Energy Guides

10 top energy efficiency tips

Wednesday 1 July, 2009

By becca.talbot@consumerchoices.co.uk

Making your home more energy efficient could dramatically reduce your energy consumption, and save hundreds on your household’s gas and electricity bills. But how do you make your home more energy efficient?

Here’s some top energy efficiency tips to help you cut your energy usage and your energy bills. Some tips are simple and don’t cost a penny, while others may be more expensive. Remember though, whatever you spend on energy efficiency improvements will be an investment, cutting back your costs in the long-term…

• 1. Turn it off
• 2. Turn it down
• 3. Look after your boiler
• 4. Insulation
• 5. Full load
• 6. Appliances
• 7. Double glaze
• 8. Bright idea
• 9. Draught proofing
• 10. Make your own

1. Turn it off

Leaving appliances like your DVD player and TV on standby, rather than turning them off, can add up to 8% to your electricity bill.

Unplug phone chargers and laptop chargers when not in use, and remember to turn off your desktop monitor.

How much can I save?

A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) last year found that overall a typical household could save 30%, or £280 a year, on their energy bills by switching off electrical products and heating when not in use.

2. Turn it down

Turning down your thermostat is one of the quickest and easiest ways of cutting down your energy consumption, and can have a significant impact on your energy bills, especially during colder winter months.

Controlling your heating more effectively can reduce your annual fuel bills by 17%. Central heating controls allow you to change the temperature of individual rooms, so you’re only heating the rooms you need to.

Remember though, if you’re going away in the winter you should leave your heating on at a low setting, some timers have a special setting for this, to provide protection from freezing at a minimum cost.

How much can I save?

Turning down your thermostat by just one degree centigrade can save up to 10% on your annual heating bill. Switching your radiators off whilst you’re at work or out of the house will also cut costs considerably. This can save you around £30 a year.

And hot water needs to be hot, but never scalding. Turning down the thermostat on your hot water cylinder to 60c could also save you around £10 a year, and the water will be perfect temperature for bathing and washing.

3. Look after your boiler

The lifespan of a boiler is around 15 years, after which it will begin to lose efficiency, wasting both your gas and money. When replacing your boiler ensure you opt for an “A” rated one displaying the Energy Saving Recommended logo. Choosing a heating system with a condensing boiler and heating controls could make a huge difference over time.

How much can I save?

Condensing boilers are the most efficient available as they waste the least amount of energy. They convert over 90% of the fuel they use into useful heat compared to around 60% for an old conventional boiler. And having heating controls fitted could typically save you around 15% on your heating bill. Fitting a condensing boiler along with a full set of heating controls could save as much as 45% of your heating fuel bill, around £250 a year.

4. Insulation

Insulating your home is probably the most cost-effective way of reducing your home’s fuel consumption. Having loft insulation or cavity wall insulation for example could reduce your bills by a couple of hundred pounds a year.

The different insulations available can be expensive to install, but the costs will normally pay for themselves over a few years.

How much can I save?

Though it can be expensive, insulation is the most cost-effective way to reduce your energy bills. For example, installing cavity wall insulation could reduce heating costs by 15% and save you about £120 a year on fuel bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

And if you install the recommended 270mm depth of loft insulation, you could save around £155 a year on your energy bills.

Read our guide to learn about the full benefits of insulating your home. And as energy efficiency renovations of this scale can be expensive, use the Energy Saving Trust’s calculator to see what grants/help you could be entitled to.

5. Full load

If you only wash half a load of dirty washing you’ll be wasting both water and electricity (or electricity and hot water depending on your washing machine). Washing on a high temperature can also be inefficient, as the majority of washing powders are just as effective on a lower temperature.

Making sure you put the plug in the sink when running hot water will also ensure the money you’re paying on heating costs isn’t literally going down the drain.

How much can I save?

Savings vary because of different machines and washing habits, but the average household could save £11 a year using an Energy Saving Recommended washing machine economically.

You can also save money on drying your clothes. Whenever possible, you should dry your clothes outside or on a clothes rack – this will cost nothing at all!

6. Appliances

Fridges, freezers and fridge/freezers account for 18% of the electricity bill for an average house. Washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers account for a further 14%, and cooking appliances like hobs another 15%.

Making sure you choose energy efficient electronics and appliances when buying something new could not only help cut down your energy usage, but also your bills too.

How much can I save?

An energy efficient washing machine will use a third less electricity for each wash than a conventional machine. Over its lifetime, this could save you more on your energy bills than the cost of the appliance.

Energy Saving Recommended (products carrying the logo, recommended by the Energy Saving Trust) fridges and fridge/freezers use over 60% less energy than those that are recommended. This will give savings of about £34 a year for a fridge/freezer, and £12 a year for a fridge.

7. Double glaze

Double glazing can cut heat loss through windows by 50%. It works by trapping air between two panes of glass, creating an insulating barrier that reduces heat loss, noise and condensation.

How much can I save?

Having Energy Saving Recommended double glazing installed can save around £110 a year on your energy bills. Fitting double glazing is a professional job, and so will cost a lot more than other energy efficient home improvements.

However, you may be eligible for government funding or a grant to help with the cost of double glazing.

8. Bright idea

Replace all your standard halogen light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs. The vast majority of the 600 million light bulbs in homes around Britain are inefficient tungsten filament bulbs. By switching to energy saving bulbs, you’ll not only save money on your fuel bills, but will help make a difference to the UK’s national energy consumption, reducing Britain’s carbon footprint. And remember, turn off the lights whenever you leave a room to maximise savings.

Though it’s advisable to close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows, you should also adjust your curtains or blinds to let in as much light as possible during the day.

How much can I save?

One of the quickest and easiest ways you can immediately start saving money on your energy bills is by switching your light bulbs. Priced from around £3, energy saving light bulbs typically last 12 times longer than ordinary bulbs, and you could potentially save a staggering £7 per year per bulb.

With the average home containing 17 incandescent bulbs, you could save up to £120 a year by simply swapping them over.

9. Draught proofing

In a typical home, 20% of all heat loss is through ventilation and draughts. You should fit external doors with brush or PVC seals. These are easy to fix and will help eliminate draughts and get rid of cold spots.

Nylon brush seals or a spring flap on your letterbox can help get rid of draughts, and make sure your keyhole has a cover. Also, fill any gaps in floor boards with newspapers or silicon sealant, and any gaps in skirting boards with silicon sealant.

How much can I save?

On average, it’ll cost you about £100 to draught proof your entire house. This can knock as much as £25 off the average household’s annual energy bill, meaning the improvements will pay for themselves in four years.

The Draught Proofing Association can offer advice on what’s best for your home, and give information on installation and any government grants you may be eligible for.

10. Make your own

Renewable energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and biomass heaters are becoming increasingly popular in Britain. These are effective alternatives to fossil fuels and will help you to meet your own energy requirements and reduce your home’s carbon dioxide emissions, as well as cut the cost of your energy bills.

How much can I save?

Technology has come a long way in recent years, and many homes, communities and businesses are recognising the benefits of switching to renewable energy. To find out more about any of these energy efficient, renewable alternatives, visit the Energy Saving Trust website.

The site gives information about installation requirements, whether planning permission is necessary, total costs, and how much money you could potentially save by switching to a renewable source.