Green living

You’ll probably be surprised at how easy it is to cut down on your energy consumption without compromising your comfort.

For more information on how to save energy, go to www.directline.com.

For information on how much energy and money you can save, do an online Home Energy Check with the Energy Savings Trust at this address: 

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/proxy/view/full/165/homeenergycheck.

It will take you a few minutes to fill in a questionnaire, but you’ll then be provided with a detailed report that analyses your energy consumption pattern in the home. 

Before you take the test, however, here are some tips to help you get started:

Insulate

This alone can save you hundreds of pounds.  Because heat is lost through the roof, by insulating your roof space you can save around £110 on your energy bill.  It will also reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions emitted through your home’s energy consumption. 

Also consider insulating any wall cavities, especially in homes built after the 1920s.

Dress your hot water cylinder

Lag your hot water tank to help keep the water at the correct temperature.  This is a cheap and easy change to make; you could probably do it yourself for around £20.

Limit draughts

Around 20 per cent of heat loss occurs due to poor ventilation and draughts.  Seal any spaces that allow the cold air to enter your home and thus reduce the need to keep the heating on.  Seal areas around skirting boards by using a sealant, another job that can be done without expert help.  If everyone in the UK made simple changes like this, it’s estimated that the savings would be around £130million a year.  Keeping curtains closed can also help to exclude draughts.

Double-glaze

Double-glazing your window helps to reduce energy bills by trapping air between two panes of glass, thus creating an insulating buffer.  This job needs to be done professionally, but it can save £80-£100 a year on heating bills.  If you are installing new windows, check that the windows are made from energy saving material. 

Check your thermostats

Check that the thermostat for your hot water cylinder is set no higher than 60°C/140°F.  There should be no need for it to be any warmer than this.  And if you turn down your heating thermostat by 1ºC, you can reduce your heating bill by nearly 10 per cent a year.

Turn off

Replace your light bulbs with energy saving bulbs and turn them off when they are not needed.  It’s estimated that energy saving bulbs can save £60 over its lifetime. 

Don’t leave electrical goods on standby or plugged in if they are not needed.  Televisions, phone chargers, or any type of charger – if it’s not in use, unplug it.  A recent government study shows that the CO2 emissions from electrical equipment on standby are the equivalent to 1.4 million long-haul flights. 

Think before you wash

Do not put on a load for washing unless it’s full.  Wash in cold water as much as possible or reduce the water temperature to 30ºC

Don’t fill the kettle

If you are only making one or two cups of tea, only boil the water you will need.  Don’t fill the kettle to the top but always make sure that the element is covered.