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For free, impartial, expert advice, contact the Affordable W

contentsPage

The basics 4

EasySaves on your energy bills:Cooking 6Fridges & freezers 8Washing & drying 10Low cost lighting 12

Getting the most out of your heating 14Central heating 15Storage heaters 20Electric room heaters 22Warm air systems 22Solid fuel systems 22

Technology savings 23

Insulate & Stay Safe 26

The Green Deal 27

Estimated savings 28

Published in 2014 by your local Affordable Warmth Network. This network is supportedby the local council and health service, and aims to help individuals cut gas/electricitybills, thus saving carbon and money, and helping to tackle fuel poverty in the region.

For more information contact theAffordableWarmthHelpline on 0800 1070044 [email protected]

improving the use of energy in buildingsHelping all be and well

easysave2014-v2:easysave v6.qxd 9/12/13 13:50

EasySave | 3

e Warmth Helpline on 0800 1070044 / [email protected]

If your energy bills areballooning you might alreadybe asking yourself how youcan get them back undercontrol. This leaflet will helpyou find easy ways to saveenergy and bring those highcosts back to earth.

Watt!


4 | EasySaves on your energy bills


The basicsAll electrical, gas and oil powered appliances inthe home use energy. How much you are payingfor that energy will depend on your choice ofenergy supplier, your choice of appliances andhow often you use them. If you can stay in controlof your heating and other appliances you willhave more control over your energy bills.

Household appliances vary considerably in theirenergy consumption and it pays to know whichones are the greedy ones. The energy they need is measured in watts or kilowatts and, as a rule ofthumb...

More watts = more cost (when switched on for the same length of time)

Energy efficient products are helpful because theygive you the result you want but consume lessenergy. For example, a 20W energy saving lightbulb gives you the same amount of light as a100W tungsten bulb but consumes one fifth of theelectricity. Most white goods now carry the ‘EnergySaving Recommended’ label - the most energyefficient are A or A+ rated.

The European Union’s easy-to-read A to G colour-coded energy rating is attached to products. Itnow also applies to homes. Each time a house isbuilt, sold or rented out, an ‘Energy PerformanceCertificate’ is required. This records its energyefficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. It alsohighlights current average costs for heating, hotwater and lighting, plus any straightforwardenergy saving improvements not yet made.

How energyis measuredEnergy is sold inunits called KilowattHours (kWh). 1kilowatt hour is theunit of energy usedto run 1000 wattsworth of appliancesfor one hour. Allappliances shouldhave their powerrating in wattswritten on them.Your energy bill willtell you how muchyou are paying foreach Kilowatt Hourof energy youconsume.


EasySaves on your energy bills | 5


Greedyappliances:the usualsuspectsBig electricity usersinclude immersionheaters, kettles,vacuum cleaners,washing machines,electric showers,fires, cookers andair conditioning. Ifyour electricity billshave gone updramatically, askyourself if you areusing more ofthese. Gas centralheating is a bigenergy user but it ischeaper to run thanelectric heating.This is becauseelectricity costs a lotmore per unit -typically aroundthree times morethan gas.

TipsGet to know how much energy yourappliances consume. A plug-inenergy meter can help. You may beable to borrow an energy monitorfrom a public library.

Check appliances for the watts/kilowatts of energy they require.

Note that more watts = more costwhen comparing two like products(unless the higher power guaranteesyou will get the job done faster).

Look for the ‘Energy SavingRecommended’ label and energyrating A to G scale informationwhen buying new appliances or anew home.

Avoid leaving appliances on longerthan necessary - especially the bigelectricity users like the immersionheater. Use controls, timers andsensors to dictate when, and for howlong, appliances are switched on.

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CookingFollow our tips to cut your cooking costs.

Cooking is energy intensive because the oven, grilland rings operate at very high temperatures.

If you can see part of a red-hot electric ring orflames from the gas licking up the side of yoursaucepan, this is wasting energy.

Turning the oven up high won’t make it heat upfaster - set it to the temperature you need.

A boiling pan only needs a little energy to keep itsimmering – so turn the ring down and use a lidto keep the heat in.

Electric kettles, toasters and microwaves are moreefficient because heat is just used to heat the foodor water, and is not wasted heating the pan/grillor air in the room.

