Millions are turning to TikTok and other social media platforms for energy saving hacks. Analysis of the 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 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.
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. Philippe Commaret, from EDF, which commissioned the research, 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.”
10 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
