Energy Saving Tips

Energy Saving Tips Save Energy, Stay Warm

Save Money on Your Home’s Annual Energy Bills We’re all responsible for the energy we use in our homes. With increased energy costs, it’s more important than ever to take steps to save energy in our homes. Here are some practical tips to help reduce energy costs.

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Energy Saving Tips • Turn your thermostat down by a single degree. For example, reducing your thermostat from 20°C to 19°C could take £145 off your heating bill every year. (Room thermostats should be set between 18°C and 21°C) • Reducing your shower time to just 4 minutes could save £65 per year on energy bills. Having a 10-minute shower a day could add over £12 to your monthly energy bill • Cooking meals such as casseroles and curries in a slow cooker rather than putting them in the oven can save you up to £114 per year • Warmth starts to escape from your home when the sun goes down and temperatures start to drop. Closing curtains or blinds in your home can provide a 33% reduction in heat loss • Annual boiler servicing ensures that your boiler is running efficiently and in the long run could help keep your heating bills down and potentially save you £1,000s in repairs • Trapped air in radiators stops them from working efficiently. If there are cold spots on your radiators, particularly at the top, it’s a sign they need bleeding.

This releases the air and ensures your heating system is working to its full potential.

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Save £s Using Your Energy Efficient Electrical Appliances A third of the average electricity bill is the result of appliances and computer equipment usage.

Appliances are tested for how much energy they consume during typical use. This gives them a rating on a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient product and G being the least efficient.

When you buy new appliances, try to buy the most energy efficient products. Appliances with a high Efficiency Grade can cut costs by as much as 50% to run annually than a lower rated appliance.

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Tips to Save Money on Your Electrical Appliances • Save around £70 per year, just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode • You can save on average £75 per year on your electric bill by line drying clothes instead of using your tumble dryer for three months during summer • Turn your lights off when you’re not using them or when you leave a room. This will save you around £30 per year on your annual energy bills • Use your washing machine on a 30°C cycle instead of higher temperatures. By doing one less wash a week, you could save £54 per year. Always use your washing machine for a full load or use a half load programme for smaller loads • Thermostatic radiator valves are an extra control which can set the temperature of each room (other than where your main thermostat is). Using them allows you to control the temperature room by room and could save you around £55 per year • Using a heated drying rack instead of an electric tumble dryer could save around £35 a year on electric bills. Remember to ventilate your home when you use it to get rid of excess moisture.

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Reducing Heat Loss in Your Home Keeping your home warm during the winter months is essential, however nothing can ruin that comfort like heat loss. It lowers the temperature inside your home, causes your energy bills to increase and wastes energy.

Therefore, it’s crucial to prevent heat loss in order to maintain a comfortable living space and save money on energy costs.

Draught-proofing There are many benefits to draught-proofing your home. Following these steps to make your house draught-proof will help you keep your property both warm and energy efficient.

DOORS Draught-proofing around windows and doors could save you up to £50 per year.

• Keyholes – buy a purpose-made cover that drops a metal disc over the keyhole • Letterboxes – use a letterbox flap or brush, but remember to measure your letterbox before you buy • Gaps at the bottom of doors – use a brush or hinged flap draught excluder • Gaps around the edges – fit foam, brush or wiper strips like those used for windows.

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FLOORS On average, 10-20% of heat loss occurs through your floors.

• Solid floor insulation or suspended timber floor insulation could save around £75 per year.

ROOF Almost 25% of the heat in your home is lost through the attic.

• The recommended depth for loft insulation is 270mm.

Doing this will help stop heat escaping through the roof, saving around £12 a year • If you have no insulation, installing 270mm of new insulation could save £250 per year.

WINDOWS Single glazed windows can cause heat loss of up to 70%.

• By installing A-Rated double glazing to windows in an entirely single glazed property, you could save £155 per year • Heavy-duty curtains or thermal lining adds extra insulation to prevent heat loss from windows. Try not to let your curtains hang over any radiators, as this can stop the heat from warming the room.

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WALLS 35% of all heat lost in a home escapes through the walls alone.

• Installing cavity wall insulation could save you up to £265 per year on your energy bills • External or internal solid wall insulation can save around £360 a year.

HOT WATER CYLINDERS • Insulating a hot water cylinder with an 80mm jacket can help reduce heat loss, keeping your water hotter for longer and could save you up to £360 per year.

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Oil Stamp Saving Scheme

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If you have oil heating, why not HEATING OIL consider saving with the Council’s G OIL T HEA IN ‘Oil Stamp Saving Scheme.’ You can buy £5 oil stamps from participating retailers and Council premises, which will help you to budget and spread the cost of central heating oil. Buying heating oil in small quantities costs householders more per litre, whilst buying heating oil in larger quantities is more cost effective.

HOW DOES THE SCHEME WORK? • An oil stamp saving card can be obtained from one of the participating outlets (including Council premises) • Purchase your £5 oil saving stamps from participating outlets within Antrim and Newtownabbey • Place your oil stamp onto your oil savings card in the spaces provided. Each card holds 40 stamps, equivalent to £200 in savings.

• The card can then be used for payment, or partpayment for your oil with participating oil suppliers.

For further information and a full list of participating retailers and oil suppliers, visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/oilstamps

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Energy Efficiency Advice/Grants If you are a home owner or rent privately, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Environmental Health and Wellbeing Team can give you advice on meanstested energy efficiency grants including: • Boiler replacement (boilers over 15 years old) • Loft insulation • Cavity wall insulation For more information, contact Environmental Health T. 028 9034 0160 E. envhealth@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

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T. 028 9034 0160 E. envheath@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk