Tips to Save Energy Whilst on Holiday

The summer holiday season is almost upon us, and alongside remembering to pack suncream and spare undies, you might have a lot on your mind before you leave, including avoiding a nasty surprise on your energy bill.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to help reduce energy bills while you’re away! Here’s a roundup of our advice for saving on your energy bills while you’re on holiday this year.

Unplugging: Things You Should Turn Off

It’s always a good idea to switch off electrical appliances that won’t be used, but this is a great way to minimise energy usage while you’re away.

Small electrical appliances, such as chargers, hairdryers, and alarm clocks all use energy, known as phantom loads when plugged in, so it’s a good idea to unplug them at the mains. Some larger appliances and systems you should consider taking off standby include:

• Kitchen equipment – Microwaves, kettles, blenders, coffee makers, and ovens
• Living room devices – TVs, consoles, speakers, and unused Smart Home Technology
• Water systems – Electric water heaters can be switched off, and your water supply can also be turned off at the mains to prevent damage from unexpected leaks (as long as the temperatures won’t be dipping below freezing while you’re away — you don’t want to return to a burst water pipe!)
• Lights – Turn off as many as possible but consider scheduling smart lighting for security. Use a Wiser smart plug to turn any lamp into a smart light that you can control from your phone. To minimise the energy usage of security lights, switch to LED bulbs.
   

Leaving Things On

Rather than switching everything off, some household items can run efficiently in the background to save you energy during your holidays.

Smart Room Thermostats can be switched to Away Mode to maintain a minimum temperature to protect your home from chilly temperatures, it’s one of Wiser’s multiple Smart Modes in its heating controls system.

Even if you forget to enable Away Mode, just open the Wiser Home app on your phone to toggle it on, no matter where in the world you are. Alternatively, if you’ve set up geofencing, you can relax on the beach knowing that Away Mode was activated as soon as you left your driveway.

Another device that you should leave on is the refrigerator, and there are a couple of energy-saving tips you can try for this appliance:

• Try to leave your fridge around three-quarters full as this can retain temperature more effectively. This can even be done with water containers instead of food, so there’s no need to worry about perishable items going mouldy while you’re away.
• Reduce the power setting of the appliance, as no one will be home to open the fridge door and let out the refrigerated air.

General Tips

Lastly, a few extra tips for around your home to lower its energy usage while you’re away:

• Close curtains and internal doors to reduce heat loss.
• Using smart devices – The Wiser Home App, for instance, can allow you to control your heating from your phone and check performance via Insights & The Heat Report.

In the current Cost of Living Crisis, everything adds up when it comes to reducing bills. Discover how you could save up to £380 annually with Wiser (based on energy tariffs as of April 2024) or, for more energy-saving tips, check out this article.