Energy Saving Tips

• No cost measures

• Energy saving light bulbs

• Minor works

• Major works

• Renewable energy

There are lots of easy actions you can take which can make a significant difference to your pocket and the planet.

No cost measures

• Close the curtains at dusk to reduce the amount of heat being lost through the windows
• Set your heating timer correctly
• Turn your thermostat down by 1 degree to save up to £40 per year
• Set the temperature on your hot water cylinder to 60ºC
• Only fill the kettle with as much water as you require
• Always turn lights off when you leave a room
• When buying new appliances always choose A energy rated ones if possible.
• Fill your washing machine/dishwasher/tumble dryer to full or use the half load/economy selection
• Switch your computer off when not in use, it does not use more energy to start up and shut down than normal running
• Switch electrical appliances off standby when not in use especially over night (e.g. TVs, videos, set top boxes)
• Switch off at the plug socket appliances that have a transformer (e.g. phone chargers, computers) as these use power even when not in use

Energy saving light bulbs

Energy saving light bulbs have come down in price a lot over the last couple of years. They are still slightly more expensive than incandescent ones initially, but they will last 8-12 times longer and save you up to £10 per year on your electricity bill, which is up to £100 in their lifetime, easily paying for the initial cost!

Minor Works

Insulation of your home is an excellent way to make it more energy efficient. It reduces the rate of heat loss/gain in your home. This means it stays warmer in winter and cooler in summer making it much more comfortable and reduces the need for heating and cooling that contribute to the greenhouse effect.

When employing contractors to carry our works in your home, we advise you obtain at least two independent quotes for the works.

There are grants and funding available for insulation measures.

Loft Insulation

Heat rises, so 25% of heat can be lost through the roof area. By insulating the roof, much more heat is retained within the property, which can have significant reductions on your heating bill. Savings of up to £100 can be achieved.

Current building regulations recommend that houses should have 270 mm of loft insulation. There are different materials available ranging from natural sheepswool to manmade rockwool for this, some of which can be installed DIY, others require a contractor with specialist equipment for installation.

Different materials have different ‘u-values’. This relates to its insulating properties, the lower the u-value the slower the rate of heat loss (i.e. materials with a low u-value are the best insulators).

Cavity Wall Insulation

Approximately 35% of heat is lost through the walls of your home. Generally houses built after the 1930s have cavity walls. These can be insulated with mineral wool fibre, polystyrene beads or foam. These are pumped into the cavity through a series of holes drilled in the outside wall.

Cavity wall insulation has the largest cost savings and installation costs have significantly reduced.

Cavity wall insulation can also help to reduce dampness on the walls of the property.

As you cannot see cavity wall insulation there is no simple way of checking that it has been done properly, we therefore recommend you use a contractor who will issue a cavity wall guarantee certificate produced by the Cavity Insulation Guarantee agency (CIGA), which covers the work standards and materials used.

For insulation of solid walls see below.

Hot Water Jacket

Insulating your hot water tank is a really cheap way to make big savings, especially if the tank is in the loft where it can be cool and draughty.

Current British standards state that the hot water tank jacket should be at least 80mm thick. They cost about £10 and are available in a variety of sizes. Most jackets can be installed DIY.

Hot water pipe insulation

Foam insulating piping can be fitted around hot water pipes. DIY is usually possible, but for more tricky pipes to access professional help may be required.

Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs)

TRVs detect the air temperature around the radiator and switch it on and off accordingly. This means that each room temperature can be controlled independently. This prevents wasteful overheating. In rooms that are not occupied all the time, it makes sense to set the TRVs to a lower level.

Room thermostats

Room thermostats detect the air temperature around them and switch the boiler on and off as it falls below or rises above a preset temperature.

It is important not to place a room thermostat in a draught or above a heat source.

Turning your thermostat down by 1ºC can save you 10% on your heating bills.

Programmers

Fitting a programmer allows you to automatically control when your heating and hot water is switched on and off. This means your home can be ready-heated when you get up in the morning, and switched off during whilst at work and during the night.

Draught proofing

Heat loss can occur through closed windows and doors through gaps or spaces. Depending on the size of the gap or crack different types of draught proofing are recommended. This is usually relatively simple to install and DIY reduces the payback period.

Major Works

External Wall Insulation

This is a method of insulation for solid wall properties. Insulation is fixed to the external of the building and a weatherproof protected finish added.

There are several methods of doing this. It is advisable to use a specialist contractor for this. Check that you do not need planning permission to do this before starting any work.

This is a large investment, but if renovating or resurfacing the outside of the building then it may worthwhile considering insulating at the same time.

Internal Wall Insulation (or dry lining)

This is another method for insulating solid walls. There are two main methods for doing this, insulation boards attached directly to the wall or wooden battens infilled with insulation.

Double-glazing

Windows are a major source of heat loss. Curtains, blinds and shutters will help reduce this.

Single panes of glass are thin and therefore heat is lost quickly through them. Double-glazing drastically reduces this, and helps to eliminate cool areas around the window.

A window can be double-glazed by adding a second pane of glass or plastic in front of the original (secondary glazing) or by removing the existing single pane and replacing with a sealed double-glazed window.

For either method it is essential for there to be an air gap between the panes that is well sealed. This air gap acts as the insulation, slowing the rate of heat loss.

Secondary glazing tends to be cheaper.