There are many ways you can start to save energy around the home. These tips can help you to save money, save energy and lower your carbon footprint in one go! If you follow these simple steps you can save over £300* a year off your fuel bills, that's almost £3 billion across the UK if we all take action.
One of the most important things you can do is consider replacing your boiler if it is over ten years old, with one that is more efficient. This will have the benefit of lowering your heating bills and reducing your impact on the environment. However there are plenty of things you can do straight away to save energy and lower your bills.
Also by following the energy tips below means you will be lowering the energy you use from fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These are the gases that cause climate change - follow these tips and we could all save 13million tonnes of CO2 a year.*
Remember it's all about small steps, so what are you waiting for?
Don't leave appliances on standby
If you leave your television on standby, it's still using electricity even though you think it's switched off. By turning it off at the switch you could save money - the average household wastes £37 a year by leaving appliances on standby (source: energywatch, the gas and electricity watchdog).
Replace your old boiler
If your boiler is over ten years old you might want to replace it for one that is more efficient. Replacing your old boiler with a high efficiency condensing boiler as well as a full set of heating controls could save between £190 and £230 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Insulate your loft
Why not top up your loft insulation? Did you know that the recommended depth is 270mm? Cavity wall insulation and topping up your loft insulation in your home will not only reduce the heat escaping from the roof and walls - it could also save you up to £180* per year.
For more information on insulating your loft click here.
Only boil as much as you need
When using your kettle you could save energy by only boiling the water that you need. An easy way to do this is fill the cup you are going to use and then pour this into the kettle. Make sure you add a bit to allow for evaporation and be sure to cover the element if you use an electric kettle.
Turn the thermostat down
By turning your thermostat down by 1oC you could cut your heating bills by up to 10 per cent (source: Energy Saving Trust).
Use energy efficient bulbs
Energy efficient bulbs last 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs. energywatch estimate that for every energy efficient bulb fitted could lead to an annual saving of £9. They believe that if every UK household installed just one bulb we'd save over £80 million per year and enough energy to supply all the street lighting in the UK! And don't forget to switch off lights when you leave a room too.
Tumble dryer
Not using your tumble dryer during the warmer months of the year could save you around £10* a year.
Hot water tank
Lag your hot water tank and insulate hot water pipes. Tank jackets cost from just £12*, they're simple to fit ad could pay for themselves in 6 months.
Install a GasSaver
When replacing your combination boiler with a new high efficiency model linked to a GasSaver you could reduce gas consumption by up to 50% during hot water production and reduce your water consumption by 7%.
Lighting, laundry and lifts
Did you know that over £140 million is wasted each year by people leaving lights on in unused rooms. So next time you leave a room switch off the lights.
If you combine the use of an Energy Saving Recommended washing machine, with a modern detergent and wash your clothes at 30oC you will save energy. You can earn extra green points if you remember to always wash a full load, you will use less energy than two half loads.
Why not car share by giving someone a lift? It's not just about getting to and from work, it applies to any journey where two or more people share any part of the trip. To find out more see the essential car sharing guide. Not only will you keep your carbon emissions down by car sharing but you'll save on fuel.
Precycle, recycle and swishing!
Precycling is thinking about the products you need and how they are packaged BEFORE you buy. By doing this, you can prevent recycling even taking place. Sounds complicated but it's easy, here are a few examples:
- taking your own carrier bags to the supermarket will prevent you having to recycle additional bags in the future
- use less disposable items such as a hankie instead of a tissue and napkins instead of paper towels
- think about buying long life products like batteries and bulbs - you'll need to replace them less often
Doing the above will save money, save landfill and save energy because you will be consuming less. It all helps towards reducing your carbon footprint.
Recycling - nearly two thirds of the rubbish from your household can be recycled. Recycling saves energy and reduces the need for landfill. Making a few simple changes today can also reduce your carbon footprint.
- your local council can provide you with a recycling box or bag. Keep this next to your main bin to remind you to drop the recyclable items in there
- if you have unwanted clothes take them to a charity shop or drop them off in a clothes bank. You could even get rid of them by having a swishing party (see below).
- old gadgets like mobile phones could be given a new lease of life. Some companies will now pay to take these off your hands (make sure you remove the SIM card before sending it off).
Swishing (or clothes swapping) - for the glamorous among you why not hold a swishing party. The rules are each person brings a clean unwanted item of clothing plus one accessory. Why not up your greenie points by car sharing with a friend.
New appliances
Buying a new appliance? Look for those that are Energy Saving Recommended - they are much cheaper to run. You can find more details here.
A good start
The tips above are a good start. They are things that you can do today that will have an immediate impact, both on your wallet and the environment. And best of all most won't cost a thing.
ACT on CO2
Baxi is working in partnership with ACT on CO2, to find out more click here.
Downloads
Download a leaflet full of energy saving tips from ACT on CO2
External links
Which? - energy saving tips
*All statistics provided by DEFRA based on CERT calculations and relate to an average 3 bedroom semi-detached home. For calculating over all savings to the UK it has been assumed that all households with less than 150mm loft insulations would top up their insulation, all houses with empty but fillable cavities would insulate them, all housed would stop using standby, and CFLs (energy saving light bulbs) would be used in all suitable fittings. All figures correct at time of going live (March 2009).
