I have used an energy monitor for quite a while to keep an eye on energy consumption and control my electricity bill.
We have oil fired central heating here but everything else runs on electricity (we are not on the mains for gas etc)
After a period of somewhat obsessive watching I took the following actions
- I switched computers off when they weren’t being used
- I put low energy bulbs in everything
- I put the TV and associated gadgets on a master/slave power board so when the TV is off so is everything else.
These simple steps reduced my bills from over £100 per month to £70-£80 per month.
Eventually the monitor stopped working and I became less obsessive about electricity. I submit monthly meter readings so I always have my eye on it anyway.
Then when I converted my garage I had underfloor heating put in and sorted out a new tariff and a new energy monitor.
And now I am back to watching.
At first I was horrified at the cost of the underfloor heating but that’s because when it is on (it’s run by an electric boiler) it is expensive. If it was on all the time it would cost me £200+ per month.
However, it’s not on all the time. In fact I have the thermostat set at 18 and it seems that now it’s settled it’s not on much at all. And the room is lovely and cosy.
But what has come to light is how expensive doing domestic chores is. Most expensive things to run based on my observations:
- Hoover
- Kettle
- Oven
I cook most things in a slow cooker these days which is good because that uses the energy of a lightbulb. The oven uses loads more!
But hoovering? Hoovering is really expensive!
So my message to you is this – get an electricity monitor – look at your costs – and come to the same realisation that I did
“Domestic chores are not only bad for the environment but also expensive so don’t do them!”
