Latest news with #energysavings
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
The secret button on your washing machine that can slash your energy bills by £72
WASHING machines are a busy household's best friend, but they can be a drain on your wallet. Luckily, experts have revealed a handy little tip to help make your laundry cheaper. 1 You can save around £72 a year on your energy bills by flicking the spin button before popping wet clothes in the tumble dryer. Miele kitchen appliance expert Ryan Adams, director of Ati Harrogate has revealed why this handy tip can save big money. 'Placing wet clothes directly into a tumble dryer forces the appliance to work much harder. "Running a second spin cycle in the washing machine to remove excess water and untangling items before drying helps the clothes move freely in the drum, reducing strain on the dryer. 'Including a thorough spin cycle before tumble drying can help households potentially save between £29 to £72 annually.' And that's not the only tip guaranteed to save you some cash - Ryan also has strong views when it comes to mixed washing. We often chuck all sorts of clothing and bedding together, but one mixture to avoid is washing towels and bed linen. This combination can also cause damage to your washing machine drum too. Ryan said: 'Washing towels and bed linen in the same load can cause excessive strain on a washing machine. "The added water weight often exceeds the recommended load capacity, potentially damaging the drum shaft and bearings. "Additionally, these items tend to form a single heavy ball during the cycle, which can bounce around and harm the machine's internal parts.' Another tip is to always check pockets, as coins can wreak havoc on washing machines and driers. "These items can bang around inside the drum, leading to expensive repairs. A quick check of pockets before starting a load can save your machines and prevent unnecessary costs.' Finally, another thing to keep in mind when you're next working through a pile of dirty washing is to remember to empty the lint trap. Ryan said: 'Neglecting the lint trap can have serious consequences. "A clogged trap reduces airflow, forcing the dryer to work harder, which not only wastes energy but also risks overheating the appliance. 'Regularly cleaning the lint trap before each drying cycle makes it more efficient and safer, preventing fire hazards.' More ways to save on laundry bills It's not just eco settings that can slash your energy bills when doing the laundry. Make sure you only run the machine when it's fully loaded. Cutting down on a half full cycle each week adds up to significant savings over a year. Consider using colder washes more frequently. A large part of the energy consumer by a machine is to simply heat the water. When drying clothes, try to ditch the tumble drier where possible. Drying clothes outside is easy and quick in the summer. When temperatures are cooler, consider investing in a heated clothes airer which use far less energy than a drier. And put your clothes on an extra spin cycle first to wring out as much water as possible. If you do use a tumbler drier make sure all lint is removed from the filters, which can impact the efficiency of the machine and means it has to work harder and use more energy. Popping an old tennis ball in a tumble drier with your laundry can help clothes to separate out and dry faster to help you use less energy. 4 ways to keep your energy bills low Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips. 1. Turn your heating down by one degree You probably won't even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70. 2. Switch appliances and lights off It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills 3. Install a smart meter Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used. 4. Consider switching energy supplier No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you've let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven't browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
New York Times
13-05-2025
- New York Times
5 Gadgets That Make It Easy to Save Energy, Water, and Money
You won't actually make much of a dent in your individual energy bill by turning LED light bulbs off. But for me, remembering to turn them off is a small and easy contribution to collective energy savings for everyone. (Full disclosure: My personal pet peeve happens to be when people leave lights on in an empty house.) Smart lighting makes tackling this tiny task fast and easy. The simplest way to automate lighting is to use smart bulbs: All you have to do is screw in a light bulb, connect it to your Wi-Fi, and then use its app to set it on a custom on-and-off schedule. All smart bulbs are LED bulbs, and they use at least 75% less energy than incandescents but last 25 times longer. They also bring a little extra savings by adding dimming, which can save another 40% of energy use. Smart bulbs can also be triggered on or off in response to other smart devices, to motion sensors, or even to your location (what tech companies call geofencing). Once they're set up that way, they maximize energy savings without your having to remember to turn them on or off. We like the WiZ 60W A19 Color LED Smart Bulb, which is bright and includes an array of festive color options. And when it comes to smart bulbs, this one is pretty inexpensive (about $11 each). WiZ smart bulbs can be dimmed, and they can be controlled remotely or set to run on a repeating schedule. And they have a circadian rhythm setting, which changes the quality of light automatically throughout the day. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter Another option — for the person who knows how to wire an outlet — is a smart in-wall light switch, which replaces your existing light switch to control lighting fixtures. My husband leaves in the dark each morning. So we use a TP-Link Kasa KS225 Matter Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer (Wirecutter's top pick) to automatically ensure he has a lighted path. And then we turn it off when he's gone, so it doesn't stay lit all day. If you're clinging to the bulbs and switches you already own, a smart plug tackles the same on-and-off and scheduling functions for lamps and small appliances, and you can still add regular money-saving LED bulbs. A smart plug is an inexpensive way to control lights: Our favorite, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim (EP25), costs under $9 per lamp. Smart plugs are also great for controlling holiday lights. These smart-home devices don't need permanent installation, so you can take them with you when you move. Take these steps to protect your home from mishaps and intruders when you leave for vacation. According to the EPA, everyday household leaks in the US account for about 1 trillion gallons of wasted water annually. That's equivalent to more than 1,500 Olympic-size swimming pools. To catch small leaks as soon as possible, you can add a smart leak sensor to monitor hot-water heaters, under sinks, behind toilets, around washing machines or dishwashers, and other leak-prone spots. When the sensor detects a leak, it will send a smartphone alert, so you can tend to the issue before it becomes a catastrophe. The YoLink Water Leak Sensor 4 uses a small, inexpensive hub that supports multiple sensor units around the house. Each unit has sensors on top (to detect drips from pipes) and underneath (for pooling water). The YoLink Water Leak Sensor can detect both dripping and pooling water, due to its top- and bottom-mounted probes. