Latest news with #energySavings
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Slash energy bills with new TV button coming to millions in surprise upgrade – and it solves common bedroom problem too
GOOGLE is creating a clever button that could slash energy bills for millions of TV owners. Telly sleuths have spotted early signs of the feature on Google TV – one of the most popular systems that powers televisions around the world. 5 5 Google TV and Android TV are Google creations that serve as the "home" for your telly, serving up your apps and settings. It regularly receives updates from Google adding new features to help improve your television – even after you've bought it. Eagle-eyed gadget fans at Android Authority have dug into the test version for one of these updates, and uncovered a clever upgrade. It lets you set up an advanced sleep timer for your telly so that it won't keep playing all through the night. Falling asleep while watching telly is very common – even if what you're watching isn't boring. Currently Android TV does offer a very basic sleep timer, but it's very hard to get to, buried deep inside your TV's energy settings. One clever shortcut is to ask the built-in Google Assistant to "turn off TV in X minutes". But the new version will let you schedule sleep timers, add time to them, pause it, and even get notifications for when it's about to run down. There's no word on exactly when the feature will arrive, but it would be very handy. For a start, not having your TV running all night will save you money on energy bills. It also means you'll get a more restful night's sleep. First look at Google's new Android XR glasses with life-changing augmented reality And you don't run the risk of something loud coming on the telly that wakes up your partner or other people at home too. So it may even help you dodge a few rows at home. The Sun has asked Google for comment and will update this story with any response. IPHONE SLEEP TIMERS While you wait for that, there are some clever iPhone sleep timers to try too. The first is built directly into the official Apple Podcasts app. 5 Just go into it and start playing something. Then look at the media playback screen in the app: you should see a small crescent moon icon in the bottom-right. It'll have three "z"s next to it. Tap it and you'll be able to set up a sleep timer for that podcast. You can choose times ranging from five minutes right up to an hour. TRY YOUR IPHONE'S BUILT-IN SLEEP SOUNDS Millions of iPhone models have built-in 'background sounds'... They're there to help you get to sleep, or focus on work. You'll find them in Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Background Sounds. Tap on Sound and then choose one of the following: Balanced Noise Bright Noise Dark Noise Ocean Rain Stream Night Fire Then go to your Control Centre (swipe down from the top-right corner on a Face ID iPhone, or up from the bottom on a Home Button iPhone). Go to the edit function and then you can add Background Sounds there as a shortcut. Alternatively, try going to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut and choose Background Sounds. Then when you triple-click the Side Button on your iPhone (the one for locking it), Background Sounds will begin playing. Do it again to shut Background Sounds off. Picture Credit: The Sun / Apple But the more useful option might be to choose When Episode Ends. This will kill your podcast once the episode is over, which has the added benefit of meaning you won't sleep through a load of episodes that you wanted to listen to. There's a very similar feature that works on music for your iPhone too. It's built into the default iPhone Clock app, and you may well have missed it entirely. 5 This will let you shut off music after a certain amount of time. So you could play peaceful rain sounds, for instance, and then have it shut off so it doesn't run all night. This will save energy and hope give you a bit of peace too. First, begin playing some music. 5 Then go to the Clock app and head into the Timers tab. Set a timer for a length of time – for instance, you could choose one hour. Then on the button for When Timer Ends, don't choose a sound. Instead, scroll all the way to the very bottom. Tap on the Stop Playing option and then start the timer. Once it ends, the timer won't make a noise. It'll just switch your music off entirely. Handy. iPhone tricks to try today Here are some of the best... Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
CNET
6 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Can a Home Energy Monitor Lower Your Bills? We Asked an Energy Expert
If you want to keep an eye on how much energy your household uses and how you can reduce some of your monthly utility bill, a home energy monitor seems like a good solution. A home energy monitor can help you identify the power hogs in your household, so you can figure out ways to cut down your usage or change the time of the day when you use certain appliances in order to be more efficient and lower your electric bills. However, since you're trying to save money here, you may wonder if the initial investment into a home energy monitor is worth it, and how long it will take for those savings to make up for that cost. Let's take a look at how monitoring works and how you can use it to your advantage by figuring out exactly where most of your electric bill comes from. This sensor, made by Wattvision, attaches to an electricity meter to track how much electricity is being consumed in real