Advice for Winter

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Hello everyone, Rebecca your Community Manager here 👋

I don't know about you, but although I am absolutely LOVING this sunshine and blue sky, I fell into the trap of rushing outside this morning to pop my washing out to dry, and then I was brought back down to reality, that in fact it is very much still winter temperatures out there. However, Spring is on the way and soon we will all be enjoying a warmer climate.

This leads me to our Winter Advice! It's easy to shove the thermostat up and forget that it will actually end up burning a hole in our pocket.

Here, we share some of our advice for winter from the Utilita Energy Saving Team themselves! 😎

Dealing with Draughts
Look out for any gaps or cracks in your windows, doors and floors, letting the cold air in and warm air out. Try using draught excluders on your doors, sealant on any small gaps and even rolled up newspaper to insulate your home.


Switch it off
We’re all guilty of leaving devices on standby, but now’s the time to save your energy and switch it off! Watch out for TV’s, kitchen appliances and phone charges using that vampire energy.


Wash Smart
Still washing your clothes at 40 degrees? Stop. Unless it’s stated on the instructions, most detergents are designed to wash effectively at 30 degrees. We also know that a tumble dryer can be a necessity over winter - to save time and money try using dryer balls as these can help to reduce drying time by up to 25%. Alternatively, try adding a dry towel in with your wet washing to reduce the time it takes to dry your clothes.


Make the most of your appliances
Try to run your washing machine and tumble dryer at full capacity - you’ll be making the most of each run and saving money by reducing the number of washes needed. Keep your fridge freezer full to ensure empty space isn’t wasted - you can even use old newspaper to fill any empty gaps! Consider how much water you actually need before boiling the kettle, a full kettle means higher energy usage.


Boiler servicing
Ensuring your boiler is running efficiently will help make the most of your energy – we recommend that you try to schedule an annual service. And if you’re considering replacing your boiler, take a look at the Green Deal Scheme to help cover the costs for energy efficient products.


Keep insulated
Add radiator reflector foil to help bounce heat back into the room to prevent it escaping through the walls. Tin foil is also a great cost effective alternative.


Energy High 5
For more energy-saving tips - join the Energy High 5 movement and save up to £163 a year by making five simple and free-of-charge changes to the way you use energy at home. Find out more here!


Winter Savings
Don’t forget! My Utilita now offers Winter Savings, helping you to prepare for the colder months by saving a little extra money to use towards topping-up. Plus, you could be in with a chance to win some amazing rewards in the Winter Savings Draw!


For more winter advice on our main Utilita website, click here!

Was this helpful? Was there anything missing you'd like to see? Let us know in the comments below 👇 😀

Or do you have any top tips for saving energy whilst keeping warm? Pop them below for your fellow community members 🤗

Fantastic Post @Rebecca,🤩

Its great to share all these energy saving tips especially as we still have some cold weather and also in prep for next winter.

Ive said it before but ill post it here best tip I have is to use LED lightbulbs ive saved so much since switching to them myself.

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Originally Posted by Dean

Fantastic Post @Rebecca,🤩

Its great to share all these energy saving tips especially as we still have some cold weather and also in prep for next winter.

Ive said it before but ill post it her best tip I have is to use LED lightbulbs ive saved so much since switching to them myself.

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Fab @Dean - they seem to last forever too! I have had mine ever since I moved into this house 4 years ago and they are still going 😲

For me - With us all being in another lockdown, that we are soon to get out of, it maybe worth doing an ENERGY AUDIT, see how much we can switch off which I am going to do this weekend now home schooling has almost finished. Yay. Hoping to see a difference then I think I will put any savings away ready for next winter. After I have had a celebratory drink - have a good weekend

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Originally Posted by Huckleberry

For me - With us all being in another lockdown, that we are soon to get out of, it maybe worth doing an ENERGY AUDIT, see how much we can switch off which I am going to do this weekend now home schooling has almost finished. Yay. Hoping to see a difference then I think I will put any savings away ready for next winter. After I have had a celebratory drink - have a good weekend

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@Huckleberry that sounds like a great idea. Almost like an energy saving spring clean! Also, as you turn your un-needed appliances off - you can then refer back to your smart meter and see if your usage goes down! 😎

Have a great weekend!

Good post,

I've been using LED lightbulbs for a few years now and unplugging the sockets when out of use for a few hours.

@Rebecca very helpful article. The big problem for me is drafts in the house. Draft excluders would help, well fitted carpet around the doors and a sausage for the bottom of the door :)

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Originally Posted by Huckleberry

For me - With us all being in another lockdown, that we are soon to get out of, it maybe worth doing an ENERGY AUDIT, see how much we can switch off which I am going to do this weekend now home schooling has almost finished. Yay. Hoping to see a difference then I think I will put any savings away ready for next winter. After I have had a celebratory drink - have a good weekend

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@Huckleberry Fab idea! I don't think I could turn anything off just yet but could turn heating down a tad and already turning the lights on later in the day. Thanks for the tip :)

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Originally Posted by Tillymint

@Rebecca very helpful article. The big problem for me is drafts in the house. Draft excluders would help, well fitted carpet around the doors and a sausage for the bottom of the door :)

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We have a massive draught that comes from under our front door and a draught excluder has really made a difference. They do really nice, reasonably priced ones in TK MAXX. Also I felt a draught in my kitchen and noticed I had a whole massive crack in my kitchen door where the fitting is coming away from the frame and I can see outside through it. I just got some sealant and filled it up and now it's sorted. Both really low cost solutions. You can also get something like frog tape which is used for DIY and that is also a great solution to seal gaps. 😉

I also found this post helpful and shall be investing in some LED bulbs as they sound great.

Did you also know that If you’ve got ventilation fans in your kitchen or bathroom, you shouldn't leave them on for too long. Once they’ve cleared any condensation, switch them off. Or consider replacing them with heat recovery ventilation units, which continually pre-heat incoming air by warming it with the outgoing air. This will save a lot of energy all year round and not just during the winter :)