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter If you're seeking more-comprehensive control — especially for when you're away from home (or if you have a second home) — the Flo by Moen and the Phyn Plus are smart water shut-off valves that install on your water main. They can detect and alert you to sudden big leaks, as well as to smaller issues, like a cycling toilet or running spigot. If you don't respond to the alert, your water supply will be shut off as a precaution. You can turn it back on remotely, using an app, or manually, in person. Smart sprinkler controllers can control water waste outside by regulating the amount you use to irrigate your lawn or garden, based on your specific soil moisture and even plant types. We recommend the Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller because it uses hyper-local web-based weather information to adjust schedules automatically, so you won't be one of those people who water their lawn right before (or during) a rainstorm. If you don't have an in-ground sprinkler system, a smart hose timer works with regular garden hoses and a standard sprinkler or soaker hose. The US Energy Information Administration reports that more than half of a typical US household's energy consumption is used for space heating and air conditioning. Of course, that can vary based on your location (the Northeast and Midwest use more on average), the type of dwelling (apartments consume less), and the number of people in your household. If you're in one of the areas where electricity costs are higher, a smart thermostat can optimize your home's heating and cooling to balance comfort with energy savings. Our pick, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, is the most efficient smart thermostat we've tested. It has plenty of settings that allow you to fine-tune your environment. The included remote temperature-and-presence sensor allows you to control conditions around your home. And it can be set so you don't have to adjust the temperature when you leave or arrive home, and you aren't needlessly blasting the AC or heat all day. It also turns the system back on before you get home, so in the summer you won't arrive to an oven (and regret being energy-conscious). If you don't have central air, a smart air conditioner or a standard window unit with a smart plug can give you additional control, so you're not wasting cool air when no one is home to appreciate it. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium works with remote sensors to help balance the temperature throughout your home. Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter A smart ceiling fan can be another great option. I find my bedroom fan to be an absolute must for summer (and some winter) sleeping. According to the US Department of Energy, if you use a ceiling fan, you can raise the thermostat setting in summer months about 4 degrees Fahrenheit before you'll even perceive a difference in comfort. Smart fans, like those from Big Ass Fans and Hunter, also include presence sensors, so they run only when someone is in the room. They can also be integrated with a smart thermostat to maximize savings even further (we haven't yet tested such models). If you already have ceiling fans installed, you can upgrade their capabilities with a smart switch, such as the Lutron Caséta Smart Fan Control. It works with most existing fans (though it does require the use of a Caséta Smart Bridge), and it can respond to triggers from an app or other smart devices, such as thermostats or temperature sensors. If a ceiling fan just isn't a good fit, a room fan with a smart plug is an easy and affordable option. It's no surprise that one big way summer heat infiltrates your home is right through your windows. Smart shades and blinds tend to be expensive, but they are convenient and effective: They can block or absorb the sun's rays to help keep things cooler, without needing to flip on the AC. Models like those from SmartWings and Lutron can be set to raise and lower (or to open and close) based on a daily schedule, or on a whim using voice commands to a smart speaker or your phone. Many older electrical appliances and gadgets — including computer speakers, TVs, coffee makers, and more — continue to draw power even when they aren't in use, a phenomenon referred to as phantom or 'vampire' energy. A variety of smart plugs can control lights, fans, air purifiers, and pretty much all other electronic devices inside and outside the house. Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter According to the US Department of Energy, all of the various vampires in your home account for about 5% to 10% of energy use. And though this isn't a massive one-time outlay, over time it adds up. If you're not sure what you're consuming (or you already know and want to do something about it), many smart plugs — including our top pick, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim (EP25) — can monitor, in real time, the energy use of any device you plug into it. If you need to power several devices, a smart power strip, such as the TP-Link HS300 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip, can track up to six devices individually. Just plug in whichever energy hog you wish (your old plasma TV, an audio system), and schedule the strip to cut the power completely when the device isn't in use. This article was edited by Jon Chase and Grant Clauser. These smart-home devices don't need permanent installation, so you can take them with you when you move. Smart thermostats like our pick, the Ecobee Premium , can make your home's HVAC more energy efficient without sacrificing your comfort. Nest thermostats are the gateway to smart-home life. An in-wall smart outlet replaces a traditional electrical outlet and makes automation a permanent part of your home. Our pick is the Geeni Current+Charge . What I Cover I write about everything from smart lighting and home security to Wi-Fi cameras and smart bird feeders. I've also covered ice cream sandwiches, robot vacuums, and snoring.
