Simple ways to reduce your bills
Running your heating can be expensive but did you know that according to the Energy Saving Trust the average house could reduce its heating costs by up to 15%. If that's taken you by surprise, take our simple quiz "15 things you need to know to reduce your bills"
Cavity wall insulation
If all the houses with unfilled cavity walls had them filled, the energy saved could heat a staggering 1.4 million homes each year. Up to 33% of heat produced in your home is lost through the walls, but the good news is, you can prevent it. Cavity wall insulation is quick, clean and relatively inexpensive, and can save money on your utility bills. For a cost of around £500 it has a 6 year payback period but adds value and comfort to your home even if you don't plan to stay there for the full term.
It creates an even temperature in your home and helps to prevent condensation on the walls and ceilings. Conversely, it can also reduce the amount of heat building up inside your home during the summer months.
Getting your walls insulated is a quick and simple process. It can be applied from outside through small holes, drilled by a trained technician. The material is injected through the holes, filling the cavity. The process is normally completed within three hours, without damage or mess to your house.
To contact your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre call 0800 512 012. Grants may also be available so check out your eligibility.
Draught proofing is perhaps even easier to achieve. By taking a few simple steps you can make a huge difference to the comfort of your home.
Draught proofing
Draught proofing is an inexpensive yet effective way of making efficient use of energy in all types of buildings, and according to the Draught Proofing Advisory Association can pay for itself within a year.
Gaps around doors, including the letterbox and the keyholes, are the most common source of draughts.
By placing heat reflectors behind radiators which are attached to outside walls, this reduces the amount of heat loss to the outside, especially on older homes without a lot of insulation.
Do the simple things - draw the curtains at night to keep the heat in and if you are not using your fireplace, block up the chimney with paper or cardboard.
Draft proofing materials are available from DIY stores or Builders Merchants, and come in a range of options, from brushes, foam, sealants, or strips of rubber and plastic. They should conform to the standard BS 7386.
Whilst keeping draughts out is important, do not block up the airflow or your home could become musty and mouldy. Remember that good ventilation is needed if you use solid fuel such as coal fires.
For more information on draught proofing visit the Draught Proofing Advisory Association website or contact your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre call 0800 512 012.
15 things you need to know to reduce your bills
All facts and statistics are supplied by the Energy Saving Trust
How much energy can be saved by switching off appliances rather than leaving them on standby? In standby mode some appliances can use almost as much energy as they do when they are switched on. Manufacturers are working towards reducing waste, but the problem arises because appliances are left in standby mode for much longer than in on mode so the energy consumption adds up.
Switching all appliances off when not in use can save you £37 a year and help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The fan in my bathroom starts automatically when I turn the light on and runs for 10 minutes after the light is switched off. Is this a waste of energy?No. The fan runs for long enough to control water vapour levels in the bathroom. If the fan did not run you would need to increase the heating to drive out the water vapour that could cause condensation and damp. If the fan was left on for longer that would be a waste of energy.
Do energy efficient light bulbs really make a difference? Energy efficient light bulbs last up to 12 times longer and for each bulb you fit, you can save up to £9 on your annual electricity bill. If every UK household installed just one bulb we’d save over £66 million per year!
What effect does double glazing make? Double-glazing cuts heat loss through windows by 50% and could cut your heating bill by up to £100 a year.
How long does it take to recover the cost of an insulating jacket? An insulating jacket for hot water tanks only costs a few pounds and pays for itself within months. Fit one that’s at least 75mm (3") thick and you could save around £20 a year. If every UK household fitted a jacket on their tank tomorrow, we’d save over £95 million of energy every year!
How can I save up to a third on my heating bills with immediate effect? Boilers usually break down in winter so it’s essential you check yours in the summer. If your boiler is over 15 years old, it’s probably time you replaced it with a new energy efficient one. High efficiency condensing boilers are the most energy efficient and can help save you around a third on your heating bills straight away, and even more if you upgrade to modern controls. If we all switched to a condensing boiler, we’d save around £1.8 billion a year!
How much can cavity wall insulation save you annually? If your home was built between the 1920s and 1980s then it could be a candidate for cavity wall insulation and you could save £130 to £160 on your annual heating bills. Like double-glazing, cavity wall insulation will keep you cool in the summer and warm in winter. It’s a straightforward, inexpensive and hassle-free job. If we all had our cavity walls filled tomorrow, together we’d save over £962 million of energy every year!
How much does a ground source heat pump cost and how much money can it save? A typical ground source heat pump system will cost between £6,500 and £11,500 to install and can save you £650 to £750 per year in areas which are not connected to the gas network.
How much washing-up do I need to have before it’s worth using a dishwasher rather than a hand wash? The only way to use a dishwasher efficiently is to run a full load or the maximum load on an ’economy’ or half load programme. Some of the best dishwashers use two bowls of water and cost less than 10p’s worth of electricity per wash in this mode.
However, comparing dish washing by hand and by machine is difficult as it depends on the age of the machine and the technique used to wash the dishes by hand however a modern fully loaded dishwasher will, in general, use less energy than doing the dishes by hand.
Do computers use a lot of energy? A desktop PC and CRT monitor in on mode for 24 hours would consume around 50p worth of electricity and emit 2kg of CO2. A typical laptop in on mode for 24 hours would consume around 8p worth of electricity and emit 300g of CO2.
Even when they are switched off, computers and monitors still draw power from the external power supply. Switching off at the mains when not in use ensures that no electricity is wasted
Is it more economical to leave my heating on 24hrs in the winter? No. It is a common misconception that it is cheaper to leave your hot water and heating on all the time. Boilers use more power initially to heat water from cold, however the cost of this is greatly exceeded by the cost of keeping the boiler running all of the time.
What setting should my boiler be at? In most cases it is not necessary to adjust the thermostat on the boiler as the use of room thermostats and cylinder thermostats make it largely redundant. If you have a conventional radiator heating system, simply set the boiler to maximum. By heating the water quickly and then turning itself off, the system will be working efficiently. In the long run, this should save fuel and reduce energy costs.
Are microwave ovens more efficient than standard ovens? When cooking a like for like meal, a microwave oven will consume considerably less energy than a conventional oven.
How can I save energy without spending any money?
- Turn down your room thermostat by one degree and you could save around £50 a year on your heating bill.
- Switch off appliances at the plug and you could save over £35 per year.
- Hang your washing out to dry rather than using a tumble drier and you could save up to £40 a year.
- Switching off lights when leaving a room could save up to £8 per year.
- Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need and you could save £5 a year.
How can I get a free energy report? By taking the 5 minute test at the Energy Savings Trust website you can get your home energy assessment via post, email or in pdf format.
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