9 Tips to Reduce Your Energy Bill While Working from Home This Winter

The phrase ‘Winter is coming’ was made famous by Game of Thrones. But right now, for us, it is reality. With the air getting colder, and days getting shorter, the winter season is just a whisper away. Naturally, in darker, colder weather, homes and businesses will need to keep their lights and heating on for longer periods of time.

Many of us are also still facing into quite long periods of time at home due to Covid-19. The HSE and new government plan for Living with Covid urge those who can work from home to continue to do so if possible. In doing this, over the winter months we will have higher levels of energy use. We can make small, conscious decisions to help reduce our energy consumption, and with that reduce our bills.

Here are 9 top tips to save on energy this winter while working from home:

1. Turn it down

By turning your thermostat down by as little as one degree, you can significantly reduce your heating bill. The recommended setting on your thermostat for your living and working area should be set at 18-20°C. You can have it cooler in hallways and bedrooms, ideally between 15-18°C. Use timers and pre-programmed settings to turn on your heating when needed.

2. Layer it up

If you are feeling cold, why not grab an extra jumper or drape a blanket over your knees. Your colleagues on Zoom will never know, your teeth won’t be chattering and you won’t feel the need to switch on the heating.

3. Tea breaks

It is important to take regular breaks, especially when working from home, it gives you a chance to break and stretch your legs. If you are grabbing a tea or coffee, only fill and boil the kettle with as much water as you need. It will boil quicker and use less energy.

4. Plug it out

Take notice of the number of appliances that are plugged in or on standby. Do you need to have all these appliances plugged in or can you minimise the number of gadgets in use? Being more mindful of these things around your home will help you develop better habits which will lead to reduced energy usage over time.

5. Sunshine

Position your working space close to a good source of natural light. Ensure that you open blinds or curtains to let the sunshine in; this will help to heat the rooms in your house and eliminate the need for a desk lamp. Natural light also helps to improve your mood.

6. Empty rooms

Turn off radiators or heaters in empty rooms – there is no need to heat a room that isn’t in use.

7. Switch to LED lights

If you need electric lighting when working from home, replace inefficient fluorescent light fittings with LED bulbs to help reduce energy bills. LED lighting is more energy-efficient which reduces your carbon footprint too.

8. Prevent draughts

Now that you are spending more time at home, you might feel draughts you hadn’t noticed before. Even the smallest draught can cause the temperature to drop in our homes. Closing doors and windows can greatly reduce heat loss. Draught excluders can help to keep the heat in our homes and adding a rug or blanket to wooden floors can also be of benefit.

9. Service your boiler

Servicing your boiler each year is essential to ensure the safety, efficiency and reliability of your gas boiler. If your boiler is over 20 years old, installing a new one could save money on your heating bills each year. If you are having a gas appliance installed, serviced or repaired, always use a Registered Gas Installer (RGI).