time. It's one of a few whole-house energy monitoring products designed to give you more insight into how you use electricity and clues on how to reduce waste. Martin LaMonica/CNET What is a home energy monitor? As the name implies, a home energy monitor keeps tabs on where and how power is distributed in your home. Most importantly, it identifies the main power draws so that you can reduce your power usage and, by extension, your energy bill. Most monitors work by attaching to power cables inside your electrical/breaker box. Typically a monitor unit will slot in somewhere inside the box, and then clamps running from it to the primary power cables will track usage. The monitor unit will then output measurements either to a control panel or, more commonly with modern devices, to an app, where you can view data on how you're using energy and tips on how to reduce usage. Newer smart electric panels like the Savant Smart Budget we saw at CES 2025 may have this energy monitoring feature built-in, sparing you from having to install a separate device. Tyler Lizenby/CNET Is a home energy monitor worth it? Typically, users who install a home energy monitor save money, though the exact amount will vary according to a few factors. The typical user saves around 8% of their energy bill each month after installing a monitor, according to Renuka S., a representative from monitoring system-maker Sense Energy who didn't want to give their full name. "The amount an average user can save with a home energy monitor like Sense varies depending on several factors, such as the size of the home, the number of devices being used, the efficiency of appliances, and the user's current energy habits," Renuka said. Sense This is where the question of whether a monitoring system is worth it gets a little thorny. A home energy monitor isn't a magic wand that will save you money just by installing it. Ultimately, its only function is to provide you with data; whether or how you use that data is entirely up to you. A home energy monitor "is designed to track and analyze your energy usage in real time," Renuka said. "It provides insights into how electricity is being used throughout your home by identifying individual devices and appliances. The system uses sensors to detect patterns in your electrical usage and sends this data to the Sense app, where you can monitor your energy consumption, track costs, and identify energy-saving opportunities." What it doesn't do, however, is directly reduce usage. If you're already aware of energy inefficiencies and have taken steps to reduce them, the value of a home energy monitor is much more limited than if you're approaching the problem for the first time. Energy monitor apps let you track and manage the power use of specific appliances. Screenshots by Brian Bennett/CNET Ultimately, being conscious of your usage, particularly by things like "always-on" devices, or whether or not you're using high-draw appliances like washing machines or dishwashers during peak hours, can make a home energy monitor redundant. This is especially true if you've taken additional steps to make your home energy efficient, like reducing leaks that can sap heat during the winter or tax your AC during the hot summer months. Many utility companies will now provide energy saving tips as well as data about your energy usage for free alongside or in addition to your monthly bill. That said, if you're a novice in terms of energy efficiency and would prefer a single source of truth about your usage, a home energy monitor, particularly a highly rated one that provides ample information as well as tips for streamlining your setup and usage, can be a valuable boon for homeowners. Options include the Sense Home Energy Monitor and Neurio Intelligent Home Monitor, both of which CNET has reviewed, and Smapee, which is geared more towards interfacing with EV charging and self-consumption. Pros and cons of a home energy monitor Savant's Smart Budget system can manage your power use to stave off a utility upgrade. Savant Pros Gathers lots of useful information: The right energy monitoring system doesn't just provide raw data about your energy usage, it also provides actionable tips about how to use that data to directly reduce your bill. If you're completely lost about where to start in making your home more energy-efficient, a home energy monitor can be a powerful launchpad. Can help identify vampire loads: Always-on devices can be one of the most costly contributors to your monthly electric bill. "Always On power accounts for 23% of the average electric bill, which makes it an opportunity for big savings," said Sense's Renuka. "A monitor lets you track it over time, so you can see the progress as you turn off idle printers, forgotten lights and devices sitting on 'standby' that don't really need to be." Potentially identifies faulty appliances or other devices: By isolating energy spikes, a monitor can help you identify broken or faulty devices, particularly those that are activating at times when they aren't supposed or scheduled to. Similarly, if an appliance starts uses more energy over time, this can indicate an appliance that's deteriorating or leaking, like a fridge or damaged AC unit. Cons Doesn't directly correct any inefficiencies: An energy monitor doesn't address any of the issues directly with your home energy setup. Instead, it just provides data (and, in some cases, advice) that you can then wield to correct any inefficiencies on your own. Often, this data, and some