Try to avoid having your cooker near your fridgeor freezer. Heat from it will force the fridge towork harder.



What kind of cooker?Electric vs GasCooking food costs around 36p an hour in an electric oven or 20p anhour in a gas oven.

MicrowavesMicrowaves use 70% to 90% less electricity than conventional ovens.

Fan OvensFan ovens use about 20% less electricity than conventional ovens.




SafetyGas Safety

Don’t block airholes in the ovenwith kitchen foil -keep these holesclear.

Get your cookerchecked by a GasSafe registeredfitter every 2 years.

Gas Safe Registerhas replaced the old CORGIaccreditation, andinstallers shouldalways carry theappropriate ID(carrying the logobelow) to show thatthey are signed upto the new register.

Tips1 Use a small ring or low flame for small

pans. Keep lids on pans.

2Use a pressure cooker, steamer or slowcooker instead of an ordinary pan -they are more efficient.

3 Set the oven to the temperature youneed and no higher.

4 Don’t overfill pans or kettles - youwaste energy heating extra water.

5 Once a pan is boiling turn the ringdown low to simmer.

6 For toast, use a toaster instead of the grill.

7 Use your microwave if you have one.

8If you have a small top oven use itinstead of the main oven for smalleritems.

9Avoid opening the door of the ovenwhile it is in use and replace any damaged door seals.

10If you have an electric hob make surethe bases of your pans are flat and incontact with the rings.

11Boil water in an electric kettle ratherthan in a pan or kettle on an electrichob.




Fridges & FreezersFollow our tips to cut your fridge/freezer costs.

Fridges and freezer don’t use much electricity anhour, but because they are on all the time the costof running them over a year can be high.

Fridges and freezers use energy:

• To cool food from room temperature

• To remove heat getting in through theappliance casing

• To remove heat getting in when the door isopened

Heat removed from inside a fridge/freezer ispumped out into the surrounding air usingcooling fins on the back of the appliance.

A fridge/freezer works most efficiently when itcan lose heat easily - that’s why its good to keepcooling fins clean and to leave space round theappliance to let heat escape.

Keeping the cold inFridges and freezers are insulated boxes, but the insulation doesn’tcompletely stop heat getting in because when the door is opened cool airfalls out and warm air from the room replaces it.

Chest freezers are more efficient that upright ones because less cool air fallsout of them when the lid is opened than when the door of an upright isopened.

Condensation forming on the outside of your fridge or freezer suggests thatits insulation has deteriorated and that it is using more power than it should.




Costs; oldversus newThe typical cost ofrunning a fridgefreezer variesdependent on ageand efficiency. Anold fridge freezercan cost up to £60 ayear compared to anew A** ratedfridge freezer whichcould cost as littleas £25 a year.

Technicalimprovementsbetween the 70sand 90s haveproduced up to50% increases inefficiency. So newappliances arecheaper to run thanold ones.

All new fridges/freezers must carryan energy labelwhich indicates howefficient that modelis, and allows you tocompare theefficiency of onemachine withanother. Look forthis when you arebuying a newappliance.

Tips1

Make sure there is plenty of ventilationspace at the back and top of yourfridge or freezer.

2 Keep the cooling fins at the back of theappliance clean.

3Site your fridge/freezer in a cool place;out of direct sun and away from thecooker and boiler.

4Check the temperature using a fridge thermometer (£2-£3). Fridges should be 0ºC to 4ºC, freezers -18ºC (****) to -5ºC (*).

5Use the thermostat to keep the temp -erature right: the higher the thermostatsetting, the lower the temperature.

6Don’t put warm or hot items in afridge/freezer – let them cool to roomtemperature first.

7 Keep the door shut.

8 Defrost regularly - the more ice, themore electricity used.

9 Replace damaged door seals, they letheat in.

10Take food out of the freezer in plentyof time to allow it to defrost withoutusing a microwave.

11 Try to keep your fridge/freezer threequarters full - this is most efficient.




Washing & DryingFollow our tips to cut your washing/drying costs

A single or twin tub is much cheaper to run thanan automatic washing machine.

The running cost of a gas tumble dryer is about athird that of an electric one.

It costs around 16p a load to run an electricwashing machine and 55p a cycle to run anelectric tumble dryer.

