[Misc] Suggestions to save energy this winter…

[nicko31]

Labour love them too - the more profit they make the more windfall tax they can take

Windfall taxes are bad, getting the British taxpayer to pay higher energy prices for a decade is far better.

 

[raymondo]

Should keep hot water cylinder @ 60f to kill off legionnaires disease and other bugs

60 C ... I think?

 

[Rowdey]

60 C ... I think?

yes, you are correct >60Deg C
[MENTION=89]Sorrel[/MENTION] this is good advice, and would add that if you do turn down your cylinder, then once a week give it a run up to plus 60 with boiler or immersion to reduce chance of Legionella.

 

[nicko31]

yes, you are correct >60Deg C

[MENTION=89]Sorrel[/MENTION] this is good advice, and would add that if you do turn down your cylinder, then once a week give it a run up to plus 60 with boiler or immersion to reduce chance of Legionella.

Never quite see the point of turning down the hot water cylinder, unless you actually opt for a cooler shower.

 

[Driver8]

That's a very cheap overnight tariiff, do you have to have an EV (I have one on order), I do already have a dual tariff meter with another supplier

I’m not sure. They have another one with a four hour cheap tariff (same rates) that you definitely don’t have to have an EV for. With the one I’m on they connect directly to the car to tell it when to charge (rather than scheduling it through the car itself which I can also do). It may not work with all EVs. Mine is a Tesla.

Best look on their website.

 

[BN41Albion]

Saving energy has multiple benefits...

a) Its good for the planet

b) It saves people money during the cost of living crisis

c) It saves the government money as they are subsidising energy bills (we yes are all paying for in the future anyway)

There was a whole raft of suggestions that could have assisted people.

What we are witnessing is strange ideology leading to plain stupidity and against the best interests of the population at large

This'll be like covid in that respect though I expect. People living through the crisis realising they can live more frugally re energy whilst considering it's also better for the planet etc, but then when the crisis is over not thinking twice before returning to old habits

 

[Weststander]

This'll be like covid in that respect though I expect. People living through the crisis realising they can live more frugally re energy whilst considering it's also better for the planet etc, but then when the crisis is over not thinking twice before returning to old habits

Unless the days of low cost home energy are over, focusing previously profligate behaviour.

 

[raymondo]

yes, you are correct >60Deg C

[MENTION=89]Sorrel[/MENTION] this is good advice, and would add that if you do turn down your cylinder, then once a week give it a run up to plus 60 with boiler or immersion to reduce chance of Legionella.

Thanks [MENTION=230]Rowdey[/MENTION] it's a little known fact but pretty important

 

[nickbrighton]

Unless the days of low cost home energy are over, focusing previously profligate behaviour.

there is truth here, we have generally become used to not really thinking about using energy, its chilly-heating on, nice long showers, central heating set at 21C, dishwashers on after every meal, tumble driers on over the summers,

We need to start thinking a bit more when using energy- its a wee bit chilly, put long sleeves on, its cold-put heating on but at 19 C, take shorter showers, dont heat unused rooms, close doors, tumble driers as a last resort-not first

Individually we can all save a bit, collectively we can reduce the energy use massivley for very little effort

Im not suggesting sitting around at home in thermals and huge winter coats-just not shorts and t shirts , no need to stop using dish washers or tumble driers just be sensible with full loads , and washing taking longer to dry outside (if you have outside space), put a blanket on the bed -the difference between 19-21 C is barely noticeable but will reduce bills considerably all simple stuff that combined will make a massive difference

 

[Baldseagull]

Never quite see the point of turning down the hot water cylinder, unless you actually opt for a cooler shower.

You mix cold water with the hot to take a shower, if you had it at 60c you would be scalded.

 

[Daddies_Sauce]

Dish washers are more efficient than washing up by hand.

 

[Bozza]

Dish washers are more efficient than washing up by hand.

I’ve heard/read that before - how is it quantified?

Mrs B has abandoned the dishwasher since we’ve become more “energy aware”.

Our boiler is on twice a day for 15 minutes each time for our hot water. This is the shortest time that our Hive thingummy permits.

