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Energy Saving Ideas
Energy usage is becoming an increasingly important issue, both due to climate change and the increasing cost of energy to power our homes. Making some of the changes suggested in this leaflet will help make your home warmer and save you money, but it is also good for the environment.
General Information
One third of the UK’s energy consumption comes from non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, which will not last for ever. In addition this is releasing increasing amounts of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere – the gas most responsible for climate change – the most serious environmental problem facing the world today.
In contrast, renewable energy, such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass – is generated from endlessly available sources that will never run out. They are a clean form of energy, producing no pollution or greenhouse gasses, which cause climate change.
So much of the power we pay for is power we do not even use. Appliances on standby, lights left on in unused rooms and computers that never get switched off are putting pounds on your bill. Switching off and maintaining your household items will soon make you savings and help you be more energy efficient.
Colchester Borough Homes is committed to helping you reduce your energy usage. We are though also committed to reducing the energy we use. We were the first Arms Length Management Organisation to sign the Nottingham Decleration.
Suggested ways to save energy
a) Turn down and switch off
1. Turning your thermostat down by 1ºC could cut your heating bills by up to 10 per cent and save you around £40 per year.
2. Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn't need to be set higher than 60ºC/140ºF.
3. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.
4. Don't leave appliances such as TVs and stereos on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily.
5. Switch off your computer and monitor when they’re not being used.
b) Cooking
6. Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle).
7. Use the kettle to boil water for cooking, instead of heating a pan on the stove. This is more efficient and takes less time too!
8. When cooking choose the right sized pan for the food and the cooker, cut food into smaller pieces and put lids on pans as the food will then cook a lot quicker.
9. If you are defrosting food, or just warming things up, then microwave ovens are ideal as they use much less electricity than conventional ovens.
10. Use a toaster rather than a grill for making toast.
c) Good housekeeping
11. Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.
12. Recycle anything you are able to – such as newspapers, bottle and cans – recycling saves energy.
13. Elements in kettles and washing machines that are coated with limescale are inefficient and use more energy. To remove limescale leave a cup full of vinegar in your kettle overnight. Every two months run your washing machine on a 60 degree cycle with no clothes and 200ml of white vinegar.
14. Replace your light bulbs with energy saving recommended ones: just one can reduce your lighting costs by up to £100 over the lifetime of the bulb – and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs.
15. Seal up any draughts in doors and windows using draught excluders. For small draughts use stick-on draft excluding tape, available from most DIY stores.
16. Put aluminium foil behind any radiators fitted to outside walls (with the shiny side facing the radiator). Ordinary kitchen foil will do, or you can buy specially designed panels from DIY stores.
d) Hot water
17. A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off!
18. Have a five minute shower instead of a bath – it saves water and energy.
19. Only use dishwashers and washing machines with full loads, and if you can't, use a half load or economy programme.
20. Always use the low temperature (40°C) programme as modern detergents work just as effectively at this temperature and use much less energy.
21. Wash dishes by hand when you can!
e) Fridges and freezers
22. Let hot food cool down before putting it in the fridge or freezer.
23. Don't leave the door open for longer than necessary as cold air escapes.
24. Defrost your freezer regularly to keep it running efficiently and cheaply as those filled with frost work harder to stay cold.
25. Keep your fridge and freezer well stocked as they need less energy than empty ones.
26. If your freezer frosts up quickly, check the door seals.
27. Replace an old fridge freezer with a modern ‘A’ rated one which will use two and a half times less energy.
28. Look out for the energy saving recommended logo.
Ways in which CBH can you save money
Some gas and electricity companies offer their best prices to customers who pay by direct debit.
With EBICo it doesn't matter whether you pay for your gas and electricity by pre-payment meter, every quarter (or three months) or by direct debit. However you pay, you pay exactly the same amount.
EBICo stands for Ethical Billing Company. It is a not-for-profit company and an ethical supplier of fuel.
Some people find it hard to afford gas and electricity. When a household struggles to pay for fuel it is said to be in 'fuel poverty'. EBICo aims to combat fuel poverty by offering fuel without adding on the costs of a standing charge. You may find you can save money on gas and electricity by switching to EBICo's EquiGas and EquiPower.
If you do decide you would like to switch to EquiGas and EquiPower please apply online at www.ebico.co.uk.
