Follow the simple tips below to make a difference and reduce your energy usage at home:

• Have your boiler serviced regularly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions – not only can this keep your boiler running to its maximum efficiency but can help prevent future costly breakdowns too
• Use energy efficient light bulbs – lighting accounts for approximately 7% of average energy usage in homes.  Remember to turn off light bulbs when you leave a room, and fit timers or sensors on external lights so they are only in use when they need to be
• Fancy a cup of tea? – only boil the amount of water you need
• Don’t leave taps running and repair any dripping or leaky taps
• Put lids on pans when cooking to reduce heat loss, and do not put a small pan on a large burner
• Unplug electrical appliances when not in use – appliances left on standby will continue to use electricity as do phone chargers that are still plugged in when your phone is fully charged
• Do not leave fridge or freezer doors open for longer than necessary and remember a full fridge or freezer works more economically than one half full
• Wash economically, with full loads of clothes or dishes, and reduce temperatures.  Modern washers will work as effectively at 40 degrees C as at 60 degrees C.
• Take a shower instead of a bath
• Decrease your water temperature – it doesn’t need to be any higher than 60 degrees C and check your hot water cylinder and pipes are insulated
• Turn down your central heating thermostat – by reducing the temperature by as little as 1 degree C, you could save up 10% on your heating bills
• Remember that keeping your heating on constantly on a low heat could potentially save you more money than switching it on and off for big blasts of heat
• Use your boiler to heat your water, even in the summer when your heating may be switched off.  Using an emersion heater will be more expensive, but is useful as a back-up!
• Close curtains after dark to keep the heat in
• Fit draught excluders and fill in cracks round window frames – draught-proofing is one of the cheapest ways to save energy at home
• Shopping for a new household appliance?  Look for the EU energy efficiency label.  These range from A+++ (the most efficient) to G and are now a legal requirement on many large home appliances

An A rated high-efficiency condensing boiler will significantly reduce your home’s carbon dioxide emissions and can save you considerable amounts on your annual heating bill.  Savings will vary according to the efficiency level of your old boiler as well as the size of your home and how well insulated it is.  Information on replacing your boiler can be found on the Energy Savings Trust website.

Insulating your home is an effective way to reduce your energy usage and can dramatically cut the cost of heating your home, assisting in keeping heat in during the cold winter months, and keeping heat out in the summer. About at third of heat lost in an uninsulated home goes through the walls and approximately a quarter through the roof.  To find out more about the different sorts of insulation available and how much you could potentially save, visit the Energy Savings website.

Insulating your home can be costly, however there are numerous funds and grants that will cover all or part of the costs.

Renewable energy i.e. energy from any source that is naturally replenished when used, is good for the environment, as well as being good for your pocket.  The main sources for the home are energy from sunlight, heat from the earth, the air or water sources, plants grown for fuel, waste and the movement of water and wind.

When you generate your own energy, not only do you help to reduce the production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, you can also get paid for the energy you produce. To discover whether renewable energy can work for you, visit the Energy Savings Trust website.

The Government’s Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme (RHI) was launched in April 2014 and is the world’s first long-term financial support programme for renewable heat.  It provides financial incentives to owners of eligible, renewable heating systems in their homes, covering single domestic dwellings and is open to homeowners, private landlords, social landlords and self-builders.  The Scheme will pay tariffs per unit of heat generated for seven years.  For more information about the domestic RHI, contact the Energy Saving Advisory service on 0300 123 1234 or visit the OFGEM website.