Energy saving tips
In the Home
Did you know? Making your home more energy efficient could save you up to £340 a year on your energy bills.
Quick and easy things you can do for free
- Switch your appliances off. Not leaving TVs, games consoles, mobile phone chargers and laptops etc on standby or charging unnecessarily could save you around £30 a year
- When making hot drinks, only boil as much water as you need (but remember to always cover the element in an electric kettle). This could save you around £6 a year.
- Washing your clothes at 30˚C uses around 40% less electricity.
- Close your curtains at dusk to reduce the amount of heat escaping through your windows.
- Make sure that your heating thermostat is not set too high. To keep a home warm the setting shouldn’t need to be more than between 18˚C and 21˚C. If it is currently set higher than this, lowering your thermostat by just 1˚C could save you up to£65 a year on your heating bills.
- Replace any standard bulbs with energy saving ones and you could save up to £7 per bulb per year. Always remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room or go out to save even more!
- If you’re not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, make sure you use the half load or economy setting.
- Turn off dripping taps. In just one day, a dripping hot water tap wastes enough water to fill a bath.
Energy Saving Appliances
If you are planning on buying a new appliance, look out for the Energy Saving Recommended logo. Most white goods, all boilers and some electrical gadgets have a rating from A-G for their energy efficiency, with A being the best. This is usually shown on the front of the product or its packaging. A-rated appliances can typically save you:
- £20 a year for an A-rated washing machine
- £39 a year for an A-rated fridge-freezer
Installing energy efficiency measures
Although your landlord will be responsible for making improvements to your home (e.g. replacing windows, upgrading the heating system etc) tenants are often the ones who are eligible for grants to help with energy efficiency improvements.
Insulation
All homes that are privately rented are eligible for grants to help with the cost of installing loft insulation and cavity wall insulation (providing that the property is suitable) and if someone in your household is over 70 or receives certain benefits or allowances then it is likely that you would qualify for a full grant.
Loft and cavity wall insulation can save the average home hundreds of pounds a year on heating costs and, with your help, your landlord could get a grant to cover anything from 30% to 100% of the cost. You can check that your home is suitable by arranging a completely free and no obligation survey through an installer or energy company. Visit www.est.org.uk or call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 to find out more.
Heating
If you receive certain benefits then you may also qualify for help with the cost of energy efficiency improvements (including heating) under the Government’s Warm Front scheme. Visit www.warmfront.co.uk to find out more.
If you are not eligible for Warm Front, you may be eligible for the Government’s boiler scrappage scheme, which could help your landlord to receive £400 towards to cost of a new boiler. Find out more by visiting www.est.org.uk
Switching payment methods and suppliers
There are lots of ways you can pay for your gas and electricity, however most energy suppliers provide an extra discount to those who choose to pay by direct debit and further discounts may apply if your choose to pay your bill online, rather than receiving a paper bill in the post. The cheapest way to pay is by monthly direct debit and the most expensive is using a pre-payment meter. The difference can be hundreds of pounds a year!
Monthly direct debit – This is where set amount (calculated from the previous usage) is taken from your bank account on the same date each month.
Variable direct debit - This is where full payment by direct debit will be taken by your chosen energy supplier each quarter to cover your total amount of usage in the last quarter.
Quarterly cash/cheque - This is where bill is sent out each quarter from your energy supplier which you pay by cash or cheque. This is usually more expensive than paying by Direct Debit.
Continuous authority credit card – This is where your chosen energy supplier will charge a nominated credit card each month with a regular amount.
Prepayment meter - This uses a card that allows you a certain amount of credit on your meter. Once the credit is low or run out, you simply top up the card with more credit. If you want to transfer to a tariff that allows you to pay by direct debit or cash/cheque then your meter will need to be changed. This is often a far more expensive way of paying for your energy compared to other methods.
If you are renting a shared house it is a good idea to decide as a household which payment method you think would be best suited to you. A direct debit might be cheaper but would require one member of the household to be in charge of managing the bills and collecting money.
Switching tariffs and suppliers
If your bills seem higher than expected it is worth speaking to your energy supplier to see whether they offer a tariff that could save you money. In particular, signing up for paperless billing (where you receive your bills by email) can save you a significant amount on your bills. You may also want to visit www.switchwithwhich.co.uk to see whether switching to an energy supplier could save you money. Which? has also produced a useful guide to the different types of tariff (available on their website) that is well worth a look.
What to do if you are having trouble paying your energy bills
If you are having difficult paying your energy bills or have fallen behind on your payments it is important to get the situation under control so that you will not be disconnected. Directgov have lots of advice on how to deal with your energy supplier to resolve the problem, budgeting and ways to reduce your debt.
Visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt for more information.
Energy Performance Certificates
When you are searching for a new home there are a number of things that you should look out for. Although some larger shared houses don’t need one, most rental properties will have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and before entering into a rental agreement you should always ask to see this if there is one available (for individual agreements they may not be necessary). Your landlord or lettings agent will be able to advise you if there is an EPC for the property and must show you a copy before you sign the lease.
Energy Performance Certificates were introduced to help prospective buyers and tenants choose energy efficient new homes. They give details of the energy efficiency of the property, annual running costs and possible improvements that the owner could make. Like the energy ratings that you find on the front of fridges, washing machines and other appliances EPCs give the property a rating of A to G for its energy efficiency and level of CO2 emissions, with A being the best.
To find out what an EPC looks like and what information it contains, visit:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/theenvironment/
energyperformance/homes/energyperformancecertificates/certificatecontains/
Want a home that is warm and cheap to run? Make sure you check the following before signing on the dotted line . . .
Is there an EPC and if so, what is the property’s energy rating? The higher the rating on the Energy Performance Certificate the better the house is at keeping heat in.
Are there energy saving bulbs in the light fittings? If not, make sure to invest in some. You can pick them up in most shops and supermarkets for as little as 10p and each energy saving light bulb can save you £7 a year.
Does the property have a full set of heating controls? (i.e. a boiler programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves). Good controls can save you around 15% a year on your heating bills. Just make sure everyone in the house knows how to use them! If you are unsure about using the controls ask your landlord or call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012. They also have guides on their website, www.est.org.uk
Has the property been well insulated? You can check this on the property’s EPC (if you have one). A home where the loft insulation is topped up to the recommended level of 270mm could save you up to £205 a year compared to one with no insulation. Likewise, if the property has cavity walls, choosing a property where they are insulated can save up to £160 per year.
Is the property double glazed? If so, it could save you £140 a year on energy costs, stop draughts and prevent condensation. Single glazed homes are often prone to condensation, which can lead to damp and mould growth. Check the windows when you view the property to see if there is any condensation on the windows.
Are there any fireplaces? In Norwich many of the rented properties are older, Victorian properties which have fireplaces. If there are fireplaces, have they been sealed? If you can feel a breeze from it, it is not sealed and even some cardboard, rags or newspaper will help keep the room warmer and stop valuable heat disappearing up the chimney.
Have you asked the current tenants what the house is like to live in? They will have a good idea of how cheap or expensive it is to run, how warm it is and could give you advice on whether there are any problems with the property.
Once you have moved in remember to ask your landlord how to work your heating and hot water systems. If you still aren’t sure how to use your heating system efficiently then call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 or visit www.est.org.uk