Save Energy at Home

EU Energy Label

According to the Energy Savings Trust, if the average household made itself more energy efficient it could save around two tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That's enough to run 78 PC monitors for one year during working hours!

Below are 15 changes that you can make, which when added up will slash your energy bills and C02 emissions at the same time:

How to save money and energy around the house!

1. Switch off at the power switch – Switching off an electronic appliance with a remote control merely puts it on standby and energy is still being used, which you are getting charged for.  For instance, a 42” LCD TV left on standby when not in use costs around £1a week, which adds up to £52 over a year!  So remember that any appliance not in use should be put off at the power switch, this small act can save each household a lot of money each year.
   
   
2. Keep furniture away from radiators – The foam in an upholstered chair is a very effective heat insulator, and will absorb heat that should otherwise be warming up your room!
   
   
3. Let the sunshine in – The sun is the most readily available source of heat there is - and the cheapest! So make the most of it by opening internal doors of any rooms which get more sun than others and let the warm air travel through your home.
   
   
4. Boil only what you need – Boiling extra water in your kettle is a waste of energy as well as time. If you use your kettle a lot, you may wish to consider buying an eco kettle.
   
   
5. Put aluminium foil behind any radiators – Put aluminium foil behind any radiators fitted to outside walls as radiators lose a lot of heat from their rear. Ordinary kitchen foil will do, or you can buy specially designed panels from DIY stores. This will reflect the heat into the house.
   
   
6. Wash full loads of laundry only and hang to dry – According to Waterwise (an NGO that promotes water efficiency and conservation), a washing machine accounts for 21% of water usage in a typical British home. You could save a lot of energy by running your washing machine with a full load and at a slightly lower temperature. Also, where possible hang your clothes to dry rather than using the tumble dryer.
   
   
7. Turning down your thermostat just one degree – This will still keep you comfortably warm, while at the same time reducing your heating bill by up to 10% over a year.
   
   
8. Check your hot water tank cylinder – For maximum energy efficiency, make sure your hot water tank cylinder thermostat is no higher than 60 degrees C.
   
   
9. Get smart with your meter – A smart meter is a clever little device that can break down the energy consumption of every appliance in the house and can give you your energy usage in real-time. Use it to help you ascertain which appliances are consuming too much energy and where you can cut down. 
   
   
10.  Insulate your hot water tank – Fit an insulating jacket to the hot water tank Fitting a good insulating jacket to the hot water tank if it does not have sprayed foam on the outside will ensure no heat is lost.
    
    
11. Install a more water efficient ‘dual flush’ – According to Waterwise, lavatories account for 30% of the total water in a household. Save water by installing a dual flush (it has a split button on top) as this type uses only 6 litres of water compared to an older style flush which can use up to 13 litres of water in one flush.  If you’re on a budget, another way you can reduce water wastage from your lavatory is to simply pop in a water saving device into your toilet tank – such as a ‘water hippo’, or even a brick will do the trick!
    
    
12. Buy energy-efficient appliances – This is one of the most effective ways to save energy and money.  For instance, low energy bulbs use 80% less energy and last 10-12 times longer than older bulbs, saving you around £100 over a bulb’s lifetime.  Also, when purchasing new appliances look out for the EU Energy Label (pictured above) on  items such as light bulbs, cars, most electrical appliances (i.e.: fridges, washing machines, dishwashers, ovens).  The energy efficiency of products with this label are rated on an index from ‘A’ (most efficient) to ‘G’ (least efficient).  
    
    
13. Install an energy-efficient heating system in your house – This could reduce your energy consumption by 40%. Replace your old boiler with a more advanced model, which is designed to save energy.  There is financial help available if you're planning to make energy saving improvements to your home.  For more information click here.
    
    
14. Insulate the roof and walls – A typical home loses almost half its heat through its walls and roof.  Insulating the roof and the walls could save you almost £400 in energy costs annually, which more than makes up for the relatively low initial cost of insulation.
    
    
15. Stop any draughts – Draughts are the most uncomfortable and obvious signs of a badly insulated house and can be fixed easily with either draught proofing, secondary or double glazing.  Cheap foam draught stripping will only last a couple of years before it becomes permanently compressed. Instead, polypropylene tubes are a little more expensive but last longer and are more effective.

For more information on grants and offers for home improvements, energy saving products and insulation and heating visit the Energy Savings Trust website.