- Energy Saving Tips

Here are some simple measures you can do right now.

1. Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent. You could save around £40 per year.

2. Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn't need to be set higher than 60°C/140°F.

3. Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.

4. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.

5. Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily.

6. If you're not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme. Better still, dry your washing on a washing line or clothes airer.
   

7. Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle).

8. 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!

9. Use energy saving light bulbs. Just one can save you £60 over the lifetime of the bulb - as they last up to 10 times longer than ordinary lightbulbs.

10. Do a home energy check. Just answer some simple questions about your home and the Energy Saving Trust will give you a free, impartial report telling you how you can save up to £250 a year on your house hold energy bills.

You can cut as much as £250 off your annual energy bill and reduce your household's carbon dioxide emissions by around two tonnes.

Here's how you do it.

Brush up on energy saving

Eliminate draughts and wasted heat by installing a cheap, easy-to-fix brush or PVC seal on your exterior doors. Letterboxes and keyholes should be covered too.

Draught dodgers

Draughts also get in through gaps in floorboards and skirting boards, which also allow heat to escape in winter. Stop this waste by filling these gaps with newspaper, beading or sealant.

Use energy saving light bulbs

Switch to energy saving light bulbs. They last around 10 times longer than ordinary light bulbs, and each bulb you fit could save up to £60 on electricity over the bulb's lifetime. They come in a whole range of styles.

Jazz up your tank with a jacket

Insulate your hot water tank with a jacket - it only costs a few pounds and, with all the heat it traps in, it pays for itself within months. Fit one that's at least 75mm (3") thick and you could save around £20 a year. If every UK household that could fitted an adequate tank-jacket tomorrow, we'd save over £89 million of energy every year!

Lofty ambitions

Insulating your loft is one of the simplest ways to save energy - you can even install it yourself. Insulate your loft today and in a year you could save around £110.

Insulate wall cavities

Around 33% of the heat lost in an uninsulated house is through the walls. You could save around £90 on energy bills each year by insulating your wall cavities. It also creates an even temperature in your home. If we all filled our wall cavities, we'd save about £720 million of energy a year.

Switch to high-efficiency boilers

If your boiler is over 15 years old it's probably time to replace it. By law, new gas boilers in England and Wales must now be of the high efficiency condensing type, which can help you save up to a third on your heating bills and even more if you upgrade to modern controls as well.

Look for the logo

When purchasing new appliances, always look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo. Energy Saving Recommended appliances are the most efficient in their category and could save you up to £37 a year.

Keep twice as warm with double glazing

Double glazing cuts heat loss through windows by 50% and could cut your heating bill by around £90 a year.

Take our online home energy check

Still not sure which are your home's weak spots? Why not call your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre on 0800 512 012 for free, impartial advice on saving energy in your home.