Top Ten Tips for Energy Saving at Home
- Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent. You could save around £40 per year
- Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn't need to be set higher than 60°C/140°F
- Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows
- Always turn off the lights when you leave a room
- Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily
- If you're not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme
- Only boil as much water as you need (always cover the elements of an electric kettle)
- A dripping hot water tap wastes energy, so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off
- Use energy saving light bulbs. Just one can save you £100 over the lifetime of the bulb - and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs
- Do a home energy check and find out how you can save up to £300 on your household bills. You can do this online at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or ring 0800 512 012
Page updated: 13 Jan 2008