If you have cheap rate electricity over night,washing and drying during the cheap rate will cutyour costs. If you do this, fit a smoke alarm nearthe machine. Obviously, don’t use at night if themachine is prone to leaking or flooding.

If you have a tumble dryer that is designed to bevented to the outside make sure it is connectedproperly. Condenser tumble dryers are a goodchoice where venting to the outside isn’t anoption. They collect the water that comes off the clothes in a plastic reservoir which is easy toempty. If you don’t vent or collect this water it will cause condensation.

Cool savingsWith the average household using their washingmachine 5 times a week, there are savings to bemade. Most washing powders now allow you toturn your dial to 30°C. This can reduce theenergy used when doing your laundry by asmuch as 40%. Advanced detergents now washeffectively at temperatures as low as 15°C.




Tips1 Make sure you have a full load before

starting the machine.

2 If you need to do a half load use the‘half load’ or ‘economy’ setting.

3Use low temperature washes – mostdetergents will now work effectively at 30°C.

4 Use short wash cycles when clothesaren’t visibly dirty.

5 Use the spin function to help dry washing before using a tumble dryer.

6 Dry washing outside whenever you can.

7Select cycles that switch off automaticallywhen the load is dry. Or, set short dryingtimes and switch on again if necessary.

8 A tumble dryer with a dryness sensorworks best with same-fabric loads.




Low-cost LightingFollow our tips to cut your lighting costs

In a bulb, electricity is converted into light, but also into heat. The efficiencyof the bulb depends on how well the bulb converts electricity to light.

Old-fashioned (tungsten/filament) bulbsOnly about 5% of the electricity used by old-fashioned filament bulbsbecomes light - the rest is lost as heat which can cause discolouration of lightfittings, walls and ceilings. Dimming on an ordinary filament bulb to 50% ofits full output will cut its energy use by about 40% and will also extend thelife of the bulb.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)Energy saving light bulbs, known as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use 75-80% less electricity than ordinary bulbs and last up to 12 times longer. A CFLreplacement for a 100W bulb will save up to £60 of electricity over itslifetime. If typically used for 2 hours a day a CFL will pay for itself in under ayear. There’s a wide choice of CFLs today and more expensive ones will evenwork with some dimmer switches. But, do your homework and make sureyou get a good match for your dimmer. Standard CFLs cannot be dimmed.

Fluorescent BulbsFluorescent bulbs are about five times more efficient than filament bulbsbecause they convert more of the electricity to light and less to heat. Ifyou switch a fluorescent light off and on very frequently you willreduce its lifespan. However, if you are leaving a room for morethan a few minutes, it is better to switch it off than leave it on.

LED LightingThe operating life of a light emitting diode (LED) is unaffectedby turning them on and off, unlike fluorescent lamps as above.This characteristic gives LEDs several distinct advantages when itcomes to operations. For example, LEDs have an advantagewhen used in conjunction with movement or daylight sensorsthat rely on on-off operations. Also in contrast to traditionaltechnologies, LEDs turn on at full brightness almost instantly,with no delay. LEDs are also largely unaffected by vibrationbecause they do not have filaments or glass enclosures.




Tips1 Switch lights off when they aren’t needed.

2 Use the lowest wattage bulb that givesthe light you need.

3Make use of daylight, keep windowsclean and keep furniture away fromwindows.

4Where lights are left on for long periods,and are not on a dimmer switch, fit energysaving light bulbs.

5A room decorated with pale coloursneeds a lower total lamp wattage tolight it than a darkly coloured room.

6When buying a light fitting or shadecheck what wattage and shape of bulbit will take.

7 Dimming an old fashioned filamentbulb usually saves energy.

8A fluorescent strip light is cheaper torun than filament bulbs giving thesame light.

9 A 300W bulb in an outside halogenlight may work fine. Try downsizing.

10Halogen floodlights should only be on forshort bursts - if left on all night, they cancost a small fortune in electricity.

11 Fit energy saving bulbs in outside lightsthat are on all night.

How onelight can costa fortuneControllingappliances is the keyto controlling yourbills. For example, a 1000W halogensecurity lamp left onfor 1 hour will use 1 unit of energy(1kWh) costingperhaps 15p. If you leave it onovernight all yearround, multiply that15p by the hours ofuse - 15p x 10 hoursx 365 days = 54750por £550! £550 is afrightening bill, butcould be reduced tonext to nothing byfitting a movementsensor. With asensor the securitylight will only switchon when someoneapproaches thehouse. This showsthat controllingwhen yourappliances are on,and for how long,is the key tocontrolling yourbills.


