Quick tips on saving energy

Heating

Cool down Knock a degree or so off your thermostat. It's a sure way to chop your heating bills by 10%. To stay cosy, keep temperatures around 20ºC (68ºF) in living rooms and 16ºC (60ºF) in bedrooms.
Replace old for new If your boiler's getting on for 15 years old, you could be missing out on some major savings - about 20% off your fuel bills. Install a condensing boiler and you'll up that to 32%, or even 40% if you fit good heating controls. Your local council may even provide grants to help you out. Give them a buzz to find out.

Insulation

Stop draughts and retain heat  by fitting draught excluders onto the bottom of your doors. Make sure your windows are draught proofed too. A low cost, short-term alternative to double-glazing is to tape polythene across window frames.
 
An insulating jacket for your hot water tank  costs just a few quid, and will pay for itself within months. Fit a British Standard jacket that's at least 7.5cm thick. It'll cost around a tenner and save you about £10-£15 a year.
 
Always pay extra special attention to the pipes between the boiler and hot water cylinder. Insulate them , it'll cost around £1 per metre and you'll save about a fiver a year. Insulate your walls too. It's the most cost-effective way to save energy around the home. Up to 33% of the heat in your home is lost through the walls.
 
Stick a shelf above your radiator - it'll direct the rising warm air into the room. Also, place a reflective material like foil behind radiators on exterior walls to reduce the heat loss to outside .

Lighting

Get energy saving bulbs 10%-15% of your electricity usage is gobbled up by lighting. If you use a particular light for an average of four hours or more a day, then have a little think about replacing it with an energy-saving equivalent. They use around a quarter of the electricity and last up to 12 times longer. Energy efficient bulbs only cost around a fiver, but you'll end up saving over 10 quid a year on your bills.
Switch off Bit of an obvious one, but always turn lights off when you leave a room. And adjust your curtains or blinds to let in as much light as possible during the day - that way you won't be tempted to reach for the light switch.

Water

Wash up  instead of using the dishwasher. It'll use less water, and tons less energy.

Always stick a plug in your basin or sink . Leaving hot water taps running means money and energy down the plughole.

Turning taps off  properly and repairing ones that drip is well worth the money. A single tap dripping once a second could waste 1400 litres of hot water in a year.

When filling up the kettle heat only the amount of water you really need . It'll save a load of energy and a load more water.
If you're having a bath have the water a bit cooler . It should be hot, but not boiling. For most people, setting the cylinder thermostat at 60°C/140°F should be just dandy.

A shower uses two-fifths of the water needed for a bath. It's quicker, easier and cheaper.
 

Appliances

When buying new appliances look for the energy efficiency logo.

Cut down on wasted energy by not leaving appliances like your TV or Hi-Fi on standby.

Don't leave gadgets filling up with juice when they're already full.
 
Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge; allow it to cool down first. Defrost your fridge regularly to keep it running efficiently and cheaply. If it tends to frost up quickly, check the door seal.
 
When doing your washing always use a full load and if you can't, bung in half. Or stick your washer on economy. Stick to the lowest temperature possible.
 
Hang clothes out to dry instead of using the tumble dryer. If you do use the dryer don't load it up with really wet clothes. Wring them out or spin-dry them first. It's much faster and it'll save you cash.