Energy Saving: Reduce energy usage around the home

Our homes use more than a quarter of all the energy consumed in the UK and the figure is rising thanks to more central heating and electricity-guzzling appliances and gadgets.

Government statistics show there has been a steady increase in domestic energy consumption since the 1970s. The amount of energy used for space heating has risen by 36%, water heating by 12% and lighting and appliances by 131%.

That equals more carbon emissions and a huge hike in the cost of energy bills, which are rocketing further thanks to fuel price rises.

Householders are keen to make their homes more energy efficient and there are some simple ways of cutting consumption.

Don’t pour money down the drain

• Take a shower. A shower uses 20% less energy than a bath
• Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth and you’ll save 7-12 litres of water
• Only boil as much water as you need. If everyone in the UK did this it would save enough electricity in a year to power our street lights for two months
• Fixing a dripping hot water tap saves enough hot water in one week to fill half a bath

Turn down the heat

• Reducing the room temperature on your thermostat by 1% can cut heating bills by 10%. Take a tip from your predecessors and simply wear more layers to keep out the cold and keep moving to increase your body temperature.

Cut costs at the flick of a switch

• Switching off appliances rather than leaving them on standby saves up to 10% electricity. This includes mobile phone chargers and TVs.

Generate your own energy

• South-facing solar hot water panels can provide 60% of your hot water needs. Photo-voltaic panels generate electricity from the sun’s rays and the Government offers a generous Feed in tariff every year for those who install them. The FiT adds up to around £700 a year.
• Installing sun pipes in the roof will bring natural light into your home and will cut down on the use of electric lights.
• Ground source heat pumps use the Earth’s natural warmth and are perfect for powering underfloor heating and radiators. Pipes holding a mix of water and anti-freeze are buried in deep trenches and warmth is absorbed from the ground passing through a heat exchanger and into a heat pump that converts it for domestic use.

Waste Not Want Not

• Put reflective foil behind your radiators to increase efficiency. Over half the heat from radiators goes out of the back and is wasted.
• Install cavity wall insulation. It reduces heat loss by up to 30%.
• Use a full load in your washing machine. A half load setting can use 50% more energy.
• A+ rated washing machines, dryers, fridges and freezers use 50% less energy than older white goods.

This article is published on behalf of Wickes DIY stores. These tips form part of a new DIY infographic with a room-by-room guide of energy-saving advice. Visit http://www.wickes.co.uk/pcat/EnergySavingTips/ for more information.