Housing green pages - low-cost ways to save energy in the home

Housing green pages - low-cost ways to save energy in the home

Information and advice on no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy and money in the home.

How can I save energy?

Switch off lights and appliances when not in use
Electrical appliances left on standby waste 6% to 10% of all energy used in the average home. Turn off TVs, stereos and chargers at the wall when you are not using them.

Switch to energy saving light bulbs
Energy saving light bulbs use 1/5 of the energy used by ordinary bulbs. Just installing one can reduce your lighting costs by up to £78 over the lifetime of the bulb - and they last up to 8 times longer than ordinary light bulbs 

Switch off standby
Always use the television's on/off switch – avoid leaving the television, video, computer or stereo on standby as this wastes energy. Use recommended settings: 21°C if located in the living room or 18°C if located elsewhere. 

Boil a cupful, not a kettleful
Only boil as much water as you need, but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle. The kettle is one of the most energy hungry
appliances in our homes. An average family can save 45kg of CO2 a year by boiling only the water they need.

Turn it down a degree
If you have a thermostat try turning it down by just one degree centigrade - this can cut your bills by 10% . Improve your heating controls with timers and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) Set the thermostat on the hot water tank to 60°C / 140°F. This setting is usually high enough for bathing and washing. 

Wash clothes at 30ºC, and try to wash full loads
Your washing machine uses energy and water more efficiently when it's full, and washing at lower temperatures saves energy too.

Set the thermostat on the hot water tank to 60°C / 140°F. This setting is usually high enough for bathing and washing. 

Defrost your fridge
Defrost your fridge or freezer regularly to ensure they run efficiently and cool down  hot or warm food before putting it in the fridge. 

Install radiator shelves and reflectors
Put radiator reflectors (purchased from a DIY store), or aluminium foil stuck onto cardboard, behind any radiators fixed to outside walls, and on a shelf above them. This will ensure that the heat from the radiator is reflected into the room rather than being lost to the wall or the ceiling. 

Insulate you hot water cylinder and pipes
Both tank and pipe insulation keeps your water hotter for longer by reducing the amount of heat that escapes. If everyone in the UK fitted a hot water cylinder jacket that was at least 75mm thick, there would be enough CO2 saved per year to fill over 4.million double decker buses

Draught-proof
In a home without insulation, approximately 20% of all heat is lost through ventilation and draughts, so draught-proofing is a cost-effective way to reduce your heating bills. Materials used for draught-proofing include foams, brushes, sealants and thin sections of rubber, plastic or metal.

Insulate your loft and walls
Around half the heat lost in your home escapes through the walls and roof.
Cavity wall insulation can take a couple of hours to install, and could reduce your fuel bills by 15%ar. There are grants available to assist you with the cost of insulating your home. Make sure you have loft insulation that's at least 250mm thick 

Install double glazing
By installing double glazing you can reduce the heat lost through your windows by half and can save an estimated £80–£100 each year on fuel bills. Double glazing can save a household around 3/4 tonne of CO2 each year. If you can’t afford to replace all of your windows then chose the rooms that cost the most to heat. Specify low emissivity double-glazing.

If you can, avoid using PVC windows, their manufacture and disposal has a harmful effect on the environment 

Switch to a green tariff
One of the easiest ways to cut your CO2 emissions is by switching to renewable energy through a green tariff. When you sign up, all or some of your home's electricity will come from renewable sources, like wind power. For information go to the Green Electricity Marketplace website at www.greenelectricity.org (opens new window).

Take a home energy check
For a report on how much energy can be saved in your own home, use the Energy Saving Trust's  online home energy check . By completing the questionnaire, you will get a free evaluation of the areas of your home where cost-saving energy efficiency measures can be made. It also provides a guide to the products that will offer you the best savings when installed. 

Buy energy efficient appliances
To buy the most energy efficient appliances - look out for the energy efficiency recommended logo - it can be found on light bulbs, light fittings, fridges, fridge freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, boilers, heating controls and insulation.

For an up-to-date list of energy efficient products as well as retailers who stock them, visit the Energy Saving Trust's Energy Efficiency Recommended Database (opens new window).