For that we are able to take the showers we need and do, generally, a single round of dish washing.

So, for us at least, it feels like a hand dish wash is probably cheaper than using the dishwasher.

 

[Weststander]

there is truth here, we have generally become used to not really thinking about using energy, its chilly-heating on, nice long showers, central heating set at 21C, dishwashers on after every meal, tumble driers on over the summers,

We need to start thinking a bit more when using energy- its a wee bit chilly, put long sleeves on, its cold-put heating on but at 19 C, take shorter showers, dont heat unused rooms, close doors, tumble driers as a last resort-not first

Individually we can all save a bit, collectively we can reduce the energy use massivley for very little effort

Im not suggesting sitting around at home in thermals and huge winter coats-just not shorts and t shirts , no need to stop using dish washers or tumble driers just be sensible with full loads , and washing taking longer to dry outside (if you have outside space), put a blanket on the bed -the difference between 19-21 C is barely noticeable but will reduce bills considerably all simple stuff that combined will make a massive difference

Our neighbours (who aren't rich) in summer evenings and nights have a portable air con unit on upstairs, with a hose poking out of windows with the windows wide open, blasting away. No attempt is made to block the gaps eg you can buy kits for temporary blocking.

Those units are becoming incredibly expensive to run at today's kWh unit costs. They're paying ever increasing sums, to fight nature.

I'd hope that folk become wiser.

 

[Weststander]

I’ve heard/read that before - how is it quantified?

Mrs B has abandoned the dishwasher since we’ve become more “energy aware”.

Our boiler is on twice a day for 15 minutes each time for our hot water. This is the shortest time that our Hive thingummy permits.

For that we are able to take the showers we need and do, generally, a single round of dish washing.

So, for us at least, it feels like a hand dish wash is probably cheaper than using the dishwasher.

It's been said for years. I think it depends on:

1. Having a modern A+++ dishwasher and filling it up each time.
2. Hand dishwashing - some people run the hot water tap for a very particular rinsing of all washed items.

Water consumption - A+++ appliances also use very little water, instead projecting very little water into powerful jets.

 

[Bodian]

It's been said for years. I think it depends on:

1. Having a modern A+++ dishwasher and filling it up each time.
2. Hand dishwashing - some people run the hot water tap for a very particular rinsing of all washed items.

Water consumption - A+++ appliances also use very little water, instead projecting very little water into powerful jets.

There's also other things to take into account though (assuming you have gas for the hot water):

a - modern dishwaters can use as little as 2 litres of water per use (9 litres seems to be the average), hand washing apparently uses 9 litres as well;
b - a dishwasher will use around 1.2-1.8kWh of electricity - hand washing will not use any electricity;
c - it depends if your dishwasher heats the water itself (in which case it uses more electricity) or whether it takes it from the hot water pipes (which mean you are also using gas - something the dishwasher sellers often forget to mention);
d - it also makes a difference whether the dishwasher is good enough or big enough to actually wash all your saucepans and so on (or safe enough - some pans are not dishwasher safe - like most non-stick stuff, iron) - or whether you have to wash them separately anyway (or pre-rinse them / soak them). And I know some people even pre-rinse plates.... And what about chopping boards made of plastic or wood? I use wooden plates quite a lot, they wouldn't survive the dishwasher.
e - depends if you have the heat dryer function, that uses more power
f - also depends what setting you use and, conversely, how you hand-wash (splash all over the place with large bowls, or conservatively).

So, if you have a slightly older dishwasher, that doesn't take all the pans, and uses water from the hot water pipes - you will probably be better off hand-washing. My sister has a dish-washer and is eco-conscious, and she was extolling the energy saving of using a dish-washer. But then she did all the saucepans separately in a washing-up bowl, using the same amount of water (and therefore energy) again - so used the dish-washer AND hand-washing. When hand-washing, I usually do the pans at the end, after doing all the plates and so on - in the same water, so there would be no saving at all for me in using a dishwasher as I would use the same amount of water doing the pans outside the dishwasher as I would have done doing everything by hand.