14 | getting the most out of your heating


Stay in control of your heatingThe controls for heating systems are getting moreand more sophisticated. This is good because it givesus more power to control our heating, but often thepossible benefits are lost because the controls seemtoo complicated.

This section aims to help you get the most out ofyour heating controls so you can heat your homewhen, and only when, you want to.

If you can stay in control of your heating system youcan stay in control of your heating bills. Using yourcontrols properly will:

• make your home more comfortable

• save you money

• help you make decisions about new controls whenyou are upgrading your system.

If there is anything else you want to know aboutyour heating system or other things you can do tocut your heating bills, contact the AffordableWarmth Helpline on 0800 1070044.

The helpline will give free, independent and practicaladvice on how to cut your fuel bills and make yourhome more comfortable.

Central heating see page 15Immersion heaters see pages 19, 20Storage heaters see page 20Electric room heaters see page 22Warm air systems see page 22Solid fuel systems see page 22

and stay incontrol ofyour bills!


getting the most out of your heating | 15


Central HeatingIntroductionThe first thing to do is identify what controls youhave and where.

A system in which hot water is pumped aroundradiators is commonly called a ‘wet’ system. Oldwet systems often have fewer controls than newones, so you may find that only some of the listbelow applies to you.

Setting temperatures see page 16Setting times see page 18Setting hot water see page 19

Overview ofa typicalcentralheatingsystem


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Setting temperatures

Boiler thermostat

The boiler thermostat controls the temperature ofthe water going round the radiators and theheating coil in the hot water tank. It stops theboiler overheating.

Setting the controls

Where you have a room thermostat orthermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) as well as theboiler thermostat, these should be used to controlthe house temperature. The boiler thermostat insuch a case should be set at its maximum setting -this means that the boiler is operating mostefficiently.

If the boiler thermostat is the only control youhave, set it on high (maximum) in the winter andon low (half way between maximum andminimum) in the summer.

Unfortunately, if you don’t have a thermostat onyour hot water tank, setting your boilerthermostat on high will mean that you have veryhot water - so it is important to have a very well-insulated tank or get a tank thermostat.

Room thermostat

A room thermostat reacts to the temperature ofthe air around it. It is usually in the hall or livingroom. Only the air immediately around thethermostat influences it. For the thermostat towork properly it has to be in a room where thetemperature is typical of the whole house. Thethermostat works by switching the circulatingpump and / or the boiler on and off, but it’s best ifit switches both. Modern electronic thermostatsare more accurate than older versions. It is


For free, impartial, expert advice, contact the Affordable

Roomthermostat

0F27 80

Too Hot

24 75

21 70

Warm

18 65

15 60 Too Cool

12 55

Too Cold

09 50

0C


recommended that the thermostat be set atbetween 18ºC and 21ºC. You should set it as nearto 18ºC as is comfortable, but stick to 21ºC if youare not very active. Each 1ºC reduction in settingwithin the 18 - 21ºC range can save you up to 10%on annual heating costs.

Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

TRVs allow you to keep different rooms atdifferent temperatures. They are fitted to theradiators themselves and operate by reacting tothe temperature of the air around them. Theywork by opening or closing the valve controllingthe flow of hot water through the radiator. Thereshould always be one radiator left without a TRV,this avoids damage to the circulating pump. A lowsetting on a TRV gives a low radiator temperature.When your heating system is switched off for along time - such as over the summer- you shouldset your TRVs at their highest setting to stop themseizing closed. If you do not have thermostaticradiator valves you can still turn a radiator off byclosing the ordinary radiator valve.

Trouble shooting

If your radiators never get hot enough to heatyour home adequately when turned on full andthe temperature across each radiator is even, thenyour boiler thermostat is probably set too low. Ifyour radiators are cold at the top then there isprobably air trapped in them and you should‘bleed’ them. If they are cold at the bottom itsuggests sludge that needs flushing out.

