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Energy
Saving Tips
Wasted energy not only costs you money, it damages the environment and we
hope you will find our simple but effective energy saving tips, useful.
Curtains:
At night close your curtains to stop heat being lost through your windows and draughts coming in.
Dishwashers:
Use only when full and consider using
the lower temperature programmes, except when you have really dirty dishes.
When buying a new dishwasher check out the energy efficiency rating (A-G) - the
majority now manage to achieve an "A" energy rating.
Double
Glazing: If you don't have double glazing or if you have old double glazing it
could be worth considering installing the newer types of double glazing with a
wider air gap and energy saving glass. Check out the BFRC rating (The British
Fenestration Rating Council) before you buy - this will help you compare
different products and different manufacturers as it takes into account how the window
will contain and conserve heat within your building over the winter months, keep
it cool over the summer months and keep out the wind and resist condensation.
Draught
proofing on all external doors and windows will help reduce heat loss as
well as limiting the amount of cold air entering your home. Materials should
conform to BS 7386 and are readably available from most DIY stores. Do not fit
draught proofing in rooms containing gas boilers, gas fires or open fires and
seek professional advice if you use bottled gas or paraffin heaters. When draught proofing worth remembering that additional savings can be made by filling gaps between the floor and skirting board.
Eco Friendly products are not only environmentally friendly, there are many
energy saving resource efficient eco-friendly products and products that are
likely to save you money not only by reducing energy consumption but by making
savings in other areas. Eco Balls for example will allow you to lower wash
temperatures while at the same time shorten the wash cycle. As an additional bonus there will be no need for fabric conditioner, saving you even more money.
Electric
Kettle: Only fill your kettle with as much water as you need remembering of
course to cover the element. When buying a new electric kettle it could be worth
looking out for new low energy kettles that can use only 33% of the energy used
by a standard kettle.
Fridges
and freezers must not be installed near hot appliances or in direct sunlight
and should be defrosted on a regular basis. When buying new fridge or freezer check out the
energy efficiency rating (A-G) and look for an "A" rated model.
Heating:
A centrally heated house will normally be cheaper to run than any other form of
heating, particularly if individual thermostatic radiator valves are installed
to avoid heating rooms that are seldom used. Modern high efficiency boilers can
be fitted to most new and old systems and are well worth considering if your
existing boiler is more that 10 years old. Also worth considering is fitting
aluminium radiator foil behind radiators to reflect heat back into the room. You
could also cut your heating bills by up to 10% by reducing your thermostat
setting by 1ºC. Do not dry clothes on the radiator as your boiler has to work
harder than it needs to and it will cost you more.
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 Your boiler should be serviced annually to ensure that it is operating safely and
efficiently. British Gas HomeCare® can help look after your boiler and controls, central heating, plumbing, drains and even your electrics with prices starting from as little as £13 per month. With HomeCare®, your boiler will receive an annual service which will include a safety and energy efficiency check, to ensure that it is working properly and is safe for you and your family. Boiler breakdowns can and do happen at the most inconvenient times and HomeCare® from British Gas makes sense if for no other reason than to provide you and your family with peace of mind - in the event of a problem most people simply would not know who they could trust to get a boiler repaired quickly and of course safely.
Insulation:
Ensure that your loft is adequately insulated (we recommend fibreglass or
similar insulation to a depth of at least 270mm) and consider cavity wall
insulation which on its own could save you 30% of your heating costs. Pipe
insulation should also be considered both to retain heat and to prevent
pipes from freezing. If you
have an old lagging jacket on your hot water tank fit a new 75mm one which will
pay for itself in months. Government grants are available which can be as much as 100% for the
elderly and those on benefits.
As part of a package of measures that
was agreed with the big energy
companies, aimed at helping people reduce their gas and electricity bills,
Gordon Brown announced on 11/09/08 that all households would be eligible to get
50% off the cost of insulation, while free cavity wall and loft insulation would
now be available to all pensioners and households receiving benefits. For
further details please contact your own energy company.
Lighting:
Switch to to energy saving light bulbs and turn off the lights when you leave a room.
Low energy lightbulbs last up to 10 times longer and each one could save you up
to £40 over its lifetime.
Mobile Phone,
Laptop and other Chargers: Unplug when not in use.
Small
appliances with power packs, adaptors or transformers: Unplug or switch off at
socket when not in use because even if the appliance is switched off the power
pack will still be consuming electricity.
Storage
heaters are now much less popular than they were due to their running costs
and controllability but if you have storage heaters you will have an Economy 7
or White Meter tariff which may switch your entire electricity supply to a
cheaper rate over the night time period. If that is the case as well as powering
your storage heaters and immersion heater, considerable savings could be made by
also using your washing machine and tumble dryer during this period.
Television
and other appliances: When not in use unplug or switch off at the socket
rather than use the standby facility which can use up a considerable amount of
energy, estimated at c£40 for the average home. While standby facilities are being phased out as part of a Government initiative to reduce energy consumption and combat climate change,
standby energy saving devices are in the meantime certainly worth considering.
Tumble
Dryers: These are one of the more expensive appliances to run so always consider
alternatives such as hanging your clothing out to dry. Alternatively dryer balls
are well worth considering as these could reduce your drying time and therefore
your energy costs by up to 25%. Dryer balls help the air to circulate more
freely around the machine and because they soften your clothes naturally by
gently massaging the fibres, there is also no need to use chemical fabric
softeners. When buying a new tumble dryer check out the
energy efficiency rating (A-G) - the majority now manage to achieve a "C" energy
rating but there are an increasing number that achieve a "B" energy rating.
Washing
Machines: Whenever possible only use your washing machine when you have
enough clothes for a full load. If you're not filling up the washing machine,
use the half-load or economy programme. Much of the electricity used by your
washing machine is used to heat the water so significant cost savings are
possible by washing at 30ºC- because of the effectiveness of modern biological
washing powders most clothes can now be washed quite successfully at this low
temperature. When buying a new washing machine check out the energy efficiency rating
(A-G) - the majority now manage to achieve an "A" energy rating but there are an
increasing number that achieve an "A+" energy rating.
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