If you have the most modern dishwasher, one big enough to take [safe] pans, and you save all your stuff for the whole day to do in one wash - you may be better of with that.

Finally - don't forget the amount of energy that goes in to building the dishwasher in the first place. And also how much it costs you to buy one - you need to work out exactly how much it would save you per wash, then see what the payback time is versus the life expectancy. And so on.

Ees complicated....

 

[clapham_gull]

I'm sure someone has mentioned "air fryers", I couldn't be bothered to look.

I hate term "air fryer", because they are really just small efficient convention ovens that take little time to heat up. I had the previous incarnation years ago when my kitchen was ripped out. It was rubbish.

The modern ones are superb.

I've got one that is just a little oven, doesn't have drawers or separate compartments. I use the hob. but rarely use the oven any more.

Heats up is seconds, cooks quicker than the main oven, it's simply a smaller version I bought well before the energy crises.

Tonight I bought some large chicken wings, a kilo of chicken wings is under £2.

Marinade in the fridge for a few hours with salt, pepper and an air fryer/chicken skin trick of baking powder which crisps the skin.

15 mins later in the air fryer, dredge with Franks hot sauce and back in for a few minutes.

I've also got a tumbler attachment on Amazon for £20 which is a rotating basket that uses the internal rotisserie. Throw a load of veg in there with a bit of oil and spices and you have brilliant roast veg.

I cook and know how to cook and am completely sold on them.

The only thing I use the main oven for really is pizza (I make my own dough) because I have a specialist thick steel plate in there for bread. However I'm been experimenting batch "flash cooking" small pizzas on there, with just the tomato sauce.

I then freeze the base immediately, later adding the rest of topping then vacuum packing and back in the freezer. Very good results. I'll shut up now, but I do like a gadget in the kitchen.

 

[nicko31]

Some useful tips from BBC website

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62738249

Interesting Steve Baker was on BBC Any Questions yesterday defending the government decision not to offer an energy saving campaign on the basis of cost

Estimated cost of campaign - £15 million

Estimated cost of government energy subsidy - £150 billion

Again its not their money they're wasting its ours...

 

[Sorrel]

yes, you are correct >60Deg C

[MENTION=89]Sorrel[/MENTION] this is good advice, and would add that if you do turn down your cylinder, then once a week give it a run up to plus 60 with boiler or immersion to reduce chance of Legionella.

Thanks for advice - this is why I like this forum!

 

[Since1982]

I'm sure someone has mentioned "air fryers", I couldn't be bothered to look.

I hate term "air fryer", because they are really just small efficient convention ovens that take little time to heat up. I had the previous incarnation years ago when my kitchen was ripped out. It was rubbish.

The modern ones are superb.

I've got one that is just a little oven, doesn't have drawers or separate compartments. I use the hob. but rarely use the oven any more.

Heats up is seconds, cooks quicker than the main oven, it's simply a smaller version I bought well before the energy crises.

Tonight I bought some large chicken wings, a kilo of chicken wings is under £2.

Marinade in the fridge for a few hours with salt, pepper and an air fryer/chicken skin trick of baking powder which crisps the skin.

15 mins later in the air fryer, dredge with Franks hot sauce and back in for a few minutes.

I've also got a tumbler attachment on Amazon for £20 which is a rotating basket that uses the internal rotisserie. Throw a load of veg in there with a bit of oil and spices and you have brilliant roast veg.

I cook and know how to cook and am completely sold on them.

The only thing I use the main oven for really is pizza (I make my own dough) because I have a specialist thick steel plate in there for bread. However I'm been experimenting batch "flash cooking" small pizzas on there, with just the tomato sauce.

I then freeze the base immediately, later adding the rest of topping then vacuum packing and back in the freezer. Very good results. I'll shut up now, but I do like a gadget in the kitchen.

Another convert to air fryers here. We now use ours all the time, chicken, scones, breakfast pastries, chips, steaks, lamp chops etc etc. I haven’t quite got the hang of it for fish yet, dries out a little but I just need to get timing / temp right.

 

[Whitterz]

Eat more salads. Healthier and less use of oven and hob.