When people hear “energy efficiency”, it’s easy to picture solar panels, new windows and insulation. However, here are also plenty of household energy-saving tips that cost nothing, take five minutes and can even be done if you rent a single room in a flat.
Using less energy can mean lower bills and a more comfortable home, but there’s a wider environmental benefit too. Using less energy generally means fewer greenhouse-gas emissions, particularly where that energy would otherwise come from fossil fuels. Heating and hot water alone account for more than half of the typical UK household’s energy use.
The important thing is to choose changes that work for your home, budget and lifestyle. Got toddlers? You might not have time for complicated energy-management routines. Renting? You may not be allowed to replace the windows. Living in a flat? Solar panels might not be an option.
I’ve found Energy Saving Trust to be a helpful resource when learning how to make energy adjustments in my own flat, so if there’s something I’ve not covered here, feel free to see if they offer more in-depth advice on it. For a quick summary, however, here are 17 practical changes you might be able to incorporate in your house. With winter right around the corner, there’s no better time to start getting conscious of your energy use.
There’s a range of ways to save energy at home
1) Turn your thermostat down a little
You don’t necessarily need to make your home chilly to save energy. Try setting your thermostat to the lowest temperature that still feels comfortable. Energy Saving Trust says this is typically around 18–21°C. Turning a thermostat from 22°C to 21°C can save around £120 a year in Great Britain, although actual savings depend on your home and heating system.
This is useful for anyone, but especially renters and flat-dwellers because it requires no permission, installation or renovation.
Cost: £0.
How long does it last? As long as you keep the setting.
Environmental benefit: You use less energy for heating, reducing associated emissions.
2) Get smarter with heating controls
A programmer (timer), room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) let you heat rooms when you actually need them instead of heating the whole home indiscriminately. Installing a complete set costs around £600, according to Energy Saving Trust, and could save around £100 a year in Great Britain in a typical home.
If you rent, ask your landlord whether they would consider installing better controls. If you’re in a flat with communal heating, check what controls you already have before buying anything.
Cost: Around £600 for a full installation; less if you only need some controls.
How long does it last? Many years, although individual controls will eventually need replacing.
Environmental benefit: Less unnecessary heating means lower energy consumption and emissions.
3) Block draughts around doors and windows
Cold air sneaking through gaps around doors and windows can make your heating work harder. Draught-proofing strips, brushes and door excluders are cheap ways to tackle the obvious gaps. DIY draught-proofing strips can cost roughly £2 per metre, while professional draught-proofing of windows and doors can cost around £250 for a whole house. Don’t seal ventilation grilles or intentionally ventilated areas. A completely airtight home isn’t automatically a healthy home.
Cost: From a few pounds.
How long does it last? Several years, depending on product and wear.
Environmental benefit: Less heat escaping means less energy needed to maintain a comfortable temperature.
4) Insulate your loft or roof
If you own your home and have an accessible loft, insulation is one of the bigger energy-efficiency improvements to consider. Energy Saving Trust recommends around 270mm of mineral-wool loft insulation where appropriate.
If you’re choosing materials, don’t automatically assume “natural” means environmentally perfect. Research shows that the environmental impact of insulation varies considerably by material and manufacturing process. Cellulose, wood fibre, cork and sheep’s wool can have lower embodied-carbon impacts in some applications, while fossil-fuel-derived foams can have higher impacts.
Be especially cautious with spray polyurethane foam. Poorly specified or installed spray foam can create moisture and roof problems, and spraying polyurethane products involves exposure to hazardous isocyanates during installation.
Cost: Around £750 for 270mm of mineral-wool loft insulation in a typical semi-detached house; DIY can cost considerably less.
How long does it last? Insulation can remain effective for decades if correctly installed and kept dry.
Environmental benefit: Less heat loss means less energy required for heating.
5) Add a hot-water-cylinder jacket
If your home has a hot-water cylinder, wrapping it in proper insulation reduces heat escaping from the tank. It’s a particularly good option for older tanks with inadequate insulation. If you live in a flat with a communal hot-water system, this probably isn’t something you’ll be able to do yourself.