Your local plumber can assist you with this, or callthe Affordable Warmth Helpline to see if a local‘home improvement agency’ can assist you.


Warmth Helpline on 0800 1070044 / [email protected] e

ThermostaticRadiatorValve


Digitalprogrammer

Analogueprogrammer

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Setting times Heating your home for half an hour more than isneeded could add 6% to your heating bills.24h/On Hot water or heating is on all the time.Once Hot water or Heating switches on at

first time set and off at last time set,ignoring settings in between.

Twice/All All on/off periods are followed.Off Hot water/Heating switched off.Override Reverses the current setting until the

next time setting is reached

Timer/ProgrammerA timer or programmer allows you to set yourheating system and hot water to switch on andoff automatically at times that you have pre-set.Timers/Programmers vary in sophistication. Someonly allow you to switch your water and heatingsystems, together, on and off twice a day. Othersallow you to set up to three on/off periods eachday for hot water and heating and differentpatterns for every day of the week.

Setting the controlsCheck that the clock is telling the right time. Youwill have to remember to reset it every time theclocks change in the winter or summer, or after apower cut (if it doesn’t have a battery back up,which most modern ones do).Set your system tocome on about half an hour before you want thehouse to be warm, and off at least an hour beforeyou want it off completely. The house will remainwarm for at least half an hour after the systemswitches off, considerably longer if well insulated.It is unlikely that you need your heating/hot waterswitched on all of the time - avoid using the ‘24h/On’or ‘Off’. If you want to switch the heating/hot wateron or off outside programmed times it is better touse the ‘over-ride’ button than to switch to ‘24h/On’.



Read thetimer/programmerinstructions carefullyfor details specific toyour model.


Hot waterthermostat

Setting hot water

Hot water thermostat

A hot water thermostat is fitted either to the hotwater tank or is part of the Combi boiler if youdon’t have a tank. It stops the water heating upmore than you want. The thermostat on the tankshould be set at about 60ºC (140ºF) as setting itany lower may allow bacteria to breed.

Immersion heaterAn immersion heater may be fitted in your hotwater tank. This is an electric element immersed inthe water in the hot tank which usually operateson on-peak electricity but can have two elements,one using Economy 7 and the other on-peakelectricity. It is usually controlled by a simpleon/off switch and probably, too, by a thermostat.

It should only be used when the heating system isoff, in which case it should only be switched onwhen it is needed: 15 to 30 minutes before thehot water is needed, and switched off again oncethe water has heated up. It is more expensive touse an immersion heater than to heat the waterusing your central heating boiler.

You can fit a timer to your immersion heaterwhich allows you to switch it on and offautomatically at pre-set times. This should only benecessary if your only source of water heating isthe immersion heater.




Storageheater

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Storage HeatersStorage heaters are insulated boxes containingbricks with electric elements running throughthem. When the elements are switched on thebricks heat up. This is called ‘charging’ the heater.

Storage heaters charge up on off-peak electricity.The insulation keeps most of this heat in the box.At the top of the box is a flap which can beopened to let the heat out. The more this flap isopened, the faster heat can escape from theheater into the room. Although storage heatersare insulated, quite a lot of heat leaks out and soit is not possible to stop a heater giving off heatonce it has been charged up.

Most storage heaters have two controls: an Input(sometimes called ‘Charge’ or ‘Auto-set control’) andan Output (sometimes called ‘Boost’ or ‘Room temp -erature’). You may have a combined storage heaterplus on-peak convector heater, in which case becareful to identify which controls operate each part;the convector will have an on/off switch and atemperature control, and may also have a time clock.

InputThis controls how much heat is stored in the heater- and how much electricity it uses. A thermostatinside the heater measures the temperature of thebricks and turns off the electricity supply when the



Takeadvantage of off-peakwater heatingMost immersionheaters have abuilt-in thermostatwhich should beset at 60ºC (140F).

The water heatershould beconnected to atimer and switchon whilst off-peakelectricity isavailable in yourhome and offagain when theoff-peak periodends.

The thermostatwill stop the wateroverheating untilthe off-peakelectricity stopsbeing available.After that, if youuse up the hotwater in the tankyou will have toheat any moreusing the ‘boost’switch which useson-peak electricity.


Outputcontrols

Tips1 Turn down the ‘output’control before you go to bed to stop heat

being given out when you don’t want it.

