Energy saving tips

In this article we are sharing a range of tips and tricks, from simple changes to your habits that can save you money, to easy DIY measures to help reduce your energy use and a few suggestions for larger projects that could make a big difference.

• Heat your home to meet your needs. 18 - 21 degrees is a healthy temperature range for most. Turning down your thermostat by one degree, for example from 22⁰ to 21⁰ can save up to £85 for a typical home.
• Turning appliances off standby could save around £45 a year.
• Every minute less you spend in the shower will save you around £16 per person per year. Try to cut down to 4 minutes or less.
• Microwaves, slow cookers and air fryers are cheaper to use than your oven.
• Open curtains in the day time to allow the heat from the sun in, and close them at dusk to retain the free heat (tuck them in behind any nearby radiators). 
• Avoid overfilling your kettle - boiling only the amount of water you need could save £10 a year. 
• Get to know your heating system - using the controls (thermostat, timer, thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) etc) correctly and effectively will save money.
• Tumble dryers are one of the most expensive appliances to run - dry clothes outside when possible, or in well-ventilated room on an airer. Dehumidifiers are a cheaper option for drying inside in the winter.
• If your radiators warm up at the bottom, but not at the top, they may need “bleeding”. Ask your Gas Safety Engineer during your annual service. 
• Turn lights off when they are not needed could save around £7 a year.
• Fill up your washing machine and you could do one load less a week.
• Make DIY draught excluders for front doors, using a pair of old tights and spare clothes or material. 

• Fitting an 80mm cylinder jacket on your hot water tank will help retain heat and save around £175 per year.
• Thick, lined or thermal curtains help retain heat; a cheap way to reduce heat escaping through windows.
• Reflective radiator panels attached to walls behind radiators help to reflect the heat you're paying for back into the home rather than letting it escape through walls. This can save £20 per year.
• DIY draught proofing can be cheap and effective in reducing lost heat from gaps around doors, windows or floorboards - people who are happy to do basic DIY tasks might find this easy to do.
• If you have an un-used chimney, fitting a "chimney sheep" will help prevent heat escaping up the chimney's flue. 
• Replace old, inefficient lightbulbs with LEDs to save around £5 per lightbulb per year.

Energy efficiency measures and low-carbon heating include (but are not limited to):

• Wall insulation (cavity, external, internal)
• Loft insulation
• Floor insulation
• Heat pumps (air source, ground source)

We can advise you on the best options for your property, and could help you find funding - check out our Future Fit page to find out more.