This week is Energy Saving Week from October 21 to 25 and this is your opportunity to really look at the way you are using energy in your home. The Energy Saving Trust has many different tips for your home to help you save energy and they even go room by room for your convenience. This blog aims to highlight some of the best tips given by the Energy Saving Trust to get you on your way to having a more energy efficient home. It is your time to do your part.<\/p>\n
You may think you have done absolutely everything in your home to make it as energy efficient as possible, but there is always something else you can do to stop those draughts, save that energy or become more efficient. Read on to see if you are doing everything you can:<\/p>\n
1. Draught excluder:<\/strong> This is the story so far. You have insulated your roof and walls; you have insulated your chimney and double-glazed your windows. There surely is nothing else left? Why not get some draught-proofing products for your doors and windows? You can use a silicone sealant to block cracks in floors and skirting boards and get draught proof doors with seals at the bottom. These could be the final things you need to make sure your home is locked up for the winter from those pesky draughts.
\n2. Kitchen:<\/strong> Being careful in the kitchen can save you \u00a355 a year and it is all in how your use your kitchen appliances. Follow some of these simple rules:
\n\u2022 Set your washing machine to 30\u00b0C.
\n\u2022 Use a bowl to wash up your pots. Don\u2019t leave the water running.
\n\u2022 Don\u2019t fill your kettle up every time, just use the water you need for that cup of tea.
\n3. Clever shower time:<\/strong> Does your shower take hot water straight from the boiler or the hot water tank? You may be compatible with an energy efficient showerhead. Yes, you read that correctly. Showerheads now come in the efficient variety. Basically this showerhead reduces your hot water usage whilst maintaining the feeling of a powerful shower. Check with your water company to see if they will give you an efficient showerhead for free. To put this in perspective, this showerhead could save you upwards of \u00a3150 a year alone. That definitely seems worth it.
\n4. New heating controls:<\/strong> Can you heat just one certain areas of your home if you want? If the answer is no then you have not taken advantage of the newer heating controls available. With these new controls you can control the heat in each room in your home, you can set your heating and hot water, you can decide that one area of your home needs to be heated and other areas don\u2019t\u2026 It is a gadget loving master\u2019s dreamland. It also means you can only use the energy you need.
\n5. Dry on the line:<\/strong> It may seem old fashioned and slower but if you hang up your clothes to dry and then just \u2018fluff\u2019 them on a DE wrinkle cycle in the tumble dryer you will save money and your clothes will feel fresher (especially in the summer.) If you simply must use a tumble dryer then opt for one with the Energy Saving Trust\u2019s recommended logo.
\n6. Pay attention to the hallway:<\/strong> Draughts can sneak in through places you wouldn\u2019t even think of, like the keyhole in the front and back door, or the letterbox. Buy a purpose made metal cover disc that drops down over the keyhole and make sure you have a brush or letterbox flap over your letterbox. If you want to go a step further, you can cover the front door with a curtain to keep the cold out and the warmth in and you could even opt for the insulated curtain material.<\/p>\n