of the most important cost-saving advice, is available from other sources, including the CNET Home Energy team, which has no shortage of ticks and tricks to lower your energy bills. May not immediately recognize some devices: Energy monitors may take some time to identify individual devices, particularly systems that don't have access to machine learning to help parse the data the monitor receives. When we reviewed the Sense Home Energy Monitor, it took time for the monitor to identify 14 new devices, including the HVAC, the oven, the ice maker and the refrigerator. Typically requires a network connection: Many modern home energy monitoring systems require a stable Wi-Fi connection to function properly and transmit data. If your Wi-Fi goes down, your home energy monitor may not be fully functional or operate at all. Is 2025 the year you finally figure out how much electricity your TV uses? Technology is making that a lot you buy a home energy monitoring system? The value of a home energy monitor will vary based on your living situation and your current energy efficiency. If you're a novice in saving energy or you're facing a ballooning electric bill, a monitor can save you a significant amount of money. This is also true in larger homes or multifamily units that share the same breaker box, where it may be difficult to keep tabs on where costs are rising or what some of the biggest power hogs in your home may be. However, if you've already taken extensive steps to reduce inefficiencies, you may find that a monitor isn't worth the initial outlay. This is particularly true if your utility provider offers monitoring tips and tools, as an increasing number do, either online or by mail. With a monitoring system starting around $150 to $200, and many costing several times that, it may take a long time for an energy-efficient household to recoup that investment. This system from eMonitor has clamps attached to the circuits in a home by an electrician. That allows you to see, via the web or dedicated energy display, how electricity is being used in the home with great detail. Energy Circle Home energy monitoring FAQs What's the best home energy monitor to buy? While which system is best for you will depend on your needs and budget, we contacted Sense specifically because it provides some of the best and most highly rated energy monitors on the market. Neurio is another brand that CNET has reviewed. Siemens and Emporia also provide competent and well-regarded monitoring systems, like the Inhab Energy Monitor and Vue Home Energy Monitor. Can a home energy monitor work in an apartment? As long as you have access to your electric box, you can install an energy monitor in your apartment. However, bear in mind that it will monitor and provide information about any units that share the same breaker box, which could potentially present a privacy issue. What information does a home energy monitor provide? A home energy monitor can provide a range of data, including individual appliance or device usage, information on always-on power draws, historical data about your energy usage, advice on reducing energy usage, cost estimates, peak usage data and more. More energy-saving advice
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Irish Times
Cooking a whole chicken in an airfryer? It might save you money
Have you cooked a whole chicken in an air fryer yet? Converts to this small, countertop appliance will tell you it's a faster, healthier and often tastier way to cook most things. An airfryer can save you money too – by halving the cooking time for some items, it also halves cooking costs. It's no wonder cooking purists, once skeptical of the hype, are succumbing to a 'middle aisle' deal. Some new owners report not having turned on a conventional oven in weeks. So how does the air fryer work? An air fryer isn't really a fryer at all. It's actually a high-intensity convection oven. It uses a combination of radiation and convection to cook food. READ MORE A heating element near the top of the fryer gives off heat into the cooking chamber – radiation. A fan circulates the heated air rapidly – the convection bit. This creates a very intense heat transfer. While a convection oven is typically big and takes a while to heat up, an air fryer is small and takes no time at all. That's where the savings come in. Research by consumer magazine Which? found that households cooking with an air fryer can make considerable savings on energy costs compared to those using a built-in electric oven, particularly if you are only cooking small amounts. Testing the device by cooking regular staples like a whole chicken, chips, a jacket potato and even a cake, Which? researchers found the air fryer used less than half the energy of an oven – and the results were just as tasty. A chicken in an air fryer was cooked 23 minutes faster than in a conventional built-in electric oven, and it used half the electricity. This more than halved the cooking cost too, from 31p (28c) to just 15p (13c), according to the research. Cook a roast chicken once a week for a year and you would save £8.30 (€9.85). Cooking oven chips was faster too. The air fryer shaved 10 minutes off the cooking time and cooking them was a third less expensive than using an electric oven. But surely the oven will trump the air fryer for baking a cake? Not so, according to the Which? research. A cake that took 56 minutes in the oven was done in just 33 minutes in an air fryer. The cost was a winner too, with cooking in the air fryer