Tips for Cheshire residents on how to save money and energy

Nov 3 2011 by Carmella de Lucia, Chester Chronicle

WITH winter fast approaching, the Energy Saving Trust is offering some tips on how to make sure you don’t waste energy and that your bills don’t go through the roof:

Turn your thermostat down. Reducing room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10%and typically saves about £60 per year. If you have a programmer, set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time.

Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F.

Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.

Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.

Don’t leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.

If possible, fill up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher: one full load uses less energy than two half-loads.

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

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!

Use energy-saving lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs, and using one can save you about £55 over the lifetime of the bulb.

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 £280 a year on your household energy bills.

For more information, visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.