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| Top Tips |
1. LOFT SPACE
- Fitting loft insulation, can save over 20% of your heat from escaping through the roof. Be careful not to insulate under any water tanks in the loft, as this might cause them to freeze during the winter.
- Fit draught-proofing around your loft hatch, to stop old air coming down, and warm air going up.
- If you have fitted loft insulation, don’t put all the things you store in the loft on top. It is the fluffiness of the insulation that keeps the heat in. Either board the loft over or rest boxes on the wooden joists.
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2. BATHROOM
- When running a bath, put a small amount of cold water in before turning on the hot tap. As well as reducing the amount of steam produced, it is always safer if you have small children in the house, who could be scalded by hot water on its own.
- It’s cheaper to shower than to have a bath. You can have six showers for the same amount of water in one bath. It is also quicker, making more time for a family to use the bathroom.
- Always use the plug in the bathroom sink. Don’t wash or shave under a running hot tap.
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3. KITCHEN
- Always keep the lids on saucepans when cooking, keeping the steam and the heat in.
- Never put warm food into a fridge to cool, it makes the fridge work harder and costs more money, and can also make other food in there go off, leading to food poisoning.
- Try and save washing up until you have a full load to go into the dishwasher.
- Most modern fabrics can be washed at 40 degrees, and with new washing powders are still able to get clothes clean at a lower temperature.
- Only boil the amount of water you need in the kettle, kettles can use the same amount of electricity as an immersion heater. The less time they are on for, the more you will save. Invest in a kettle with a scale on the side; some will boil as little as one cup at a time.
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4. LIVING ROOM
- Controlling your heating properly can make a big difference to your energy bills. Lowering your room thermostat by just 1 degree, can save as much as 10% in a year.
- A more efficient way to control the temperature is to fit individual radiator thermostatic valves. This way you can set the temperature in each room separately, so bedrooms don’t have to be as hot as living rooms and bathrooms.
- Fitting good, lined curtains and drawing them when it gets dark, can save more money than installing double glazing. Making sure they are tucked behind a radiator, stops the heat escaping through the glass.
- Don’t leave the television on standby. It can use almost as much power on standby, as it does when you are watching it. Switch it off at the set.
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5. BEDROOM
- If you have thermostatic radiator valves, they can be set at a lower temperature than living rooms. Bedrooms that are too warm make it difficult to sleep.
- Use low energy light bulbs in bedside lamps. They last a lot longer than ordinary bulbs, and only use a fifth of the amount of energy.
- Closing your curtains at dusk will stop heat escaping through the windows.
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6. HALL, STAIRS & LANDING
- Make sure you have draught-proofed both the front door and the letterbox. More than 10% of your heat is lost through draughts.
- If you regularly leave either the hall or landing light on, fit a low energy bulb, which uses a lot less energy.
- Close internal doors before opening any external door. Stop the heat from escaping while you pay the milkman.
- Turn room thermostats down by 1 degree could cut up to 10 % off your fuel bill.
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