costing over two thirds less. The Which? research was based on UK electricity prices, but you can do your own calculation by multiplying the power rating of your air fryer (in watts) by the time in hours that the appliance is running and dividing this by 1,000. This is the energy consumption in kilowatt hours (kWh). Then multiply this figure by the cost of energy to get the cost. The average price of electricity this month in Ireland per unit is 34.63c per kWh, according to price comparison website, Selectra. This is based on a standard, 24-hour urban rate comparing all providers with VAT included. This is more expensive than the UK rate of 27.03p/kWh used in the Which? calculations. So air fryer users here can expect even bigger savings. Air fryers don't have as much space as a conventional oven, however, so if you have lots to cook, doing it all in the oven together rather than using the air fryer multiple times may be the more economical choice.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
10 summer energy bill checks that you need to do NOW to save hundreds
HOUSEHOLDS can make the most of warmer temperatures and longer days to slash the cost of energy bills. There are a host of tricks to cut costs over summer months and some won't cost you a penny. 1 From keeping curtains closed to switching to LED light bulbs and reducing your shower times, you could save a bundle. Here are 10 checks to make now to save you money over the summer - combined, they could help you claw back £308. Close your curtains - £27 Closing your curtains on hotter days will keep your home cool and means you won't have to use an electrical fan. Fan running costs vary but can range between 1p and 3p per hour. It might not seem like a lot, but if you are running a fan for 10 hours a day across June, July and August (92 days), you're looking at spending around £27.60. Meanwhile, closing your curtains costs nothing and can be done in a matter of seconds. Open windows and internal doors to let natural ventilation flow through your home and keep temperatures down too. If you can, make sure to open them on opposite sides of the home as well as this will encourage better air flow. From TV to energy... tips to save you money on 7 bills that are going up in April Switch off lights and swap to LED - £7.50 Switching off lights after leaving any room is a quick and easy way of cutting energy bills over the summer. Not just that, but the type of light bulbs you use can have a big impact on how much you pay overall. The Energy Saving Trust says you can save up to £3 per year for every traditional halogen bulb you switch to an LED bulb. Swap out 10 lightbulbs in your home and that's £30 a year, or £7.50 over three months. You'll have to front up the cost of the new bulbs first, but will end up making major savings over time. Invest in solar lights outside and you can also make the most of all the sunlight over the warmer months and trim down your electric bill. They don't have to cost a bomb either. At the time of writing, Home Bargains offers solar lights starting from £1.49. Outdoor LED lights that run off mains don't cost much to run, but the running costs for solar lights are nil so you're saving at least something. Defrost your freezer - £37 Ice building up in your freezer means the appliance has to work harder to keep temperatures down, in turn driving up your energy bill. So, check yours to see if it needs defrosting. Not only will it keep your costs down, you'll have more space to fit extra bits of food in there too. If you don't defrost your freezer regularly, experts previously estimated it can cost you as much as £150 extra a year - £37.50 over three months. Most experts say you should defrost your freezer once or twice a year, so for the sake of a few minutes' work, the savings are well worth it. Dry smart - £46 How you dry your clothes can have a massive impact on your energy bills. You'll definitely want to swerve using a tumble dryer as these cost 97p per hour to run, according to Uswitch. Instead, hang your bits on a clothes line or airer outside and let the sun do all the work. Based on two two-hour washes a week over 12 weeks in the summer, that makes for a hefty saving of £46.56. Even if you don't have an outside area, you can still use an airer inside and put it near the window to catch any rays. Slash your shower time - £15 One quick way to pay less on your water and energy bills is to slash your shower time. The Energy Saving Trust estimates keeping your shower time to just four minutes can save you £60 a year on your energy bills - or £15 across June, July and August. Steer clear of baths too as these cost more than having a quick shower. Lower your washing machine temperature - £6 Washing your clothes at the right temperature ensures any pesky stains and smells are removed, but you don't have to crank up the heat. Washing clothes on a 30°C cycle will do the job just fine and could save you up to £24 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust - £6 over the summer. Try reducing your washing machine use by one run per week by combining loads too. Turn off 'vampire' devices - £29 So-called "vampire" devices churn through energy when left in standby mode so are worth switching off to cut costs. Some are worse than others but TV boxes, smart TVs and Wi-Fi routers are the worst culprits. It might seem like a tiny thing to do, but the savings can add up fast. Switching off all your vampire appliances can save you around £118 a year - or £29.50 in the three