Cost: Around £18–£30.
How long does it last? Usually many years; check the jacket periodically for damage.
Environmental benefit: Your water stays hot for longer, reducing the energy needed to heat it.
6) Put radiator reflector panels behind external-wall radiators
Radiator reflector panels bounce some heat back into the room rather than allowing it to be absorbed by the wall behind. A roll is fairly affordable and can be cut to size. They’re most useful behind radiators on uninsulated external walls. This can work well in flats and rented homes, although renters should check with their landlord before making alterations.
Cost: Around £25 per roll.
How long does it last? Several years if kept intact.
Environmental benefit: You get more useful heat from the energy you’re already using.
7) Switch your bulbs to LEDs
LEDs are now the most energy-efficient mainstream household lighting option. Replacing remaining halogen bulbs with LEDs could save around £45 a year in Great Britain. It’s an especially easy win for renters: unscrew old bulb, screw in new bulb. Bosh.
Cost: Often just a few pounds per bulb.
How long does it last? A typical LED bulb can last well over 10 years.
Environmental benefit: LEDs use much less electricity for the same useful lighting and need replacing less frequently.
8) Stop leaving everything on standby
TVs, games consoles, speakers, computers and other gadgets often consume electricity when they’re sitting idle. Switching off equipment that doesn’t need to remain connected can reduce unnecessary consumption. Energy Saving Trust estimates that switching appliances off standby could save around £35 a year.
However, don’t blindly switch everything off. Some smart-home equipment, heating controls and other devices are designed to remain connected. I knew a woman who would switch off her electric hot water tank every night in an effort to save power, only to learn that it used more power reheating than it would if she left it on in the first place!
Cost: £0.
How long does it last? Immediately and indefinitely.
Environmental benefit: Less wasted electricity and fewer emissions.
9) Wash clothes at 30°C
Modern detergents and washing machines can clean many everyday loads effectively at lower temperatures. Using 30°C cycles and reducing your washing by one load a week could save around £26 a year in Great Britain. For busy families, this is one of those changes you can build into your normal routine rather than adding another job to your to-do list.
Cost: £0.
How long does it last? Ongoing.
Environmental benefit: Heating water is energy-intensive, so cooler washes reduce electricity consumption.
10) Only run the dishwasher when it’s full
Half-empty dishwasher? Resist the button. Reducing dishwasher use by one run a week could save roughly £10 a year in Great Britain. Furthermore, if you’re buying or replacing a dishwasher, look at the energy label. An A-rated dishwasher can use substantially less energy than a lower-rated equivalent.
Cost: £0.
How long does it last? Ongoing.
Environmental benefit: Fewer cycles mean less electricity and water used.
11) Ditch the tumble dryer when you can
Tumble dryers are convenient, especially with small children and wet UK weather, but they’re energy-hungry. Drying clothes outside instead of using a tumble dryer for three months of the year could save around £50 annually in Great Britain.
No outdoor space? A drying rack near an open window or in a well-ventilated room can still work. Just avoid creating excessive indoor moisture. In our flat, we have a small dehumidifier that stops the clothes from making the living room damp in winter, and also helps them dry faster.
Cost: £0 if you already have a drying rack or outdoor line.
How long does it last? Ongoing.
Environmental benefit: Less electricity use and potentially a longer life for your clothes.
12) Take shorter showers
Hot water costs energy. Keeping showers to around four minutes can save around £45 a year in Great Britain. This is another renter-friendly option. You don’t need to own the bathroom to change how you use it. It also creates less steam, meaning your bathroom won’t get as damp. Less moisture combats mold, supports healthy residents, means any bathroom fans don’t need to work as hard – saving energy – and helps the neighboring rooms feel warmer.
Cost: £0, although a timer may cost a few pounds.
How long does it last? Ongoing.
Environmental benefit: Less water heated means less energy consumed, as well as less water use.
13) Fit an efficient showerhead or tap aerator
If your shower is compatible, a water-efficient showerhead can reduce the amount of hot water you use. An aerator fitted to a tap reduces water flow without necessarily making the tap feel less useful.
