Energy saving tips
No cost | Low cost | Some cost | Things to remember
- Turn lights off when not needed
- Close doors in unused rooms
- Close curtains at night to retain heat
- Clean windows regularly to make the most of daylight
- Turn electrical appliances off at the plug, leaving the TV on standby still wastes money
- Make sure when cooking, the pan fits the ring correctly
- Only fill the kettle with as much water as is required (cover the element of course!)
- Turn down central heating thermostat by 1 degree centigrade, it can save about 10% of your heating bill.
- Don’t put hot food in the fridge or leave the door open
- Fit energy saving light bulbs where lights are on for a long time, such as in a hall or children’s room
- Fit a flap on your letterbox to stop draughts
- Fix leaking taps
- Draught proof exterior doors
- Radiator foil/shelves are good ways of reflecting heat to the centre of the room
- Replace old appliances, for example, freezers, fridges and washing machines. ‘A’ grade appliances will be more expensive but will use less electricity over their lifetime and are usually cheaper in the long run
- 35% of your homes heat is lost through your walls. Fitting cavity wall insulation is one of the most effective energy efficiency measures. The cost varies depending on the size of the property, but the cost for an average 3 bedroom semi-detached house is around £150
- 25% of the heat is lost from the roof space so fitting 10 inches / 270mm of loft Insulation will stop valuable heat escaping and save money on your heating bill. The average cost for a 3-bedroom semi-detached is £150
- Overhaul your heating system and install a natural gas condensing boiler-the most efficient type of boiler available
- If you are very committed to the environment, then consider solar energy, which surprisingly, does work in Salford
- It's very important to ensure that any appliance, including cookers or boilers, have enough ventilation to operate safely
- Do not block up existing air vents or grills, they are there to ensure your safety
- Make sure any chimneys and flues being used by appliances burning fuel (gas, coal, oil, wood etc) are regularly swept and checked for blockages
- For more information on safety visit the Carbon Monoxide & Gas Safety Society website.
This page was last updated on 18 August 2008
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