months between June and August. Put your boiler into 'summer mode' - £80 Most boilers have a summer setting which means you can turn off the central heating and still get hot water on demand. The button to trigger the summer mode should be easy to spot - sometimes it's a sun symbol. Activating summer mode could save you around 10% on your annual bill in the three months over the summer as well, Nicolas and James Auckland from Trade Radiators previously told The Sun. Uswitch says the average gas bill in the UK is around £800, meaning a saving of around £80 just by flicking a switch. Get your boiler serviced - £60 Spring might just be the best time to get your boiler serviced - and it could save you money in the long run. Checkatrade says the average cost of getting a boiler serviced is around £100. However, having it checked over will ensure everything is running smoothly and you won't have to call out for an emergency plumber. Checkatrade says the average cost of calling out an emergency plumber is around £110 with their hourly rate £50. That means getting a boiler service in could save you £60. What energy bill help is available? There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by. If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter. This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period. If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don't think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal. Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills. But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances. For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000. British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund. You don't need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund. EDF, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too. Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR). The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill. Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you're struggling. Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
CNET
17-05-2025
- CNET
Stop Installing Your Thermostat Here. It's Costing You Money
Slashing your pesky energy bill during a sweltering summer or bitter winter might be easier than you think — and it could come down to where your thermostat lives. If you're installing a new thermostat or reevaluating the placement of your current one, the location can make a big difference. Put it in the wrong spot, and your HVAC system could be working harder than it needs to, driving up your costs all year. CNET To help you avoid that, we've rounded up the best — and worst — places to install your thermostat, plus why proper placement matters for both comfort and savings. (Looking for more ways to cut back on household expenses? Check out our tips for lowering your heating and electric bills and more smart ways to save around the house.) Smart Thermostats: Why They're Good for Your Home and Your Wallet Smart Thermostats: Why They're Good for Your Home and Your Wallet Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 1:35 Loaded : 6.38% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 1:35 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Smart Thermostats: Why They're Good for Your Home and Your Wallet Never install a thermostat in these places When thinking about thermostat location, the most important thing is to avoid areas with temperature extremes, which can make your thermostat think the room is much hotter or cooler than it really is and adjust the temperature accordingly. According to the US Department of Energy, you should avoid installing your thermostat near windows or doors, heat sources or direct sunlight. You should also avoid putting lamps or TVs near your thermostat since they release heat that could impact the device settings. For that reason, it's best to avoid placing the thermostat in bathrooms or kitchens, too, where steam from the shower or from cooking can interfere. The same goes for exterior walls, which are typically cooler than interior ones. Putting your thermostat in any of these less-than-ideal spots could force it into heating or cooling when it doesn't actually need to, unnecessarily using up more energy and money. You should also avoid setting up your thermostat in hallways or rooms that you don't use often. The device will not read the temperature of the places you actually want to heat or cool and could leave you with the wrong setting. Google Nest Here's where you should put a thermostat The best spot for your thermostat is on an interior wall in the middle of a room you use often, such as your living room. That will keep the most popular areas of your house comfortable at the temperature you set. And if you have a smart thermostat, make sure it's not obstructed by doors, bookshelves or decorations so its sensors will work as they're meant to. You also need to make sure the smart thermostat is in range of your Wi-Fi to stay connected. In some cases, you can move your thermostat yourself. But in others, you'll need to call an HVAC specialist. But that cost can potentially be recouped over time through savings. For more money-saving tips, check out how Energy Star appliances can save you cash and the cheapest place to buy groceries online. For more ways to reduce energy costs, consider unplugging your appliances, adjusting your thermostat, turning off your lights or buying smart devices. There's even an easy ceiling fan hack that can save money on heating or cooling your house.
