How to save energy?

Heating

When you are at home, heat to 19 or 20°C. But at night or when you are away, the temperature may drop to 15 or 16°C. This will save you an average of 15-20% on heating, good for about 540 euros a year.

You can also turn the heating down one degree (19°C instead of 20°C). That will save an additional 7%, or 170 euros per year and per °C less.

Hot water

Hot water is the second biggest energy consumer in a home, even though it comes way after heating. Some tips:

• Take short showers more often than baths
• Use an economy shower head: thanks to its maximum flow rate of six litres per minute (compared to 15 to 18 litres for a conventional shower head), you will save 100 to 150 euros per year.
• Install a thermostatic shower valve: the water temperature then remains stable and you no longer have to regulate cold water. It is more comfortable and you consume less water.
• Use a sink plug if you wash by hand.
• Repair leaks as soon as possible: sometimes it is enough to replace an ordinary sealing ring. An easy job and the price of a ring is negligible, while saving you a lot.
• Leave the sink's mixer tap on cold: when you move the lever to the central position, hot and cold water is supplied. However, before the hot water starts flowing, you might be done washing your hands.

Kitchen

Do you cook on an electric cooker? Then use pans with perfectly flat bottoms.

Place a lid on the pan to speed up the heating or cooking of water or food. This will save you an average of 45 euros a year.

Lighting

Make use of natural light as much as possible, wash the windows, open the curtains, use light colours for the walls, place the furniture so that it does not obstruct the light in the room.

Choose lighting according to use: rather soft light for a night lamp, strong light for the ceiling lamp in the kitchen or dining room. The luminous intensity is expressed in lumens and is always indicated on the packaging. To emit a certain amount of light, bulbs need more or less power, depending on the type.