2 If your room is cold, turn up the ‘output’ control until the roomwarms up.

3 When the room is warm, turn down the ‘output’ control to saveheat for later in the day.

4 As the weather gets warmer and you need less heat, turn downthe ‘input’ control to store less in the heater.

5 If your house is warm enough in the summer, turn the heaters offat the wall - and back on again when it starts to get cold.

6 It should cost less to heat your home with storage heaters than byelectric fires, as storage heaters use cheaper off-peak electricity.

selected setting is reached. On its lowest setting asmall amount of heat is stored in the heater - youmay use this setting in the spring or early autumn orin a cool summer. On its highest setting the maximumamount of heat possible is stored. To stop theheater storing any heat, switch it off at the wall.

OutputThis opens and closes the flap at the top of theheater. On its lowest setting heat leaves the heaterslowly. On its highest setting heat leaves the heaterquickly and so the heat stored is used up faster.

Some heaters have an automatic output control - athermostat controls the opening and closing of thedamper flap. Some may have an electric fan whichmakes heat leave the heater quicker.

Some electricity companies have a service where theycan automatically charge your storage heaters rem -otely according to the weather forecast in your area.




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Other HeatingElectric Room HeatersSome room heaters have a built-in thermostatwhich automatically switches the heater on andoff to keep the room at a preset temperature. This is an improvement on the simple temperatureknob. Others have a built-in timer which allowsyou to preset on and off times. If you are buying a new heater, look for one with these features.

Warm Air SystemsThese usually have a room thermostat and atimer/programmer like a central heating systemand they should be set in the same way. In addition, grilles in each room can be opened or closed manually to alter the heat distribution.

Solid Fuel Systems

Solid fuel systems are difficult to control.Nonetheless, they can have some controls:

Thermostats on room heaters operate by openingand closing a damper to let in air - increasing theamount of air entering the heater will make thefire burn more fiercely.

A room thermostat or manual switch switches thepump circulating water round the radiators onand off. Any surplus hot water is usually divertedto the hot water tank (which therefore does nothave a thermostat) or to another heat sink, suchas a spare radiator or towel rail, in which casethere can be a hot water thermostat. The pumpmay also be controlled by a timer/programmer. A boiler thermostat operates the damper on theroom heater or operates a fan which blows hot airinto the room. Radiators can have simple valves or TRVs.


technology savings | 23


TechnologyTechnology within the home is a huge area ofenergy usage, and this is increasing with ourexpanding number of gadgets and appliances wehave in the home.

Modern products and appliances can use significantlyless energy, as compared with older appliances,however when buying a new product you shouldbe aware of the range of energy ratings thatdifferent products have. This has been covered inmore detail within this booklet on page 4.

PowerDownsThe TV PowerDown allows your TV and TV peripherals (such as DVDplayers, Set Top boxes, etc) to turn off completely when you press thestandby button on your remote control. This saves you energy as iteliminates the standby setting, and is safer as appliances are completelypowered off, in the same way as if you had unplugged them. When youcome to turn your TV back on again, simply press the standby button andyour TV and TV peripherals will power up again. There are alsoPowerDown units available for desktop computers.


Tips1 Appliances left on standby can use as much as three quarters of

the energy they use when they are fully switched on.

2Make sure items that are not in use are switched off at the wallrather than leaving them on standby, this could save around £40per year on energy bills.

3Clear a space around plug sockets to make sure they are accessible,so they are easier to turn off at the mains (A PowerDown devicecan help you if sockets are difficult to reach).

4Put your digital recorder on a separate plug socket so you can turnoff everything else at the mains but keep recording devicesplugged in.

5 If you are going on holiday, turn off your TV at the mains.

6 Don’t leave your mobile phone on charge all night; it only needs acouple of hours to fully charge.

TV and Computer MonitorsBuying a new TV or computer monitor can be amajor household outlay, but consider also thehidden long-term running costs. These canamount to £100’s, so is worth considering thelong-term running costs when considering a newpurchase.

Obviously the size of the monitor dictates howmuch energy it uses: some of the largest, highresolution screens can use as much electricity as astandard, new refrigerator — roughly 500 kWh,every year. Smaller screens are likely to consumeless energy than large ones.

