The Room-by-Room Guide to Using Energy Efficiently at Home

Kitchen Energy Saving Tips

• Only boil the water you need — a full kettle used unnecessarily costs around £50/year
• Use the microwave or air fryer instead of the oven for smaller meals
• Run the dishwasher on eco mode and only when full
• Defrost the freezer regularly — ice build-up increases energy consumption

Living Room Energy Saving Tips

• Switch to LED bulbs if you haven't already — saves around £2–3 per bulb per year
• Turn off devices at the plug rather than leaving on standby
• Use a smart plug or timer on entertainment systems
• Close curtains at dusk to retain heat in winter

Heating & Hot Water Energy Saving Tips

• Set your heating timer to match how your household actually lives — not the factory default
• Reduce your boiler flow temperature to 60°C (most modern boilers run too hot)
• Install a smart thermostat to avoid heating empty rooms
• Insulate your hot water cylinder if it doesn't have a jacket

Bedroom & Lighting Energy Saving Tips

• Replace remaining halogen or incandescent bulbs with LEDs
• Use motion sensors or timers on landing and hallway lights
• Avoid leaving phone chargers plugged in overnight unnecessarily
• Use blackout curtains to reduce heating loss through windows

Home Office Energy Saving Tips

• Enable power-saving mode on computers and monitors
• Use a laptop instead of a desktop where possible — laptops use 80% less energy
• Turn off monitors when not in use rather than using screensavers
• Use a smart plug to cut standby power from office equipment overnight

Pairing Efficiency With the Right Tariff

Efficiency improvements work best when paired with the right tariff. Reducing your usage by 10% on an overpriced tariff delivers less saving than the same reduction on a below-cap rate.

Finding the best tariff means going beyond comparison sites, which only list a small number of paying suppliers. Our research found households that bundled energy, broadband, and mobile with Utility Warehouse saw the greatest combined reduction in household outgoings — because the multi-service discount compounds across all their bills.