November 2026 · UK Edition
Insight, opinion and reporting on the UK eco-home transition — fresh thinking on energy, home performance and sustainable living.
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The tumble dryer is the single biggest electricity user in a UK home, consuming 350–500 kWh per year and costing around £105–£150 annually. Wet appliances as a group (washing machines,…
Loft insulation sits on the loft floor and costs around £300–£600 for most homes. Roof rafter insulation brings the loft inside your thermal envelope and costs £1,500–£3,000 or more. If…
Economy 7 tariff is worth it for all-electric homes with storage heaters or overnight EV charging, where at least 40% of electricity use falls in the off-peak window. Daytime rates…
You can keep a house warmer without extra heating by sealing draughts at skirting boards and loft hatches first, a £3 roll of brush strip often has more impact than…
Switching from 40°C to 30°C cuts energy per wash by roughly a third, the biggest single saving available. At the 2026 Ofgem rate of 24.5p per kWh, UK households running…
Loft insulation typically lasts 20 to 40 years depending on the material, with mineral wool lasting longest under good conditions. If your insulation is over 25 years old or measures…
Radiator reflector panels do work in the right context. In solid-wall uninsulated homes they can save around £10 to £25 a year at a cost of under £20 for a…
Tumble dryer running costs in the UK range from roughly £47 per year for a heat pump dryer to £187 for an older condenser model at five cycles per week.…
