1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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.

4. Freezers and fridges

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.

5. 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.


6. 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.


7. Lights

Switch all lights off when they are not being used.
Buy a low energy light bulb. They use 1/4 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.
8 Room heaters

If you need an individual room heater for additional heat, the most efficient type is a thermostatically controlled convector heater with timer.


9. 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!

10. Use Dea direct to locate domestic energy professional’s services and products in your area.

11. Commision an energy assessment of your home and act on the recommendations.

12. Make sure you apply for grants you are entitled to:

If you or someone in your family is in receipt of benefits you may be entitled to Warm Front.

For energy efficiency measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, draught proofing, hot water tank insulation, low energy light bulbs, heating controls, and central heating improvements, Free phone 0800 072 0150.

Sources: EST/NES