7 Plumbing-Related Energy Saving Myths

Energy consumers are constantly looking for ways to save energy and pay less at the end of every billing period. There are many energy saving myths out there that people believe – we will help you to determine if there’s any truth behind them!

Is it cheaper to keep the heating on at a low temperature all day than to turn it up, down, off and on when you need to?

NO IT IS NOT. In fact, it doesn’t make any sense leaving the thermostat of your home at a temperature that you are not comfortable with. As a homeowner, you only end up wasting the heat. This is because normally, the thermostat of your room is programmed to turn off or turn on the heat when you have achieved the temperature you desire. However, you can set it to only come on when you’re around or when you really need it. That’s a better way of saving energy.

Will the house will be heated faster when the thermostat is cranked up?

NO IT WON’T. The heating system of your home is turned on by the thermostat according to the temperature it’s set at. If you set the temperature really high, your room doesn’t get to that temperature at once. The heat is only distributed till the desired degree is attained. However, if you are looking for ways to boost the speed at which your room gets heated, install some quality insulation – especially on major openings like doors and windows. You can also insulate the floor, loft and walls, as that will prevent heat loss and keep the premises warm for a longer period of time.

Do you save money when you use a washing machine and other electrical appliances at night?

This is pretty much dependent on the electricity tariff you are on. However, there are less people saving money this way than those who aren’t. In the UK, there are people who subscribe to the tariff where they pay a specific amount during the day and less at night. The Economy 7 is one of such tariff. But there are more people who pay a similar amount during the day and night. So anyone who’s on an economy tariff is likely to save money during off peak periods. If you have lots of appliances and haven’t been able to save energy, you should consider switching to any Economy tariff.

In cloudy weather will solar panels be unable to generate energy to fuel my boiler?

THIS IS NOT TRUE. For the fact that solar panels can collect more energy on a sunny day to be able to effectively generate electricity, it’s also able to trap energy from diffused sunlight when the weather is cloudy. However, the solar panel works better during the summer, because there are longer days than nights. It’s less productive at winter, but still generates energy regardless.

Is it really that important to have individual radiator valves?

This helps you control your heating system from any area of your home. According to EST, you can save up to £75 annually by placing individual radiator valves at strategic positions in your home.

Do I need to paint my radiators black?

Not really! There is not a huge difference between black and white radiators. However, the school of thought that dark colours absorb more heat still stands. Therefore, it’s only wise to say that painting the radiator black may help in keeping the heat generated within the room but really its more of a design choice whether its black or white!

Do dishwashers use up more energy?

This one was probably started by ‘grandmas’ who wanted to encourage the habit of washing dishes by hand. Dishwashers use up energy but actually uses less than when you wash dishes by hand. You need lots of warm water to wash a good quantity of dishes and water heater uses energy, but you can get more energy efficiency if you set your dishwasher at a lower temperature for the same amount of load that you do by hand. Plus modern dishwashers have energy saving mode that help save energy.

It is a part of human nature that if we hear something long enough and from many sources, we begin to believe it. But popular opinion has never equaled right opinion so whenever you hear or come across any sure-fire energy saving tips, make sure they are not opinions that have grown into accepted popular myths without any form of validation.

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