UNITED'S ENERGY PLAYBOOK

Thanks to our friends at Baxi, we've pulled together some of the quickest, simplest and most effective things you can do to reduce energy around the house, help the environment and save you money.

Just like in football, teamwork is crucial. Small actions by each supporter can lead to significant environmental benefits and cost savings. As part of United’s Energy Playbook, we’ll not only show you what you can do, but our ‘did you know?’ section also highlights what could be achieved if all our Season Ticket Holders worked together…..

Explore these tips and tricks below to be more energy efficient this year! What’s more, implement the ones that won’t cost you a penny and you could save up to £556* - that’s more than enough to pay for your Season Ticket!

Baxter knows, so be more Baxter!

BAXTER'S TOP 10 ENERGY SAVING TIPS

1. DIAL IT DOWN 🔥

The recommended temperature for a domestic thermostat is 21^oC (if you are mainly sitting), or around 18^oC when you are being more active and moving around the home.

Amazingly, turning the thermostat down by just one degree could save you around £145* on heating bills per year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Did you know? That could be a CO2e reduction per year equivalent to 3,000,000 less miles being driven!

2. CHANGE THE FLOW 💧

The water temperature when it leaves your boiler or hot water cylinder is usually set too high. Turn it down a bit to cut your energy bills by 12% and save up to £65*.

If you have a combi boiler, set your flow temperature to 50oC for heating and 55oC for hot water.

If you have a hot water cylinder, you could try to turn the temperature down to 60oC to see the benefits. This temperature will prevent the growth of harmful bacteria like Legionella, so please don’t turn it down any lower than this.

3. DON'T BE ON STANDBY 🔋

Turn your appliances off standby – you can even buy a standby saver with a remote control to switch everything off standby at once! Remembering to unplug phone chargers and switch appliances off standby could save around £65* a year.

Find out which appliances use the most energy in your home.

Did you know? That could save enough energy to power 240 million smartphone charges!

4. TURN OUT THE LIGHTS! 💡

Lighting makes up around 11% of a typical power bill. Turn off the lights when you leave a room to save around £25* a year. Better still, LEDs use 70-80% less electricity – so make the switch.

According to the Energy Savings Trust, the average household in the UK has around 34 bulbs – going LED could save between £4-£10* per bulb, per year!

5. MIND THE GAP 🚪

Preventing that icy blast blowing around doors, windows and other gaps can trap warmth and help your spend on energy go further.

There are many ways cold air can get into the home. To stop heat escaping, draft proofing can be installed to external doors and openable windows, as well as to unused chimneys that are open to the elements. The Energy Savings Trust has worked out that by treating problem areas in the home, the average household could expect to save around £125* per year.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you don't block any air vents when you are draught-proofing your home, as they are essential for letting damp air out and keeping the air in your home dry and healthy.

You’ll also keep more heat in your home with less energy if you pull your blinds or curtains before it gets dark!

Did you know? That could see a CO2e reduction per year equivalent to the amount absorbed by around 23,000 trees

6. FILL THE BOX UP 🧺

Make sure your washing machine and dishwasher are full before you turn them on. Opting for a cold or 30oC cycle on your washing machine, alongside reducing the number of times you use it weekly by just once, could save you £34* a year. And if you reduce the number of times you run the dishwasher by once a week, you could save a further £17*.

7. BE SMART 🤓

Smart meters don't just help you track your spending and spot power-hungry appliances, they also unlock a new world of smart tariffs.

Speak to your energy provider about having a smart meter fitted. Most are simple to use and can help reduce energy consumption, as it is much easier to see how and where energy is being used in the home, on a daily basis.

Did you know? That would save enough energy to power nearly 9 million loads of washing!

8. TAKE CONTROL 🎛️

If you don’t have them already, ask your installer about fitting a full set of heating controls: a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves could save you £180* a year – paying for themselves in just four years!

9. AIR DRYER TREATMENT 💨

Ditch the tumble dryer and dry your clothes on a washing line or clotheshorse and you could save as much as £70* a year. Trying to dry clothes on a radiator only makes your boiler work harder so resist the temptation!

Did you know? That’s a collective saving of around £250,000*

10. EVERYONE LOVES A TRANSFER 🔁

Spend to Save - Invest in a more efficient boiler: If your boiler is more than 10 years old, it may be time to replace it with a more efficient one. Although this will involve an initial outlay, the long-term financial benefits of cost savings on energy bills will balance out the up-front expenditure. Check out our ‘Find a boiler’ tool HERE…

MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO SAVE ENERGY

Energy efficiency schemes

Like the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme – a government energy efficiency programme designed to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. Energy suppliers take part in the scheme to improve the ability of low income, fuel poor and vulnerable households to heat their homes. You need to fulfil certain criteria to be eligible for the scheme, for example, receiving income support.

ENERGY SAVING TRUST

Check out their site for loads more helpful energy saving advice.

MORE INFO HERE

SIMPLE ENERGY ADVICE

Government-backed energy efficiency advice for your home.

MORE INFO HERE

SMART ENERGY GB

Smart Energy GB is a government campaign bringing smart meters to the UK. Their site highlights all the ways you can use your smart meter to use energy more efficiently.

MORE INFO HERE