Today sees the start of the Energy Saving Trust’s Energy Saving Week, which highlights how you can take back control of your bills by implementing a variety of energy saving measures.
A unique annual event, “Take back control of your energy bills” will give homeowners the opportunity to learn how to become more energy efficient, from making their home better insulated to installing renewable energy technologies.
The Energy Saving Trust’s 15th annual Energy Saving Week will show homeowners how they can make a difference when it comes to saving energy and reducing household bills.
With the average home capable of saving up to £280 a year by being energy efficient, this week the Energy Saving Trust will be turning up the heat on saving energy, offering energy saving tips and impartial advice on everything from energy saving measures to available grants.
For example, energy saving light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than ordinary bulbs, and could save you around £30 a year if you were to fit them to all the lights in your house. That works out at around £480 over the lifetime of all of the bulbs.
It’s also worth considering replacing your central heating boiler with a new energy efficient one, particularly if your boiler is more than 15 years old. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that around £886 million a year would be saved if all homes with gas or a G-rated boiler were to fit a condensing boiler.
Insulation is also pivotal to energy saving, whether it’s insulating your hot water tank, getting cavity wall insulation or fitting loft insulation. In the latter case, it’s a well known fact that something like 15% of what you’re paying for your heating could be escaping through your roof if it isn’t insulated. Which could save you around £175 a year off your heating bills. But you need to make sure that your loft is insulated to the recommended 270mm.
If you’re a homeowner and you would like to know more about the Energy Saving Week, give the Energy Saving Trust a call on 0800 512 012 to speak to a dedicated advisor.
The Energy Saving Trust believes that lighting is responsible for 8% of an average household energy bill. Therefore energy saving light bulbs offer a relatively simple but extremely effective way to save money in both the short and long term.
Halogen, compact fluorescent and LED all offer energy saving solutions of up to 80% compared to incandescent bulbs.
I found this example of replacing traditional kitchen lighting with LED eye opening to the potential savings possible if you spend time shopping around and chose the right bulb for the right situation. I hope to do something similar in my kitchen soon!