Welcome to the energy saving tip-house
Click the numbers to find our helpful energy saving tips. You can download an A3-sized version of the tip-house here.
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Original illustration by Chris Binding
1) Loft insulation
A well insulated loft keeps the heat in – like wearing a warm coat on a freezing cold day. Your loft should have 270mm of insulation (about 12 inches), any less, and your expensively bought heat will leak out, costing you money and making your home colder.
2) Solar panel
The sun can pre-heat your water or generate electricity. Renewable energy isn’t right for every home, but can be a money saver and cut carbon.
3) Draught-proofed windows
Replacing all single-glazed windows with B-rated double glazing could save you around £165 per year on energy bills. But it’s expensive and may not be worth it in your particular case. ‘Secondary glazing’ is where a second layer of glass or clear plastic is fitted inside an existing window frame; it’s cheaper to install but not so effective.
4) Radiator controls
Thermostatic radiator valves allow you to have different temperatures in different rooms, and to turn off the heating in rooms that aren't used. They’ll reduce your heating bill and save you money.
5) Insulated hot water tank
Most hot water tanks fitted in the last 20 years will be ‘factory insulated’. If your hot water tank is un-insulated or has a badly fitting old lagging jacket then you should definitely replace it. New jackets are cheap and you’ll save money quickly.
6) Cavity wall insulation
If your home has cavity walls, they should be insulated. This will save you around £135 a year on your fuel bills and make your home more snug.
There are also ways to insulate solid (non-cavity) walls, but it is more expensive.
7) Low-energy light bulbs
Five low-energy light bulbs use about the same amount of electricity as just one ordinary bulb, so they can shave quite a bit off your electricity bill.
8) Heating controls
Heating controls allow you to choose when the heating is on, how warm it is, and where you want the warmth. They will also make sure that your boiler is only turned on when it needs to be. Turning down your room thermostat by just one degree could save around £55 a year.
9) Energy efficient boiler
If your boiler is more than 15 years old, you should consider replacing it for a modern condensing boiler. It could save you around £300 a year.
10) Draught-proofed doors
What’s coming through your door? Keep out those icy winds with brush seals and draught strips for your front and back doors, and don’t forget your letterboxes and keyholes.
11) TV not standing-by
Don't leave your TV, computers or other equipment on standby – switch off at the plug. And remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.
12) A-rated fridge and other appliances
If you’re replacing your fridge, freezer, washing machine, dish-washer or kettle, look for the Energy Efficiency Recommended logo. A-rated appliances will save a lot of money. Your fridge is on all day, every day, so you want it to run as efficiently as possible.
13) Wise washing
If possible, fill up your washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher; one full load uses less energy than two half loads.
14) Hanging out in the sun
Give your tumble drier a rest and dry your laundry the Mediterranean way. The sun and wind will do the job for free!
15) Smarter driving
You can cut your petrol consumption a lot by adopting a smarter driving style: keeping your speed down, driving smoothly, not carrying junk in your boot and avoiding unnecessary journeys.
16) Pedal power
More people are taking to their bikes every day. It’s cheap, healthy and quick, and cuts the parking hassle.
