Social media’s top energy-saving hacks

By Richard Jenkins via SWNS

Millions of people are turning to TikTok and other social media platforms for energy-saving hacks.

Analysis, of the 50 most viewed hacks tagged ‘energy saving,' found clips about bleeding radiators gained the most traction, followed by only boiling as much water as you need in the water boiler/kettle.

The third most viewed video on TikTok shows drying a bedsheet over a clothes airer by a radiator, while draught-proofing the house and using a slow cooker, also feature in the top 10.

It comes after a poll, of 2,000 UK-based homeowners and renters, found 15 percent are turning to social media platforms for advice on how to cut down on their energy bills.

But this rises to 32 percent of Gen Z.

And 42 percent of those who look to the likes of TikTok, Facebook or YouTube trust any hacks they view, even if they don’t come from experts or professionals.

Although 42 percent of all respondents feel there is so much conflicting advice about energy use they are unable to separate fact from fiction.

UK Energy provider EDF commissioned the poll alongside its analysis of the top 50 trending pieces of energy-saving video content across TikTok, Instagram and ChatGPT.

The data, collated between October 2022 and March 2023, found the advice given by most people on the platform was mostly founded in truth.

Philippe Commaret, from EDF, said: “There’s a lot of energy-saving advice online and it can be confusing for consumers to know what to believe.

“Although we were pleased that, for the most part, content creators are passing on relatively sound advice we would urge people to double-check these with a source verified by energy experts, to ensure they are implementing effective energy-saving measures.

“Although in most cases giving these tips a try isn’t going to do any harm, some of the hacks suggested will only lead to minimal savings.”

Data from the Energy Savings Trust highlights draught-proofing gaps as the number one way to help reduce energy bills, yet 73 percent of those looking for energy-saving tips online have never tried this method.

Across all adults polled, one in four said they’d be at least somewhat likely to try an energy-saving tip they saw online, even if they weren’t sure it would work.

While 32 percent would ‘try anything’ to save money, and 29 percent would take the word of people in the comments who said it worked.

And 20 percent of those polled, via OnePoll, are more likely to believe a ‘real person’ than information they get from a larger company.

MOST VIEWED ENERGY-SAVING HACKS ON TIKTOK:

1. Bleed your radiators
2. Only boil as much water as you need
3. Use a clothes airer near the radiator with a bed sheet over it to dry quicker
4. Unplug appliances from walls
5. Draught-proof the house
6. Minimize time in the shower by lathering up before getting in then use the shower for a minute or less to wash off
7. Use a slow cooker
8. Turn off games consoles, as standby has a high energy consumption
9. Instead of using a tumble dryer, hang clothes up on the wall with hooks, and place a dehumidifier next to them
10. Turn down boiler flow temperature
11. Strip plastic paint from traditionally built brick walls so water can evaporate properly from the bricks, rather than remaining in cracks in the paint and cooling homes down
12. Take showers over baths where possible (unverified)
13. Use cold water when washing your hands
14. Open curtains and let natural daylight in
15. Switch bulbs to LED
16. Switch lights off when leaving a room
17. Households being paid to cut energy
18. Heat pumps are less efficient in winter and cost more
19. Use a smart meter to see where in the home is using the most energy
20. Programmer - set a timer for every Sunday so you can set up your heating schedule
21. Reduce the thermostat by one degree to save over the year
22. Put on a TRV to adjust how hot your radiator is
23. Turn down radiators in hallways, bathrooms, and spaces where you don't need the heat as much
24. Pull your couch away from the radiator and don't have it covered by curtains
25. Use a stick to remove dust from radiator pipes
26. Save energy by only filling the washing machine drum to three quarters (unverified)
27. Adjust radiator valves to heat up the room more efficiently
28. Limit the number of times you open your freezer
29. Pay attention to appliances instructions as they often have tips on how to reduce energy consumption
30. Choose energy-efficient models when purchasing appliances

• Ones marked unverified have not been verified by EDF