Energy Saving Tips
Print this sheet for your reference
Contact NI EPC Services on 028 900 700 12
To carry out an energy assessment of your home and act on the recommendations.
Shut the curtains at dusk
Make sure that they don’t hang in front of the radiators or the outside wall will benefit from the heat instead of the room!
Use thick curtains that are thermally lined. Or get a second pair of curtains from a charity shop to act as lining material.
Radiator reflectors
Put radiator reflectors or kitchen foil behind the radiator, and a shelf above it. This will ensure that the heat is reflected into the room rather than being lost to the wall or the ceiling
Standby
Don’t leave the TV and video on standby – turn them off at the machine. When they are on standby they are still using 80% of the electricity that they would be using if they were on.
Fridge Freezers
If you have a big freezer keep it full or else you’ll be wasting money on keeping an empty space cold! Fill up any large gaps with old ice cream boxes filled with water. The frozen water will help to keep the rest of the food cold.
Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly to ensure they run efficiently. When loading up the freezer or fridge don’t keep the doors open for long or the cold air will escape.
Cooking
Cooking by gas is cheaper than cooking with an electric cooker.
0nly boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle).
A microwave is cheap to use. So if you have one use it to pre-cook food.
Choose the right size pans for the food and cooker, and keep the lids on when you cook - this will reduce condensation as well as energy.
Washing machine/tumble dryers
Wash full loads of washing where possible. Use the ‘½’ button for smaller loads.
Use a time clock to make use of the cheaper rate of electricity if you have Economy 7 or other off peak tariffs.
Dry clothes outside whenever possible.
If you buy a new machine make sure it is an energy efficient model.
Lights
Switch all lights off when they are not being used.
Buy a low energy light bulb. They use 25% of the electricity of normal bulbs and last 10 times as long. Just one can save you £60 over the lifetime of the bulb.
Even though they are more expensive than normal light bulbs they are a good investment. You will get your money back in terms of electricity saved in the first year.
Room heaters
If you need an individual room heater for additional heat, the most efficient type is a thermostatically controlled convector heater with timer.
Heating and hot water controls
If you are too hot, turn down the room thermostat or the thermostat on the radiator down, rather than opening the window. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent. You could save around £40 per year.
Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn't need to be set higher than 60°C/140°F. 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!
Heaters
When buying heaters, make sure that they are the right size for the rooms they are to heat, and that they have thermostatic controls
Remember that electric heaters other than storage heaters consume electricity at the most expensive charge rate
Use a space or portable heater instead of the central heater, if only one room needs heating
Choose heaters with thermostat controls and timers
Central Heating
Turn off heating overnight and when you are out during the day
Turn off the heating if you are going to be out of the house for more than a day
Proper control and regular maintenance of your heating system can reduce fuel consumption by 10 - 20%
If you have gas heating, turn off pilot lights during the warmer months
Heat bedroom areas to less than 18˚C.
20˚C is an ideal room temperature. Turning down thermostats by 1˚C can reduce annual space heating energy consumption by 10% with an equivalent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
Heat Loss
Open fires are wasteful of energy with more than 70% of the energy going up the chimney.
If the radiator is mounted below a window, a projecting window-board or shelf above the radiator will direct warm air into the room, reducing heat loss through the window.
Close doors to separate heated from unheated areas of your home, and minimize the area you are heating
Hot Water Heating
Use the timer on immersion heaters. This should supply you with enough hot water as and when you need.
Heating hot water accounts for 64% of energy consumption in the home, you should be thrifty in its use.
90% of the energy consumption of washing machines goes on heating the water. Wash clothes whenever possible in cold or cool water.
Insulation
A lagging jacket on your hot water cylinder will keep water hotter for longer and pay for itself in 2-3 months.
If replacing the hot water cylinder, a cylinder with factory applied insulation should be considered. Such insulation is more effective at retaining heat than a lagging jacket, is less easily damaged and cannot be pulled out of place.
Insulate your attic to 250mm depth and save up to 20% on your home heating bill.
Make sure you apply for grants you are entitled to.
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