Clever money saving improvements

Your home appliances account for around 30 per cent of your home’s energy bills, so let’s take a look at a few more energy efficiency top tips.

1.Washing Machine and Spin Dryer

If you are looking to replace your old washing machine, choose a modern energy efficient model, which uses less energy and water. Also choose a spin dryer that will reduce your energy bill the most which are B energy rated models.

2. Air conditioning and heating

You can reduce unnecessary energy use by managing your systems efficiently.

Fit programmable thermostats in your home, they will save you money on your energy bills and pay for themselves within a few months.

Set thermostats a little higher in the summer and a little lower in the winter, especially in rooms used less often.

3. Light bulbs

Interior and exterior light bulbs are used every day, so any cost savings will impact your energy bills.

Switch from standard incandescent light bulbs to new energy saving light bulbs, they are more expensive, but last around 12 times longer, so save money.

You can mix standard and energy saving light bulbs, use them efficiently by placing them in rooms and areas of your home which are constantly lighted and this will save you the most money. Halogen lighting is best for outdoor use.

4. Dimmer Switches

Fit dimmer switches in your most used rooms, they reduce the light intensity in rooms and reduce your energy bills.

5. Solar Panels

Modern slim solar panels are very energy efficient and offer energy savings on your hot water supply and heating bills.

Fit them on the roof or in the most convenient location but make sure they blend in with the overall look of your home.

6. Water heater

Save money on your energy bills by adjusting the setting on your water heater to around 120F to 130F and fit insulation to the water heater.

New modern water heaters / boilers are more energy efficient than older models so if your water heater is old or inefficient, buy a new one.

7. Home office

To save on your energy bills use your laptops more than desk top computers as they use much less energy.

You can save money by switching to an ink jet printer which uses much less energy than a laser printer. Save energy by putting your computer to sleep, instead of using the screen saver mode.