A water-efficient showerhead could save around £65 a year in combined water and heating costs in Great Britain, while a tap aerator could save around £20 a year. Check compatibility before fitting a showerhead, particularly if you have an electric shower.
Cost: Usually £5 to £30.
How long does it last? Several years, depending on the product and water quality.
Environmental benefit: Less water needs pumping, treating and heating.
14) Don’t overfill the kettle
Admittedly, I am guilty of this one! I will often boil enough water for six people when making one cup tea. However, only boiling the amount of water you actually need could save around £10 a year in Great Britain. Obviously, we don’t want to be tipping out water, which would be a waste. The true habit lies in keeping an empty kettle and only filling it with the number of cups you need each time. It sounds tiny, but repeated daily habits are exactly where household energy savings can accumulate. Definitely, something for me to work on!
Cost: £0.
How long does it last? Immediately.
Environmental benefit: Less electricity used for every cuppa.
15) Use your energy label when replacing appliances
You do not need to replace a perfectly functional appliance just because a newer one is more efficient. The greenest appliance is often the one you already own and keep using responsibly.
When something genuinely needs replacing, however, compare its energy consumption rather than simply choosing the biggest or flashiest model. UK energy labels now run from A, the most efficient, to G, the least efficient. Size matters too: a larger appliance can use more energy even if it has a better rating.
Cost: Depends on the appliance.
How long does it last? Major appliances commonly last many years; Energy Saving Trust models washing machines over an 11-year lifetime and fridge-freezers over 17 years.
Environmental benefit: Lower electricity consumption throughout the appliance’s working life.
16) Get a smart meter and actually look at it
A smart meter can show your household’s energy consumption in near real time, helping you spot which habits and appliances are driving usage. In Great Britain, suppliers are required to offer smart meters to customers. Think of it less as another gadget and more as a feedback tool: if the display suddenly jumps when you switch something on, you have a clue.
Cost: Usually £0 for installation through your energy supplier.
How long does it last? Many years.
Environmental benefit: Better information can help households reduce consumption and can enable flexible tariffs that shift electricity use to cheaper or cleaner periods.
17) Consider solar panels or a heat pump
If you’re a homeowner with the budget and suitable property, and you’re ready for a bigger investment, renewable technology can take household energy saving much further. These aren’t quick fixes, but they can be ideal if you are not planning to move in the next 10 years. If you are considering either, get several professional quotes and look at the whole system rather than assuming the cheapest installation will be the best one.
Solar planels
A typical domestic solar PV system currently costs around £6,100 according to Energy Saving Trust, with systems generally lasting around 25 years. Depending on location and usage, solar can pay back its initial cost over roughly 9–12 years.
Cost: Around £6,100 for a typical system, although quotes vary.
How long does it last? Around 25 years for the panels; the inverter may need replacing after roughly 10–12 years.
Environmental benefit: Solar generates renewable electricity without directly burning fossil fuels.
Heat pumps
A typical air-source heat-pump installation costs around £12,000, but eligible homes in England and Wales can currently receive a £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant. Eligible off-gas-grid properties can receive up to £9,000 in some circumstances.
Cost: Around £12,000 before applicable grants.
How long does it last? A heat pump is likely to last 20 years or more when correctly installed and maintained.
Environmental benefit: Heat pumps transfer heat rather than burning fossil fuels on site, and their environmental performance improves as electricity generation becomes cleaner.
Start where you are
Saving energy at home doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing project. Regardless of your household situation, you can still do something.
Start with the free stuff to get you into good habits and build up your energy usage awareness. Then, if you have a little money to spend, consider LEDs, draught-proofing, radiator reflectors or better water-saving fittings. If you’re a homeowner with a bigger budget, then insulation, solar panels and low-carbon heating can take things further.
The point isn’t to create a perfectly energy-efficient home overnight. It’s to make your home use a little less energy, in ways that fit your life. Every unit of energy you don’t need is money you don’t have to spend. Collectively, using less energy and moving towards cleaner sources means less pressure on the planet. Your home doesn’t have to be perfect to be greener.
