Energy efficiency advice

Making your home more energy efficient doesn’t have to be expensive. On this page, you can find out how you could make savings on your bills in just a few simple steps.

Simple ways to save energy at home

Switch off standby

Switch appliances off when you’re not using them. Appliances like your TV, stereo and computer continue to use electricity when they’re in standby mode. Turning them completely off when they're not being used could save you as much as £65 a year.

Turn off your lights

By switching off lights when you're not using them, you can save around £25 a year on your energy bills.

Switch to LEDs

Replacing all the bulbs in your home with LED lights, you could save £55 a year on your bills.

Be smart in the kitchen

Your kitchen is filled with simple ways to save. Here are just a few examples: 

 

Reducing you washing machine use by one run per week and washing 30°C instead of at a higher temperature, could save you around £34 a year.

Try and wait until you have a full load before using your washing machine – this'll reduce the amount of water you use. Plus, lowering your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year could save you an extra £17.

Only use your dishwasher when it's full – this'll reduce the amount of water you use. Plus, lowering your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year could save you an extra £17.

Only fill your kettle with the amount of water you need – you don’t need a full one for just one cuppa. This will save you around £13 in energy bills a year. Similarly, when cooking, use the correct size of pans to save energy.

Fit an aerator onto your kitchen tap to reduce the amount of hot water coming out. It's a small, easy to install, cheap gadget with tiny holes that can be attached to the taps – and it could save as much as £30 a year, according to the Energy Savings Trust.

Showering

Reduce your shower time by one minute, and add a water efficient showerhead. This could save you £8 a year off your energy bill for every person in your household.

Taking a shower costs less than a bath 

Taking a shower costs less than a bath. You could be saving £20 a year by swapping one bath with a four-minute shower each week.

Draught-proofing

Draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy and money. Based on a typical gas-fuelled semi-detached property, you could save £60 a year by blocking draughts around windows and doors.

Think of your thermostat

Heating controls help you stay on top of how much energy you’re using. By turning down your room thermostat by just one degree, you could save £145 a year.

Installing a room thermostat, a programmer and thermostatic radiator valves and using these controls efficiently could save you around £180 a year.

Keep your hot water hot

Fitting a hot water cylinder with an insulating jacket will save you some money. It should be at least 80mm thick; if it isn’t, consider buying a new one. Upgrading from 25mm to 80mm thick, using a British Standard jacket, could save you around £70 a year.

Upgrade windows

By investing in new windows, you can keep warmer and save energy. Installing A-rated double glazing in an entirely single-glazed, semi-detached gas-heated property could save you £195 per year and 330kg of carbon dioxide. If you install A++ rated double glazed windows to replace single glazing, the savings could be up to £235 per year and 405kg of carbon dioxide.

Install loft insulation

A quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. Installing the correct level of insulation for your loft, attic or flat roof can help reduce heat loss and lower your energy bills.

Get smart with your meter readings

Installing a smart meter is another great way to save energy. By making it easier to understand your energy usage, it helps you take steps to use less. If we all used a smart meter, the CO2 savings Britain could make would be equivalent to the savings made by around 70 million trees*.

How to contact us

If you’d like help and advice about making your home more energy efficient, contact our energy efficiency line by calling 0333 003 5647.

You’ll be connected to our partner, Scarf, who have a team of trained advisors waiting to give you independent advice.

Scarf delivers energy efficiency advice and services to households and businesses. They may also be able to provide information on publicly available finance to help improve household efficiency.

More impartial advice on energy efficiency

Energy Saving Trust

A great source of advice and information on the best ways to make your home more energy efficient. 

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

 

Simple Energy Advice

Advice on how to reduce carbon emissions and save money on energy bills. 

Phone: 0800 444 202

Website: www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk

The legal bit

Source: Energy Saving Trust. For the latest information visit energysavingtrust.org.uk

* Smart Energy GB. See smartenergygb.org