaller, flatter elements.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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If you do fill the kettle up in the morning, transfer all the hot water over to a vacuum flask. So instead of putting the kettle on up three to four times you can se the water from the flask.

Boiling only as much water as you need is certainly a good tip, but it is sometimes difficult to gauge how much water is enough, often resulting in overfilling. As a rough rule people boil twice the water they actually need. When using a standard 3KW kettle this wastes energy equivalent to fifty light bulbs! A relatively easy way to fill the correct amount is by filling the cup you are actually going to use and then pouring this into the kettle. Make sure you add a bit to allow for evaporation and be sure to cover the element if you use an electric kettle.

If you ever buy an energy monitor (see another article) you will see that the kettle is a shocker. Making a cup of tea will send low, mid-evening readings shooting up five-fold. This is precisely why the National Grid struggles to cope with the massive surge in demand at the end of popular soaps and during half-time in cup finals!

If you happen to live in a hard water area a coating of lime scale can significantly affect the efficiency of your kettle. Look out for a build-up of lime scale in your kettle which means you use more energy to boil the same amount of water. Treat the scale with vinegar or de-scaling solutions regularly.

It is much more efficient to boil water you use for cooking in the kettle and transfer it than to wait for it to heat in the pan on a hob. A kettle uses only a third as much electricity as a saucepan on an electric hob.

By replacing your old model with an energy-saving kettle you can save both water and electricity. Unlike the newer jug kettles, older models can’t boil a single cup of water. Only use the necessary amount of water when filling the kettle and change your old inefficient kettle for a new energy friendly one.

There are a few different types of energy-saving kettle. Some with a flat element have no minimum water level. Others have a reservoir which releases into the kettle just the correct amount of water required. Whichever you choose it means less wasted boiled water and you save time. It’s been said that we could save enough electricity to run almost all the street lighting in the UK if everyone boiled only the water they required instead of simply filling the kettle.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your electrics call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Using modern dishwashers correctly and optimising their use uses much less energy and water than washing up by hand.

A half load uses the same amount of energy as a full load, so only use your dishwasher when you have a full load. The fuller the load the more energy efficient the washing cycle. Run the cycle without the drier option if you can. For older models this will mean stopping the dishwasher’s cycle when it gets to the stage of drying the load, and open the door up, letting the load dry naturally.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Interestingly a lot of energy is used just to heat up the water when using your dish washer. You could therefore significantly reduce your energy consumption by simply turning down the water temperature on your machine. Use energy-saving cycles whenever possible. If your dishwasher has a temperature booster, turn it down or run it on a lower setting.

Don’t pre-rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. More modern dishwashers do a great job of cleaning even those heavily soiled pots and pans. Scrape off food and empty liquids—the dishwasher will do the rest. Use cold water if you must rinse the dishes first.

Putting dishes in the dishwasher throughout the day and running it once in the evening will use less water and energy than washing the dishes by hand throughout the day. Ensure you load dishes according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Completely fill the racks to optimise energy and water use. Hence you allow for proper water circulation to ensure adequate cleaning.

Finally, if you are purchasing a dish washer, try to look for one which has an eco-cycle. Most modern washing machines and dishwashers have them, and they’re designed to use less water and electricity than traditional daily programs. 

If you would like a quotation or have any questions call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Electric tumble dryers use a lot more energy than the average washing machine and are second only to the fridge in their total usage. They are used much less, but they still use a massive amount of electricity when on. You may not be able to cut down how often you use them, but you can make some small changes to how you use them that will help you save energy and money.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Have a washing line in the garden where possible, or have a clothes horse inside when the weather is too bad. Use a clothes rail rather than a radiator when drying clothes inside as this stops the radiator heat from reaching the rest of the house.

If you do need to use a tumble dryer, use a fast spin on your washing machine as this will take out more water from your clothing and ensures your clothes are as dry as possible after washing. This will reduce drying time considerably.

When putting a load into your dryer, ensure you do a full load, but do not overload the machine. The fuller the load, the more energy efficient the drying cycle will be.

If every family in the UK hung out just one load of washing a week, we could save £88 million in electricity bills every year. On average hanging out one load of washing per week for a year instead of using a tumble dryer could save you more than £15 off your annual electricity bill.

Combining loads once a week to fill your washing machine and your tumble dryer will save you £10 per year.

If you have any questions or would like a quotation call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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The washing machine is one of the appliances that uses the most energy. You will save energy and money if you make some small changes to how you use it, even if you can’t cut down how often you use it.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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When using the washing machine, between 85-90% of energy is used just to heat up the water. Therefore, dropping the water temperature of your wash could significantly decrease your energy consumption. Reducing the temperature of your wash load to 30°C will save you over a third of the energy used washing at a higher temperature.

To optimise your energy usage while you are washing ensure you use the machine when it has a full load. A full load uses less energy than two half-loads so the fuller your load the more energy efficient the washing cycle.

The spin on the machine may mean that more energy is used but by spinning your clothes you are removing more excess water, which reduces the drying time in a tumble dryer. If you have to do a smaller wash, make sure you use the half load function.

When purchasing a new machine try to look for ones with an eco-cycle. Almost all modern washing machines and dishwashers have them – they’re designed so they use less water and electricity than the more traditional daily programs. 

You could save yourself up to £4 per year by combining loads once a week to fill your washing machine or, if you take the same approach with your tumble dryer as well, it’s £10 per year.

If you would like a quotation or have any questions call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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In most homes, about 10-15% of the electricity bill is for lighting so it is well worth making changes to save electricity and cut your bills. Fitting low-energy light bulbs can cut your costs considerably.

Energy-saving bulbs work like fluorescent lights so the tube coating glows brightly as an electric current passed through the gas in the tube.Traditional bulbs waste a lot of energy by turning it into heat – this doesn’t happen with low energy bulbs.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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An energy-saving light bulb can last up to ten times longer than the traditional bulbs, and use about 80% less energy. So compared to using a traditional 60w bulb, an energy-saving bulb produces the same amount of light using 13-18w.

Replacing a high wattage incandescent bulb will reduce energy costs and could save you up to £60 over the lifetime of the energy-saving light bulb, in particluar if it’s used for more than a few hours a day. You will only need a 20-25w energy saving bulb to replace a 100W conventional bulb. Replacing a conventional 100W light bulb with a low energy 100W equivalent will save enough electricity to boil water for over a thousand cups of tea.

A standard 100 watt bulb on for an average of three hours per day costs just over £12 annually. The equivalent 20 watt low-energy bulb costs just over £2 – replacing the bulb saves you almost £10 over a year. The saving for a 40W bulb is £4, and that for a 60W bulb £6.

Remember as well that a low energy bulb can last over ten years while the average for a conventional bulb is just one year.

Although a traditional bulb costs £1, and a low-energy one about £8, they quickly pay for themselves.

Bulb Number Bought Bulb Cost Energy Cost Total Traditional 10 £10 £120 £130 Low Energy 1 £8 £20 £28 Saving £102

Whatever type of lighting you are using always turn the lights off when you leave the room and switch lights off in rooms which aren’t being used.

If you have any questions or would like a quotation call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563