If you are buying a new screen consider the size ofscreen you really need.

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24 | technology savings



Current Cost and Energy Monitors

These systems show in real time what your energyusage is within your home. They also display howmuch you would spend if you continue consumingenergy at that rate. For example when the energymonitor is in use and you switch on your kettle itwould be using around 3kW, making the potentialenergy bill very high. However, once you switch offthe kettle the energy usage will drop and so will the potential energy bill.

These monitors are available across some counciloffices within the region and within the near futureshould be available for loan from certain libraries.Alternatively they are available for purchase.

If you have access to an energy monitor one of thefirst things you should do is to try and get it to readzero watts, or as close to. This entails you going roundyour home turning off all appliances using electricity,and in so doing, finding which appliances are usingwhat. If the monitor is not reading zero then it meansthere is an appliance within your home that is usingelectricity somewhere! Once the monitor is readingzero you know that only the appliances you plug inand want to use are the ones costing you energy.

technology savings | 25


See howmuch yourenergy useis costingyou – inreal time!


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Must do’sInsulate your homeYou can reduce the amount of fuel used by yourheating system by insulating your home. Fullyinsulating your home’s loft and walls can preventup to 40% of heat loss, enabling you to stay warmerwhilst burning less fuel. The current recommendeddepth of loft insulation is 10.5 inches (270mm).

The government’s Green Deal scheme can helpwith the cost - see opposite.

Switch SupplierChanging energy supplier can be one of theeasiest ways to save money on your home energybills. Call 0800 1070044 to find out more.

Stay safeRemember that all gas appliances should beserviced once a year by a Gas Safe registeredinstaller - this will ensure that they are safe andoperating efficiently.

Avoid condensationBlack mould on walls is a sign of condensation.This is usually preventable.

Tips

1 After a bath or shower, ventilate to the outside, not to the rest ofthe house. Opening a window (and closing the door) will help.

2 Use your kitchen and bathroom extractor fans or get some fitted.They remove moisture effectively and cost very little to run.

3 Reduce excess moisture at its source. Keep lids on pans when boiling food and dry clothes outdoors or in a ventilated space.


The Green Deal | 27


The Green DealImprove the efficiency of your home!The Green Deal is a government scheme created under theEnergy Act 2011. It provides a framework for householders toaccess energy saving measures at no up-front cost.

So, what does this mean?

Essentially, you’d get an assessment to look at what you wouldmost benefit from, and that fits within the ‘Golden Rule’ –more on this later. If you wished to install, for example, solidwall insulation and a new high efficiency boiler, then you’dget a low-interest loan for the costs involved.

The Golden Rule is that payback of this loan should come fromsavings that you make as a result of the improvements, andfull payback must be made within 25 years (or earlier in thecase of some technologies).

The loan is attached to theelectricity meter, sowouldn’t need to bepaid off when yousold your home,unless you choose to.Repayments of theloan are thereforecollected by theelectricity supplier.

Some grants are stillavailable through 'ECOfunding' for eligiblehouseholds, meaningthat you wouldn't berequired to pay it back.Contact us now for more adviceand an easy referral route to accessall available financial assistance.


28 | EasySave

Affordable Warmth Helpline 0800 1070044 / [email protected]

Estimated savingsfrom energy saving improvements

IMPROVEMENT/ANNUAL SAVING1

HeatingReplace old G rated boiler with condensingboiler and full set of heating controls £310

LightingReplace 100W bulb with energy saving bulb2 £6

A/A+ Rated Domestic AppliancesFridge Freezer £36

Upright/Chest Freezer £22

Fridge £12

Washing Machine £10

Dishwasher £12

InsulationCavity Wall Insulation £115

Loft Insulation When no insulation to start with £150Topped up to 270mm from existing £45

Draughtproofing £25

Hot water Tank Jacket £35

1 Savings estimated byEnergy Saving Trust 2010.Based on a three-bedroom semi-detachedhouse with gas centralheating. Assumes productsbought in 1998 replacedwith new Energy SavingRecommended models.

2 Up to £6 a year can besaved by replacing a 100Wtungsten bulb with a 20Wenergy saving light bulb.This assumes the bulb isused for 770 hours a year.

Photos on pages 6, 10, 12, 14, 26 and 28 courtesy of Energy Saving Trust


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