Tips to save Energy in your home
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Turn off lights when you leave the room (lighting uses up to 20% of
your electricity consumption)
Change your light bulbs to the new low energy type. (Bulbs are now
sold in the same shape as the old tungsten type) These new bulbs
reduce consumption by three quarters. Halogen lamps are not low
energy.
Turn off computers and monitors when not in use, do not leave on
stand-by
Turn all electrical equipment off, leaving appliances on stand-by in the
average house costs £37 per year.
Unplug the phone charger.
Check your loft insuation. To be efficient the thickness should now be
at least 250mm (10 inches) Check with your energy supplier for grants,
check also with your local Energy Advice Centre.
Check whether your home has cavitiy walls and are they insulated?
Again contact the local Energy Advice Centre 01908 665566 or 0800
512012
Fit draught excluders to gaps around doors and window frames.
If you have timber floors check whether there are large gaps below the
skirting boards.
If your windows are at the end of their life, fit new double glazed
windows, timber windows are also supplied with double glazed sealed
units.
If you have a hot water cylinder, is it insulated? If not fit a new red
jacket.
Fit silver reflective stick on panels behind the radiators – heat is
reflected back into the room instead of through the walls.
Don’t overfill the kettle – boil only the amount you need for your drink.
Place lids on boiling pans, heat is retained and you can turn down the
gas/electric. This also reduces condensation on your windows in
Winter.
Avoid heating by electricity (if you have the choice). Electricity
produces about 3 times as much carbon dioxide at the power station as
burning gas locally.
Update your old gas boiler, all new boilers must now be the condensing
type, your installer must also check your heating system to ensure the
controls are efficient, check any thermostatic radiator valves operate
properly. Ensure that the installer is Corgi registered and he issues
you a completion certificate.
Look at the Energy Saving Trust website for comprehensive facts and
information about how to save and what we can all do to reduce energy
demand and carbon dioxide emissions.
www.est.org.uk
106751864
Tips to save at the workplace
1.
Turn off lights when not needed, on a bright day do you need all the
lights on?
2.
Upgrade old fluorescent tubes to slim low energy type T5 or T8’s. The
old T12 (1.5 inch diameter tubes use twice as much power than the
modern T5)
3.
Turn off printers and copiers at the end of the day
4.
Turn off your computer when leaving the office – don’t leave any
equipment on stand-by.
5.
Check the offices are not over heated.
6.
Arrange for a survey of your premises by an experienced energy
engineer.
7.
They will identify where energy is used and wasted. Typical
improvements are:8.
Update your heating boiler to a modern condensing type.
9.
Update the boiler controls to modern optimiser control – these
compensate for the weather temperature and reduce waste.
10.
Increase insulation - you may have cavity walls that are uninsulated.
11.
Insulate hot water tanks and all pipework in the boiler room.
12.
Nominate one person in the workplace to be the Energy Champion.
13.
Draw up an Energy Policy for your company, include targets to save
energy and water.
14.
Nominate someone to read the meters and see how much is used every
week.
15.
Consider “Smart metering”, devices can be fitted to your electricity,
gas and water meter to automatically read the consumption and show
how much is being used by day and night. Typical faults found are
water leaks, gas heating coming on in the middle of the night caused
by incorrect heating control settings, equipment coming on at
weekends.
Check out the Carbon Trust website for good information, help with
surveys and contacts. www.carbontrust.co.uk 0800 085 2005
106751864