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Low Cost, Simple Tips to
Reduce your fuel bills, Keep warmer, Go greener!
The following tips are mostly from The Renewable Energy Centre and give you the easiest and most effective ways to start saving energy around the home and cut as much as £200 per year off your utility bills. An Energy Assessment will identify further ways to improve your home.
Laundry
- Washing your laundry at 30°C can save you 40% of the electricity used to wash at 40°C. Always wash a full load as this will use less water than two half loads
- Use the tumble dryer as little as possible by drying clothes outside or place on a clothes rail in an unheated room
Lighting
- Lighting accounts for 15% of a typical UK household electricity bill so always switch off the light before you leave a room.
- An energy saving light bulb uses 20% of the energy of a traditional light bulb, lasts 12 times longer and will cut £7 off your annual electricity bill.
Draught Proofing
- In a typical home around 20% of heat is wasted through draughts around window and door frames. Fitting draught excluders such as adhesives, sealants or brushes could save you around £20 a year on heating bills.
- Secondary glazing using polythene sheeting is a cheap way to help reduce draughts and heat loss.
Heating
- Turning the room thermostat down by 1°C can cut heating bills by 10% and save around £30 per year.
- Fit a timer switch on your thermostat so heating and hot water are only switched on when needed.
- Fitting boards covered with aluminium foil behind your radiators can cut down on the amount of heat lost through the wall.
Hot water
- Fit a British Standard insulating jacket for your hot water tank. They are around 7.5cm thick, cost around £10 and can cut bills by up to £15 a year.
- Turn down the setting on your immersion heater to 600. This is hot enough to kill any harmful bacteria and there is no point in paying to make the water hotter and then having to add lots of cold water when you use it.
Fridges & Freezers
- Defrost fridges and freezers regularly as when they are filled with frost they have to work harder to stay cold
- Try not to open the fridge more than necessary; for every minute a fridge door is open it takes three minutes of electricity use for the fridge to cool back down.
- Do not put hot food straight in the fridge or freezer as it will have to use extra energy to cool down to its optimum temperature.
Showers
- Take a 5 minute shower instead of a bath and cut your water bill by up to £50 per year.
- Fit a new reduced flow showerhead which will cost you around £20 but can reduce water consumption by up to 50% for each shower.
Toilets
- A water saving device such as the Savaflush fitted into your toilet cistern will cut down the water used by up to 3 litres a flush.
- Apply for a Free Water Saving Device by visiting the offers section at The Renewable Energy Centre
Rainwater
- Use a water butt to collect rainwater which falls on the house or garden shed, store it and then use it to water the garden and indoor plants or wash the car. They cost around £20.
Kettles
- Only boil as much water as you need and you could reduce your electricity bill up to £30 per year.
Switch off all Appliances
- Save £11 annually by switching off all appliances instead of leaving them on standby.