Millions increasingly turning to TikTok for energy saving tips

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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 as you need in the 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 homeowners and renters found 15 per cent are turning to social media platforms for advice on how to cut down on their energy bills.

But this rises to 32 per cent of Gen Z.

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

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.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

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.”

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. Minimise 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 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 you can set up your heating schedule
21. Reduce 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 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 valve to heat up room more efficiently
28. Limit the amount 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

Via SWNS