Here are 10 easy wins that will help you to reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your energy bills.
I am almost certain that you will be familiar will all of them, but ask yourself how many you are actually doing!! It's all simple stuff this with little or no cost, but it's easily forgotten in the turmoil of day to day life, so at the risk of teaching my grandma to suck eggs...
Simple Energy Saving Tip No.1 : Turn down your heating thermostat.
I can almost hear you groaning, but....... have you done it ???!!. Okay you might have to put a jumper on (and trousers?) but for every 1 degree C you turn down your thermostat you can reduce your heating bill by about 10% - typically a saving of around £55 per year. My own top tip for this (this time at the risk of sounding like I am a grandma) is to have a warm blanket you can snug under when watching TV - it's nice to share with your partner too!
The Radiator Booster will also help your radiator to warm your room faster and make the most of the heat from your boiler.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No.2 : Check your hot water.
If you have a hot water cylinder, it needs to be well insulated to stop energy being wasted through heat loss. If you can, set your hot water to come on only when it is needed - for most families it's cheaper than leaving it on 24hrs a day. If you have an adjustable thermostat on your hot water cylinder set it a no more than 60 degrees C (140 degrees F).
If you have a combination boiler with adjustable hot water temperature set it is low as you feel you can get away with. Some combination boilers also have a small internal hot water tank - if your's has programme it to be in use only when hot water is in demand (usually morning and evening) or not at all.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No.3 : Close your curtains at dusk.
Closing all of your curtains at dusk will greatly help reduce heat loss through windows. Opening curtains in south facing rooms on winter days can help warm your house for free through "solar gain", conversely, curtains on north facing windows might be better left closed in the daytime to reduce heat loss.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No.4 : Turn off lights (and TV etc) when you leave a room.
I told you that it wasn't rocket science! Also think about outside lights. Many houses and properties have outside lights left on all evening and sometimes all night. Ask yourself if an outside light really needs to be left on, if it does make sure it's energy efficient! Using a PIR movement and light sensor will also greatly reduce energy use and prevent the light accidentally being left on in the day time.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No.5 : Turn off standby and chargers.
Turn appliances off standby at the socket and don't leave mobile phone and laptop chargers switched on unnecessarily.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No.6 : Fill up the machine.
If you can, make sure the washing machine, tumble dryer of dishwasher is full before switching on. One full load uses less electrcicity than two half loads. Even better, beat your washing clean in a nearby stream (only joking, but if you do... no detergents please!), hang washing outside on a line (no joke) and wash up by hand (almost as bad as the clothes in the stream I know).
Simple Energy Saving Tip No. 7 : Only boil the water you need.
Boiling water takes a lot of energy. If you boil 2 cups worth of water to make 1 cup of tea you have used twice as much energy as you need to. Only boil the water you need - simple.
If boiling water in a pan on a stove - put a lid on it.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No. 8 : Mend that dripping tap.
A dripping hot water tap can waste half a bathful of water in a week. If that's heated water its a big waste of energy. It is of course a waste of water as well.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No. 9 : Use energy efficient lights.
Energy saving bulbs last up to 10 times longer than a normal bulb and can save you around £40 over the lifetime of a bulb.
Simple Energy Saving Tip No. 10 Buy energy efficient appliances.
When it comes to buying a new appliance, whether it's your first or a replacement for an old machine, make sure it's energy efficient. Most modern appliances are rated by their energy efficiency and the best models will carry the Energy Saving Recommended logo.
In conclusion
So there we have it. No great expense (over and above normal household costs) and no great effort required. Just apply as many of the tips above to your own situation and you will be taking a very firm step in the right direction.
Good luck with the energy saving!
