Summer Holiday Energy Saving Tips For Families

The school summer holidays can be a challenging and expensive time for families, with children at home more and daily routines changing.

Fuel poverty does not only affect households in winter. In summer, families may still struggle with the cost of cooking, hot water, laundry, cooling and keeping children entertained at home.

Simple habits, such as shorter showers, drying clothes outside and batch cooking, can help reduce energy use without making family life harder.

Fuel poverty is often talked about during winter, when households are worried about heating their homes. It’s important to remember that energy is needed all year round.

During the summer holidays, families may use more energy because children are at home for longer, more meals and snacks are prepared at home, washing machines may be used more often, and TVs, games consoles, tablets, chargers and fans may be switched on for longer.

National Energy Action highlights that fuel poverty can affect households in summer too, especially when families are already under pressure from wider living costs. Lower heating use does not mean energy costs disappear. Families may still face difficult choices about food, hot water, laundry, cooking and other essentials. 

Small, practical changes that can make a difference

The aim is not to make life uncomfortable. It is about using energy carefully and choosing the right appliance for the job.

Water saving tips

Hot water can be a big part of daily energy use, especially in busy households. LEAP’s self-help checklist recommends reducing showering time by one minute, because showers can use a lot of energy and water. A timer, short playlist or family challenge can help children get involved without it feeling like a rule to help saving water.

Summer is a good time to avoid the tumble dryer where you can. Tumble dryers are among the more energy-intensive appliances in the home, and drying clothes outside can also help reduce condensation indoors.

Try to wash full loads where possible, and dry clothes outside or on an airer when the weather allows. If clothes need to dry indoors, keep the room ventilated to help avoid damp and mould.

School holidays can mean extra washing, from sports gear to bedding and clothes used in holiday activities. Washing at 30°C instead of 40°C can help reduce energy use, and cooler washes can also help clothes look newer for longer.

Cooking and kitchen habits

Cooking more meals at home during the holidays can increase energy use, but planning ahead can help.

Batch cooking means making more than one portion at a time, then safely storing leftovers for another day. Meals such as chilli, pasta sauce, curry, stew and soup can often be cooked in larger amounts and used for lunches or dinners later in the week. The cheapest appliance depends on what you are cooking and how much food you are making.

A microwave can be useful for reheating leftovers or quick meals. A slow cooker can work well for stews, curries and batch-cooked meals. An air fryer can be a good option for smaller portions, snacks or side dishes. An oven may still be the best choice if you are cooking several things at once.

Kettles are used a lot during the day, especially when children are at home. Only boiling the water you need can help avoid wasted energy. You could mark a favourite mug or bottle so children can see how much water is needed.

Electronics and devices

More time at home can mean more use of lights, chargers, TVs, games consoles, tablets and laptops. Encourage children to switch off lights when they leave a room, unplug chargers when devices are finished and turn screens off properly rather than leaving them on standby.

Fans can help on hot days, but they cool people rather than rooms. Switch fans off when nobody is in the room. Closing curtains or blinds during the hottest part of the day can also help keep rooms cooler.

Make energy saving a family effort: don’t struggle alone

Energy saving works best when it feels like a family effort. Action for Children recommends helping children understand simple ways to save energy at home, such as turning off lights, using less hot water and switching off devices when they are not needed. 

Try walking around the home together and spotting what is switched on. If you have a smart meter or in-home display, show children what happens when different appliances are used.

You could also give children small energy-saving jobs, such as:

• Light monitor: checks lights are off in empty rooms
• Charger checker: reminds everyone to unplug chargers when devices are finished
• Shower timer helper: chooses the timer or song for shorter showers
• Kitchen helper: helps plan meals that can be cooked once and eaten twice

Keep jobs age-appropriate, and make sure children are supervised around plugs, hot water, cooking appliances and laundry equipment.

LEAP offers free energy and money-saving advice to eligible households. Our friendly advisors can help you understand your energy use, check your bills and find practical ways to reduce costs at home. Apply for a LEAP energy advice call today and an advisor will talk you through what help may be available.