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There are lots of ways to use energy more efficiently at home. Most cost nothing, some cost a little – but together they could save you a lot of money on your energy bills.


Go easy on heating

  • Run your heating for just one hour less every day
  • Keep the air flow vents on your electric heaters clear of obstructions
  • Turn down your thermostat by one degree and you could save up to £65 a year
    Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2008
Thermostat


Close the curtains

  • Shut out the night and keep in the heat, but make sure you don’t drape your curtains over radiators as this sends heat straight out of your windows


Wise up about water

  • Don’t set the thermostat too high – 60°C/140°F is fine for a hot bath or wash
  • Take a shower – it's faster, cheaper and more efficient than your bath
  • Put the plug in – running that hot tap costs money and wastes water
  • Fix that drip – leaks waste a lot more water than you think
 Shower


Turn off the lights – and the TV

  • If you’re not in the room for a while – kill the lights
  • Turn your appliances off instead of leaving them on standby and you could save up to £37 a year
    Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2008


Cook with care

  • Use the right sized pan for the food and the hob
  • Keep saucepan lids on to keep in the heat
  • Only use the water you need
  • Make toast in the toaster, not under the grill
  • If we all only boiled as much as we needed rather than filling the kettle right up every time, we could save money and enough electricity in a single year to power the street lights in the UK for more than six months
    Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2008
Thermal kettle


Don’t forget the fridge

  • Defrost fridges and freezers regularly to improve their efficiency
  • Don’t put hot food in the fridge – let it cool down first
  • Position fridges or freezers as far from cookers and heaters as you can


Wash wisely

  • Run your washing machine on full loads – and use half load or economy programmes if you have them
  • Use low energy programmes on dishwashers for all but the very dirtiest dishes
 Washing machine


Use energy efficient light bulbs

  • An energy efficient light bulb uses up to 80% less electricity than an incandescent bulb and could last up to ten times longer. Switching to an energy efficient bulb could save you up to £45 before it needs to be replaced
    Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2008
Woman changing light bulb


Give your hot water cylinder a new jacket

  • If you have an old hot water tank, putting a new, 75mm thick jacket on your hot water cylinder could save you around £40 per year. The jackets themselves cost from around £12 so could pay themselves off in under four months
    Based on average household consumption of 40,400 litres of hot water per year in a three-bed semi detached home
Boiler


Stop the heat from your radiators escaping

  • Did you know that putting radiator panels behind the radiators could reduce your heating bill by up to 20% or £60 per year? Try them, and see the difference they can make
 Radiator panels


Harness the energy of the sun

  • With our solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal technology, you can harness the power of the sun to use around your home. It could not only reduce your CO2 emissions, but also provide up to 40% of the electricity your house needs
 Solar panels


Make your floors draughtproof

  • You could save up to £50 a year by insulating your floors. Even if you don’t want to take up the floorboards, you could still cut out draughts by sealing gaps between skirting boards and floors. Generally, you’ll just need a tube of sealant, which you can get from most DIY stores
    Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2008
Kitchin


Update your appliances

  • Next time you need to replace your tumble dryer, washing machine, fridge, freezer or other domestic appliances, make sure you get one that’s as energy efficient as possible. When you're out shopping look for the Energy Saving Trust's ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ logo
    Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2008
Washing machine


Two panes of glass are better than one

  • Double glazed windows have two panes of glass, with a space between filled with air or gas. This creates an insulating barrier, which reduces heat loss, noise and condensation. If you feel that you can’t replace your windows, you could ask a professional to attach another sheet of glass to the inside of your existing window frame.
 Woman by window

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